Fire safety is a subject that many business owners either ignore or approach as a box-ticking exercise. This is why here at Twenty4, we are doing all we can to educate the businesses of South Wales, ensuring they are aware of the risks they face as well as the services and products out there for them to utilise.
For this reason, we share a few fire safety facts with our blog readers; many of which business owners, in particular, won’t be able to forget.
There are over 100,000 fires in buildings every year in the UK
Although installing fire extinguishers and fire alarms may feel like an expense you just don’t need as a business, office fires are a lot more common than you may think. According to the Office of National Statistics, over 100,000 fires are reported in the UK every single year. This is why the strict set of regulations set out by the UK Government exists!
Fires cause an average of 500 fatalities annually
Whether operating a dangerous construction site with lots of machinery or a tech-based start-up in a snug little office, as an employer, it is your responsibility to keep your staff members safe when at work. And, when learning that fires take an average of 500 lives annually in the UK, you will no doubt want to make your place of work as ‘fire-safe’ as possible.
Annual Fire Risk Assessments are a legal obligation
Think that Fire Risk Assessments are discretionary? Think again! Conducting annual Fire Risk Assessments on your business premises is a legal obligation, with your company’s ‘Responsible Person’ needing to record their findings as proof the assessment has been conducted. An emergency plan will need to be made off of the back of this.
According to the UK Government, the intention for the assessment is to gain clarity on the following:
- emergency routes and exits
- fire detection and warning systems
- fire fighting equipment
- the removal or safe storage of dangerous substances
- an emergency fire evacuation plan
- the needs of vulnerable people, for example, the elderly, young children or those with disabilities
- providing information to employees and other people on the premises
- staff fire safety training
What’s more is that if large-scale changes have been made to the building, a new Fire Risk Assessment will need to be conducted right away.
At 19% of fires, a fire alarm is present but not operational
Most business people rely on their fire alarm to inform them of an outbreak. However, a fire alarm system is only reliable if it is maintained and regularly serviced. This is why 19% of fires where fire alarms are present, there are faulty and non-operational devices. As a result, businesses must have their alarm systems checked regularly, ensuring they are maintained to the highest of standards.
93% of business fire doors are being propped open illegally
Fire doors have a clear purpose, to limit the spread of fire and smoke between separate compartments of a building. Intended to create a passive fire safety system, fire doors also permit people to exit burning buildings efficiently and safely. This is why it comes as a huge surprise that over 90% of tradesmen have spotted such doors being propped open. Not only is this detrimental to the safety of the people inside the building but it is illegal.
Fire safety services
At Twenty4, we are South Wales’ leading fire safety brand, offering a vast selection of services to our much-valued customers. This includes the businesses of the region, supporting companies from various sectors and industries to limit their fire risks.
Below are just a few of the fire safety services we have become known for:
Book your free fire safety audit
Unsure of what your business needs in the way fire safety equipment? If so, allow the Twenty4 team to conduct a fire safety audit completely free of charge. Then, we can offer our advice on your needs, arriving at suitable solutions that are competitively priced.
