The Importance of Fire Safety in Construction

The Importance of Fire Safety in Construction

Due to the nature of work completed on construction sites, the types of tools and machinery used, there is a higher risk of fire than there is on many other types of premises. Between 2014 and 2019, the number of construction site fires increased by around 10%, according to the Home Office statistics.

While many of the fires are due to human error, there is also a concerning number of fires that are started intentionally, with arsonists targeting unoccupied sites. As well as helping to prevent fire damage to property and assets, having adequate fire safety processes in place is a legal requirement.

There are three main pieces of legislation for fire safety construction in England:

• The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
• The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002
• The Construction (Design and Management 2007)

Construction sites should have a nominated ‘responsible person’ who will manage fire safety and take accountability for putting the necessary policies and processes in place to protect site workers and the public.

The responsible person must:

• Carry out a fire risk assessment of the premises and repeat on a regular basis
• Communicate any identified risks to people on the site
• Establish and maintain fire safety measures
• Plan for an emergency
• Provide staff information, fire safety instructions, and training

One of the key elements of establishing fire safety measures is to have adequate fire safety equipment and fire warning systems in place. Site fire alarms are easy to get installed and can ensure that people on the site are immediately made aware of the danger.

Firefighting equipment is also essential to have on construction sites so that people are able to extinguish fires as quickly as possible to minimise risk to life and limit fire damage. The type of firefighting equipment required will depend on the size of the site, as smaller sites may only require one fire extinguisher.

For larger sites, numerous extinguishers are needed and additional measures such as fire sprinklers may be necessary. Other equipment your site might need includes fire hoses, fire blankets, and fire buckets.

The responsible person should conduct the fire risk assessment to determine which types of fire safety equipment is required, how many products are needed, and where they should be located for the highest level of safety.

It is also important that the correct types of fire extinguishers are purchased, depending on the materials that are stored or used on the site. They should also be serviced regularly to ensure they are in good working order.

FixFirm supplies the full range of essential fire safety equipment for construction sites and our team of fire safety experts can also provide advice to ensure that you have the right equipment to stay compliant with fire safety legislation. Visit our online store to buy the fire safety equipment you require for your site or call us on 0800 594 4444 if you have any questions.