Fire risk assessments are important for all types of commercial and industrial properties but when it comes to factories and warehouses, they are essential in helping to prevent fire and the devastation that they can cause.

Factories and warehouses are often very large premises spanning hundreds of thousands of square feet and can have anywhere from a few dozen to hundreds of employees working in them at one time. Not only this but the type of site, the nature of the work, materials, production process and storage systems can mean that there is a greater chance of certain types of fire.

At T2 Fire, our expert team carry out professional, reliable and cost-effective fire risk assessments for factories and warehouses that help to keep your buildings safe and compliant.

Fire Safety Regulations and Risk Assessments

What is a fire risk assessment?

Fire risk assessments are an organised and methodical examination of the premises which works to identify potential hazards and what changes, systems or processes need to be put in place to reduce, resolve or remove the risk of them causing a fire.

Factories and warehouses are considered to be at high risk of fire which usually occurs as a result of carelessness or unforeseen problems with a particular process. This risk can vary depending on the types of processes bring carried out as well as the materials or substances used and the number of employees, visitors or occupants on the premises.

What is the fire safety law?

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 covers general fire safety in England and Wales and provides a minimum standard for fire safety in non-domestic premises.

A factory or warehouse fire risk assessment should cover anything that could potentially cause a fire to start, i.e., sources of ignition and substances that burn, as well as identifying those who may be at risk.

It is the duty of the ‘responsible person’ to carry out fire safety risk assessments and keep them up to date, ensuring that any findings are appropriately followed up with and adequate fire safety measures put into place.

What is a ‘responsible person’?

The responsible person of a factory or warehouse will usually be an owner, manager or employee, but they must be specified and registered as such. This means that they are accountable for the fire safety of the premises and have responsibilities that include;

• Carrying out risk assessments and reviewing them regularly
• Informing staff or their representatives about any risks that have been identified
• Putting in place, and maintaining the appropriate fire safety measures
• Making sufficient emergency plans
• Provide staff with the relevant information, fire safety instructions and training

As the responsible person, the culpability falls to you, meaning that if regular fire risk assessments are not carried out properly and this is discovered or worse, if a fire was to break out then you could be found liable. This could mean anything from heavy fines and penalties to a prison sentence.