Logo here / Company name
Fire Safety Management Plan

Index

Page
1. / Responsibility for fire safety
2. / Risk assessment
3. / Training
4. / Emergency information
5. / Record keeping
6. / Security issues
7. / Appointment of Fire Marshals and Fire Wardens
8. / Fire extinguishers
9. / Site fire safety management procedures
10. / Flammable chemicals
11. / Hot work permits
12. / Electrical systems

Notes on documentation

This procedure is part of a suite of documents covering fire safety. These include:

  • Fire Plan Part 1 - This document: Outlines the management systems used for fire safety in the workplace. Intended to be used in a H&S procedures manual.
  • Fire Plan Part 2: Outlines the specific contingencies in place, including identification of personnel and key actions. Intended to be issued to departments / sites as necessary as their main fire reference document.
  • Fire forms / log book: Forms recording the checks and inspections made in the workplace for fire safety. These can be either one single log book or a series of forms and records. These documents may be stored with Part 2 or can be stored separately, as convenient.

1. Responsibility for Fire Safety

As with wider health and safety, overall responsibility for fire safety rests with the senior management of the COMPANY NAME. Responsibility for the implementation and operation of the fire safety arrangements rests jointly with ???????????? INSERT JOB TITLE OF PERSON HERE.

The ??????Manager holds responsibility for the alarm and emergency light systems (where provided), provision of fire extinguishers and appointment of competent engineers to undertake the installations and routine service requirements and will also oversee the appointment of specialists to undertake the fire risk assessments.

The ??????? Manager[AJ1]hold the title of Fire Safety Manager and is responsible for ensuring that all sites/departments are given the requisite information to enable the Business to protect its staff, visitors and property. The Fire Safety Manager will ensure that written plans exist for all sites, that training is given as needed, that this training is suitable and that any additional support required is provided.

2. Risk Assessment

COMPANY NAME will arrange for fire risk assessments (FRAs) to be conducted on all properties occupied by it for the purposes of its business, including both owned and leased sites.

Risk assessments will be conducted by a specialist as appointed by the Fire Safety Manager. IF TO BE DONE INTERNALLY STATE HERE WHO BY.

Risk assessments will be reviewedannually and the significant findingsdiscussed between the Fire Marshal(s)and the Fire Safety Manager.

3. Training

Training will be arranged by the Fire Safety Manager for the following groups of people:

  1. Fire Marshals
  2. Deputy Fire Marshals
  3. General employees

Fire Marshals and Deputy Fire Marshals

Training shall cover the following information as a minimum

(layout as guideline only):

  1. Theory of fire
  2. Fire development
  3. Spreading of fires
  4. Fire containment
  5. Classes of fire
  6. Suitability of extinguishers
  7. Extinguisher identification
  8. Maintenance standards including routine examinations
  9. Principles of prevention
  10. Fire risk assessments
  11. Safe working practices
  12. Means of escape
  13. Protection systems
  14. Fire alarms (where present on site)
  15. Emergency lighting (where present on site)
  16. Signs
  17. Emergency planning
  18. Fire drills
  19. Staff awareness training
  20. Organising for fire safety
  21. Specific requirements for company sites

The Fire Safety Manager will also attend a course at least of this level[AJ2]

A course such as this should take approximately six hours.

This course will be repeated with refresher training every three years.

General Employees

All employees (including volunteers/temps) will attend a fire awareness training course a minimum of three yearly unless a higher frequency is specified in the fire risk assessments. This course shall include:

  1. Nature of fire and requirements for its development
  2. Methods for spreading of fire
  3. Ignition sources in the workplace
  4. Fire containment and escape routes
  5. Types of extinguishers and suitability for fires
  6. What to do on discovering a fire
  7. Any specific actions relevant to their site

A modified version of this course may also function as the intermediate refresher training for the Fire Marshals and Deputy Fire Marshals. If it is to be used as such a more detailed element of local procedures, actions and responsibilities should be included.

Records of this training will be maintained by the Fire Safety Manager.

As a guide, this three-yearly training should last approximately 1½ hours.

Additional training should be given every six months. This should be given by the Fire Marshals to employees in their areas and should consist of a walk-through of the fire safety procedures for the site and the actions to take in the event of a fire. This is only anticipated to be of a short duration. All training must be recorded.

New starters / seasonal people

New starters are to be given basic fire instruction within the first three days of commencing employment. This will include:

  1. What to do if discovering a fire
  2. What to do if the fire alarm is sounded (where present)
  3. Roll call procedures (where present)

New starters and seasonal hires should be included in the general employee training programme at the earliest opportunity, as a maximum within 12 months.

Fire Action notices will be placed by each emergency exit and in staff canteen as a minimum

4. Emergency Information

The Fire Safety Manager will provide all sites/remote departments with a one-page summary sheet detailing emergency contact information. This will contain as a minimum:

The name, position and telephone numbers of all Fire Marshals for all sites.

The telephone numbers for the Fire Safety Manager.

Contact details for local police and fire department.

5. Record Keeping

Each site will maintain records for the routine fire safety checks. Records for the last three years as a minimum will be held.

Fire risk assessments and training records are held by the Fire Safety Manager.

6. Security issues

COMPANY NAME is considered a low risk in terms of being a target of arson or bomb threats. Should threats be made their must be reported immediately to the Fire Safety Manager who will liaise with other senior managers to determine appropriate action[AJ3].

7. Appointment of Fire Marshals and Fire Wardens

Each site/department has an appointed Fire Marshal to oversee the implementation of the fire safety strategies for their respective site, with the tasks involved in this being determined by the fire safety provisions in place.

Deputy Fire Marshals are appointed who will undertake the role of Fire Marshal when the Marshal is not present.

8. Fire Extinguishers

The Fire Safety Manager will appoint one or more competent companies to undertake the annual fire extinguisher servicing and the records for this are held centrally.

The Fire Marshals in the sites/departments have a monitoring role to ensure that the servicing is taking place as required and to report any defective units identified during the monthly inspections to the Fire Safety Manager.

Extinguishers are provided on the basis of advice from installing companies and/or risk assessment.

9. Site Fire Safety Management Procedures

Fire Safety Management Procedures contain the instructions for the routine fire inspections along with the procedures to follow for fire drills, emergency evacuations and security alerts.

These procedures should be viewed as organic systems which are modified as issues arise, protection systems change or as the risk assessments require. As a minimum they should be reviewed following fire drills (on the sites where these are to take place).

A feedback system must exist between the Fire Marshals, usually via the Fire Safety Manager, so issues which arise on one site are communicated and actions implemented on all others.

10. Flammable chemicals

Flammable chemicals are rarely used[AJ4].

Wherever flammable chemicals are stored a specific flame-proof storage facility will be provided. All flammable chemicals stores are signed as such and spill containment and clean-up kits are available at each location. Volumes are kept to a minimum.

11. Hot Work Permits

COMPANY NAMErequires that where any hot work is to take place that a permit system is in place. Hot work is defined as burning, welding, brazing, soldering, grinding or cutting work producing sparks, a common example of which is plumbing. Such works are usually carried out by contractors.

Contractors undertaking hot work should provide their own hot work permit system but where this is not in place, (for example, small plumbing companies or many self-employed people) the companywill lay out the minimum standards which are to be followed.

The company standards are risk assessment based and require the completion of a permit / assessment form for the task. This permit / assessment must be completed and agreed with the company employee overseeing the work before commencing.

12. Electrical systems

Fixed wiring

Fixed wiring systems are installed and maintained in accordance with the 16th Edition wiring regulations. Fixed wiring will be subject to routine examination and testing by competent persons in accordance with the following schedule, at a minimum of every five years.

Portable Appliances

Portable appliances will be subject to routine inspection and testing in accordance with the guidance set out by the IEE’s publication “Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing”, the relevant section of which is reproduced here:

Where a permanent supply is required all reasonable steps will be made to modify the mains circuit to provide a permanent outlet and avoid long-term use of portable extension leads or multi-socket adaptors.

The Fire Safety Manager (unless another individual is appointed[1]) will ensure that arrangements are made for the above tests to take place.

Where employees provide their own electrical equipment such as radios these will be included in the portable appliance testing schedule[AJ5]. All new portable items introduced into sites must be reported to the Fire Safety Manager (or other designated person) for inclusion in the appropriate register of appliances.

1

[1]This can be delegated to another individual to operate on a daily basis.

[AJ1]The company needs to appoint a senior manager to this position, in writing. For smaller companies, the duties which are detailed in subsequent paragraphs can be contracted out if required – e.g. reviews can be done by someone appointed from outside if it is thought best to approach it that way.

[AJ2]Small companies only. Where the Fire Manager is taking on a more complex role specific training for this should be obtained.

[AJ3]Change this if required for your company

[AJ4]Modify this section as required

[AJ5]Or you can just ban them