Statistically, fire is inevitable. Whether it’s faulty electrical wiring, a discarded cigarette or non-conforming building products which present a fire hazard, fire can have devastating consequences. It’s crucial to ensure your premises are safe and thoroughly checked before occupying an environment which may be a fire hazard.
To determine whether a building is safe for occupation, a fire risk assessment can be undertaken. What is a fire risk assessment? A fire risk assessment describes the overall process of risk identification, risk analysis and risk evaluation. This generally starts with a complete inspection of a building or structure during which fire risks or hazards are identified. This is followed by analysis and evaluation to establish suitable actions to mitigate reduce or mitigate fire risk.
WHY UNDERTAKE A FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT?
Fire risk assessments and risk management can provide the following key benefits:
- Preserve Life and Protect Assets:
Through proactive risk management, objectives can be set and evaluated to inform actions to limit risk to people and property.
- Strategic Planning & Informed Decision Making
Understanding fire risk and available mitigation measures can be fundamental to making informed decisions around implemntation of new building processes, building refurbishments or extensions, potential consequences of existing defects and so on.
- Reduce Uncertainty
Fire risk assessments explicitly take account of uncertainty, the nature of that uncertainty and how it can be addressed.
- Reliability and Business Continuity
Systematic risk management reduces the potential for fire incidents and/or the consequences of such incidents, improving operational certainty.
- Tailored
Fire risk assessments are aligned with the building or orginisations external and internal context and risk profile. This takes into account how the building or structure is used and the characteristics of people who occupy the space.
- Transpacrancy
Fire risk assessments provides a means to proactively involve stakeholders and decision makers to determine acceptable risk and inform evaluation process.
- Dynamic and responsive
Changes can be monitored and evaluated as part of an effective risk management plan.
A fire safety risk assessment is required to be suitable and sufficient. This implies that it evaluates all potential risks of fire safety, vulnerable parties, and existing systems. Key elements of your fire safety procedures is taken into consideration, and the risk assessment is thoroughly documented. As a result, any risk assessment that involves a single phrase responses, like Yes, No, or Further Assessment Required is unlikely to be suitable or sufficient.
HOW LONG DOES A FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT TAKE?
The initial inspection typically takes 1-4 hours depending on the complexity of the site. The evaluation of the fire risk assessment can usually be documented within two weeks following the inspection.
HOW TO CONDUCT A FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT
Risk is often referred to as the product of likelihood and consequence of an event. The level of risk can either be established qualitatively or it can be quantified in a probibalistic risk assessment employing more sophisticated analysis techniques.
To assess fire risk, a suitably qualified practitioner (such as a chartered fire safety engineer) can undertake an investigation of the building or structure. Depending on the building type, it may be vital to have a fire risk assessment conducted regularly to be aware of any possible fire hazards, and to act accordingly.
WHAT ARE THE 5 MAIN COMPONENTS OF A FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT?
Here are the fire risk assessment and prevention strategies:
- Evaluate the Threats of Fire
Inspecting the property and identifying anything that can be hazardous is the first step in prevention strategies. This includes closely monitoring how a fire could potentially start or what could ignite and start a fire. For example, electrical devices like heaters could serve as a source of sparking substance, and any materials like paper or textiles close by could dramatically intensify a fire.
- Identify Individuals At-Risk
In the event of a fire, everyone inside your property is at risk. It’s crucial to consider whether some people face a higher danger than others, especially if they are working with hazardous tools and materials, working in remote locations, working unsociable shifts, or are unfamiliar with the property (i.e., guests or customers). Of course, children, elderly, and disabled are more vulnerable.
- Assess, Eliminate, and Lessen the Chances.
After completing the first two steps, the results are carefully analysed to identify any risks to the building, surroundings and occupants. Strategies and solutions can then be established to avoid, remove, or lessen the fire risks. This may include implementing interim risk mitigation procedures such as a fire watch, increased first aid firefighting equipment, localized suppression and the like while the fire risk is elmiminated or otherwise mitigated.
- Observe, Prepare, and Train
If you have 5 or more employees in your establishment or have a business license, then it’s vital to have your fire risk assessment report checklist written in a document highlighting all the fire hazards and steps to eliminate them. Your fire risk assessment must be protected as a documented record.
Finally, you should evaluate your fire risk assessment regularly and update the records when required. If there are any significant changes, this should be captured and incorporated in the risk mitigation plan.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU COMISSION A FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT?
It’s advisable that a fire risk assessment be updated annually and be regularly updated every four years. It’s estimated that fire risk assessments for buildings over three floors are reviewed annually and updated every three years.
WHO DOES FIRE RISK ASSESSMENTS IN AUSTRALIA?
We have been assisting our clients in adding value to their projects since 2007 across practically all building sectors.
Sotera provides fire risk assessments and fire risk management including:
- Undertaking qualitative or quantitative risk assessments
- Building fire safety risk assessments for combustible cladding
- Risk mitigation and reduction.
- Permanent or temporary risk management plans.
Our skilled and experienced team of fire engineers has a thorough understanding of building systems, fire protection systems, and fire science. We study and identify fire threats through desktop studies and site inspections, and we can then build appropriate and affordable mitigation strategies.
Sotera welcomes all your inquiries, and we look forward to assisting you with our knowledge and expertise in all aspects of fire safety engineering.
