Advice & Guidance
Fire Safety
Until
recently, the laws regarding fire safety were set out in the Fire Precautions Act 1971 and the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations
1997. This legislation has now been
consolidated into the Regulatory Reform
(Fire Safety) Order 2005. The recent
changes to the law on fire safety have slightly changed the duties imposed on
those responsible for places of worship.
As a result, the government has produced a set of guidance notes for different building types. Fire Safety Risk Assessment - Small and Medium Places of Assembly provides advice on what you have to do to comply with fire safety law and will guide you through the process of carrying out a fire risk assessment.
Advice specific to places of worship can be found in a booklet entitled Fire Risk Assessment Principles for Church Premises produced by the Churches' Legislation Advisory Service.
Lightning: The provision of a lightning conductor
system will not prevent the occurrence of a lightning strike. The purpose of the installation is to direct
the current discharged from the strike to earth safely, protecting the
structure and its occupants from the effects of the strike. Fires
arising from lightning strikes can be minimised by ensuring that the lightning
protection system is always in working order.
The continuity of the conductors can be broken during building repairs
or ground excavations. If lightning
conductors are disturbed, they should be repaired immediately. It is also important to implement a regular
testing regime.
Find out more about the need to properly test your lightning protection system here.
Faulty electrical wiring: Places of worship should normally have their electrical installations
inspected and tested every five years.
If any part of the system fails a test, immediate steps should be taken
to have the fault corrected. If this is
not possible in the short term, the faulty sections should be disconnected
until a repair is carried out. In addition,
an annual ‘routine check' should be carried out by someone who is competent to
understand the electrical system.
Appliances: Small electrical fittings such as portable heaters, kettles and fans are frequent causes of fires. It is therefore advisable to ensure that any such appliances and their connecting flexes are regularly inspected and replaced if faulty. Extension leads should not be used on a permanent basis and cables should never be run under carpets as they may overheat. Remember to check the electrical wiring and equipment connected to organs too.
Gas appliances should be inspected by a Gas Safe registered engineer on a regular basis.
Building works: It is important that all parties are aware
of the risks that occur during building works and time should be taken to make
sure that these risks are properly addressed.
Smoking must be prohibited at all times and naked flames should not
generally be allowed. Hot works permits
can be used in special circumstances but only under the strictest supervision
by the contract administrator. Any
temporary wiring for electric tools or heating should be disconnected each
evening. You should also ensure that
waste materials are cleared away immediately and never stored within the church
building.
Flammable materials: Cleaning materials and polishes
can be a particular hazard and only the minimum amounts necessary should be
stored on the premises. These must be
kept in a safe place. Bottles of gas and
cans of petrol or other fuel for mowers should never be stored inside the
building. Make sure that stacks of old
papers or similar flammable materials do not accumulate where they may cause a
hazard.
Rubbish: Remove rubbish as soon as possible and store it well away from the building. If rubbish is collected in wheeled rubbish bins secure these in a location at some distance from the building to minimise the risk of arson. Wheeled bins have occasionally been used as makeshift firebombs or as braziers and have also been used to gain access to roof areas.
Fire safety equipment: Fire safety equipment such as fire blankets, extinguishers, door closers
etc. should be provided where necessary and kept in good order. The existing equipment should be checked
weekly or monthly depending on how often the building is used to ensure that
each item of equipment is in the right place and has not been used or
damaged. It is advisable to maintain a
written record of these inspections.
Professional inspections should be carried out at recommended intervals
by a qualified contractor (preferably approved under the British Approvals for
Fire Equipment scheme) and their advice followed.
Arson: Secure your building against arson attack as far as possible. Within the limits of an ‘open church' policy, keep people away from towers, boiler rooms and store rooms but display information as to where the keys can be found in case of an emergency. There are a number of steps you can take to increase the security of your building such as making sure that there is adequate security lighting. You might also consider participating in a neighbourhood watch scheme.
Fire safety checklist
- Review and revise your fire safety risk assessment if necessary.
- Carry out a safety audit, taking the opportunity to clear out stacks of old papers and other flammable materials from the premises.
- Make sure that fire safety equipment is checked regularly and that a professional inspection is carried out yearly.
- Carry out a visual inspection of any lightning protection systems and take advice from your insurer about implementing a professional testing regime.
- If you use candles during the festive season think carefully about any necessary safety precautions.
- You might also ask someone in the congregation who doesn't normally have responsibility for health and safety matters to have a good look around your building - they might notice problems or issues that you haven't spotted!
Further information
The government's advice on fire safety can be downloaded from the Communities and Local Government website.
Guidance on maintaining fire safety equipment can be accessed on the British Approvals for Fire Equipment scheme website.
Information about protecting your place of worship from arson can be found on the Arson Prevention Bureau website.
Sensible advice on the safe use of candles can be found on the website of the Ecclesiastical Insurance Group. Ecclesiastical have also produced a guidance note about Fire Safety.
© SPAB 2010
