Policies & Procedures

FIRE SAFETY POLICY

Policy Statement `

Market Rasen Town Council (MRTC) take the issue of Fire Safety extremely seriously and ensure that the council and employees comply with the Regulatory reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

More importantly MRTC strives to ensure the safety of all persons who have a legitimate right to be in, on or in the vicinity of the premises from fire and its effects.  These include staff, visitors, hirers and contractors but exclude fire fighters in pursuance of firefighting.

Staff should be aware it is a criminal offence not to consider theirs and others fire safety whilst at work.

Responsibilities

The Responsible Person

The responsible person retains overall responsibility for policy and management of fire safety under the regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

The Responsible Person has delegated the following roles:

All Staff

All staff have a responsibility for their own and others fire safety.  They should report any dangerous issues to The Maintenance Operative for action. 

Staff must not undertake actions that could compromise their or others fire safety.  Where staff are found to undertake such actions, they may be subject to disciplinary proceedings.

Fire Strategy

The fire strategy is to ensure there is a suitable means of alerting all persons who have a legitimate right to be in or on the premises to a fire in the early stages and provide a sufficient number of exits to allow the safe evacuation to a place of ultimate safety.  The evacuation procedure is for all persons to evacuate immediately.

The type, number and level of fire safety measures will be decided by Fire Risk Assessment carried out by a competent person.

Whilst MRTC accepts there is a legal duty to ensure that there are members of staff trained in the use of firefighting equipment they do not encourage the fighting of fires by staff and actively discourages the fighting of fires by any hirers and visitors.

All staff will receive fire safety training including the use of fire extinguishers.  However, their overriding responsibility is to sound an alarm and initiate an evacuation of the immediate area.

MRTC Fire strategy concentrates on life safety and not property protection.

Fire Risk Assessment (FRA)

A fire risk assessment will be completed for each work area.  The FRA will be reviewed annually or when there is a major change in circumstances to the premises.

A hard copy of the FRA will be held in the Festival Hall.

The fire risk assessment is a comprehensive assessment of the building the activities/processes taking place and the people expected to use it to ensure all relevant people are not an unacceptable risk from fire or its effects.  The assessment considers life safety and not property protection.

The assessment will provide a list of Significant Findings.  These are items that are likely to present an unacceptable risk to people and will specify: what the problem is, what existing controls are in place and what additional measures should be instigated.

Any Significant Findings will be prioritised as High, Medium and Low as an indication of the risk the hazard presents to the relevant people.  This system will be used to prioritise the work schedule.

The Responsible Person is responsible for ensuring the Significant Findings detailed in the FRA receive appropriate attention within an acceptable timeframe.

Testing and Maintenance

Fire Alarm and Detection

A daily visual check will be made daily.

All call points will be tested weekly, where possible, by using a test key. Records of the tests will be made and will be available for inspection by council staff, councillors, fire risk assessors and enforcement officers.

The call points will be serviced annually by a competent firm of engineers to the manufacturer’s specifications.

Emergency Lighting

The installed system will be tested using a suitable test key or by isolating (using the local light circuit breaker) the lights.

Records of the tests will be made and will be available for inspection by council staff, councillors, fire risk assessors and enforcement officers.

The system will be serviced annually by a competent firm of engineers to the manufacturer’s specifications.

Portable Electrical Equipment 

The portable electrical equipment within the building will be tested annually [PAT TEST] to ensure it is fit for purpose and in a safe condition.  The equipment will be tested in accordance with HSE guidelines.  Acceptable equipment will be issued with a dated sticker.

Records of tests will be held to demonstrate due diligence.

Portable Fire Fighting Equipment

The portable fire fighting equipment will be inspected weekly to ensure the appliances appears in good condition, all extinguishers have a safety pin and plastic tag fitted and that they are all in the appropriate position.

The equipment will be serviced annually by a firm of competent engineers’ accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and the BS 5306 Pt3.    Acceptable equipment will be issued with a dated sticker.

Records of the tests will be made and will be available for inspection by council staff, councillors, fire risk assessors and enforcement officers.

Means of Escape

Staff will undertake a daily visual check to ensure all corridors and emergency exits are kept clear of obstructions and combustible material.

A detailed check will be made weekly and recorded accordingly.

Records of Testing and Maintenance

Management will ensure an accurate and true record of all safety checks, staff training and evacuation drills are maintained and kept up to date.

Records will be kept on site and except for staff training in a single location (may be digital) with the following information:

·       Date of Test

·       Item Tested

·       Result of Test

·       Action Required & Taken

·       Person Completing the test

Staff Training Records will be retained in personnel files whilst the employee is working for the council.  The records should be kept confidential but may be shown to enforcing authorities for the purpose of showing due diligence to legislation.

Staff Training

All staff will be given induction training when employed this will take place on their first day of employment and will encompass:

Action to take on discovering a fire or hearing the alarm

Basic use of firefighting equipment

Location of exits

Assembly points

Staff will receive additional annual training providing detailed knowledge on the approved fire safety measures and use of firefighting equipment.

Evacuation Drills

Evacuation Drills should take place at least annually.   A record of all Fire Drills and False Alarms will be maintained and will be available for inspection.

Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEP’s)

All staff with a declared disability/illness/condition will have a written PEEP.

The purpose of the PEEP is to ensure the person is provided with a means of being alerted to a fire emergency and safe means of escape considering their disability or illness.

The PEEP should not disadvantage the employee in their job role but ultimately the purpose of the PEEP is to ensure the safety of the employee and if no reasonable solution can be found to ensure the safety of the person a restriction in their location within or on the premises may have to be considered.

When completing a PEEP the employee’s manager should speak to the person involved to discuss:

What fire safety issue present problems?

How serious are the problems?

How can they be overcome?

Contractors on Site

Any contractor invited to site to carry out authorised repairs must provide onsite management with a method statement stating how the work is to be safely completed.  This must include a section on fire safety.

Any contractor invited on site to complete “hot work” (work that could use open flame or heat producing equipment high enough to cause ignition to flammable material) must produce a risk equipment stating how the equipment is to be used and what precautions will be put in place to reduce the risk and deal with a fire.  All such contractors must bring their own fire fighting equipment onsite suitable for the hazard they are introducing.

All such firefighting equipment must be in service (within one year).  When the contractors have set up to work, onsite supervisors must carry out an inspection and satisfy themselves they are working safely and to their risk assessment/method statements.

Onsite supervisors have the right to stop any contractors from working in or on the premises where they feel there is an unacceptable risk to the contractors, staff and/or visitors.

Hirers

The Community Manager will inform the hirer of the fire risk assessment requirements as part of the booking process. Hirers will be issued with booking information which provides the hirer with clear information on fire action and emergency exits to be used, along with a relevant plan. As part of the booking process the hirer will sign to say that they have read and understood the hiring information received.  

The Community Manager is responsible for ensuring that a risk assessment is carried out and handed into the Council in sufficient time. Commercial hirers will be asked to submit a copy of their risk assessment and insurance. Private hirers will not be asked to complete a risk assessment but must be aware of the risks associated with their booking activity. 

The hirer will be responsible for the opening and closing of their booking.

The hirers and organisers are responsible for the management and fire safety of all people present at the event.  

MRTC reserve the right to cancel or stop an event if they feel the management is such that the participants are subject to unacceptable risk. 

December 2022 Properties Committee To be reviewed as required.