FIRE RISK ASSESSMENTS

FIRE SAFETY CHECKLIST FOR BUILDING OCCUPANTS

The following Checklist has been designed to be used by non-specialists to check the fire safety of their buildings.
The questions have been worded such that a 'Yes' answer is the ideal outcome.
General precautions which are applicable to all areas of all buildings.
Guidance Notes Comme N/A No Yes Check Item  
nts

Items which pose a potential fire hazard and those which could         Are all fire escape routes 1
cause an obstruction must not be located in corridors or staircases clear of potential fire
used as a means of escape. Flammable or combustible materials, hazards and
e.g. paper packaging, foam filled furniture, provide the fuel for a obstructions?
fire which could jeopardize an otherwise protected route out of
the building. Notice boards should not contain an excessive
amount of paper, e.g. overlapping or multi-sheet notices. Storage
of materials in corridors, staircases, etc. seriously impedes rapid
evacuation from buildings, particularly for disabled people.
Temporarily stored items, including items in transit, e.g. furniture
and waste bins, must not be located in corridors or staircases
which serve as the sole means of escape from a building or part of
a building.

Some buildings still have final exit doors that can only be opened         Are all final exit doors 2
in an emergency by retrieving a key from a glass-fronted box from the building capable
adjacent to the door. This is acceptable within the terms of the of being easily and
building's Fire Certificate but such 'key boxes' will be phased out immediately opened
in due course. without use of a key from
the inside whenever the
building is occupied?

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Note particularly worn or 'curling' carpets, loose or missing         Have tripping hazards 3
nosings on stairs. along fire escape routes
been eliminated?

Fire doors can be recognized by a small notice on each side with         Do all fire doors close on 4
the wording "Fire Door - Keep Shut" or similar. Pay particular their own securely into
attention to fire doors to staircases as these are used as refuges for the door frame?
wheelchair users during a fire

Vision panels are fitted to give early visual warning of a fire on the         Where a vision panel is 5
other side of the door. There is a tendency to obscure them with fitted in the door can you
posters, leaflets, curtains, etc. see clearly through the
full area of the panel?

You will need to speak to each person individually and explain         Have you taken steps to 6
what he/she needs to do when the fire alarm sounds. Persons with identify wheelchair users
impaired vision should be "walked" along the escape routes (and others with
including, particularly, the routes which are not in general use. restricted mobility) and
See Appendix 2 of Manual of Safety Section 29 for further persons with a learning
guidance on the use of lifts. or sight impairment who
may need assistance
during a fire emergency?

The correct location of fire fighting equipment can be checked if         Are fire 7
necessary with the Safety Office. All such equipment is serviced extinguishers/hose reels
bi-annually and a servicing sticker on the appliance should show a in position and ready for
date within the previous 6-month period. Fire blankets do not use?
have stickers. All fire extinguishers should be mounted on
brackets.

Notices are generally positioned at final exit doors adjacent to         Are fire evacuation 8

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break-glass alarm points. In larger buildings there may be a notices in position with
notice at each staircase landing. In residential buildings, there are up to date information
additional notices in each study/bedroom.

The University policy on Smoking at Work is contained in the         Are smoking prohibitions 9
Manual of Safety, Section 7. enforced where
appropriate?

Discarded smoking materials are often the cause of fires         If smoking is permitted, 10
are persons encouraged
to dispose of smoking
materials in a safe
manner and are suitable
receptacles provided in
communal areas where
smoking is permitted?

A slow build-up of heat has been known to cause fires. Plastic         Are flammable/ 11
chairs have been known to catch fire in this way. combustible materials
kept away from radiators
and other heating
appliances?

Faulty or poorly-maintained electrical appliances have been         Does random sampling of 12

known to cause fires. The frequency of safety electrical testing can test labels indicate that
be found in the Manual of Safety, Section 6. Testing is organized portable electrical
by Estates appliances are within the
correct interval for safety
testing?

In the evenings and at weekends, many doors which provide an         Have steps been taken to 13

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exit from buildings during normal working hours, are locked for identify persons who may
security reasons. Lone workers must be made aware of any work alone in the
changes to the opening mechanisms on the doors on the escape building?
routes outside normal working hours. All means of escape
required during normal hours must be available whenever a
person works in the building outside normal hours. See Manual of
Safety, Section 23.

Additional precautions that are applicable to laboratories, workshops, service areas, etc.
Check Item Yes No N/A Comments Guidance Notes

14 Is the amount of         Up to 50 liters of flammable liquid in total can be stored in

flammable liquid stored in each workroom. Quantities greater than this should be kept in
the work place kept to a a properly designated storage area.
minimum?

15 Are flammable liquids         When not in use flammable liquids must be kept in closed,
being stored correctly? properly labeled containers in a fire-resisting bin or cupboard
designed to contain leaks.

16 Are spillage kits, or other          

appropriate means of
containing and clearing up
spillages of flammable
liquids, readily available?

17 If freezers/refrigerators         Sparking thermostats inside appliances have been known to

are in use, are the cause explosions when flammable vapor has ignited.
thermostats spark-proofed

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 or located outside the
appliance?

18 Are flammable liquids         Vapor from flammable liquids can travel long distances across
kept well away from floors or surfaces and be ignited.
"hot" activities such as
welding, brazing, flame
cutting, use of blow lamps
and grinding machines?

19 Are spare compressed gas/         Compressed gas/LPG cylinders can overheat and explode in
LPG cylinders kept in fires. Only during changeover periods are additional cylinders
properly designated permitted in workplaces.
storage areas?

20 Are such cylinders         If the contents of cylinders ignite, the means of escape may be
positioned away from jeopardized, particularly if the workplace has only one exit.
exits?

21 Where equipment, or         Static sparks have been known to ignite flammable liquid
parts of equipment, are vapors.
likely to produce static
sparks, is adequate
earthing provided?