Introduction to Fire Safety Management

14.4
Example questions for Chapter 14
1. (a)
Explain
, using an example, the meaning of 
the 
term 
‘fi re risk’. 
(2)
(b) 
Outline
the key stages of an assessment of 
fi re risk. 
(6)

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Introduction to Fire Safety Management
340
 
Appendix 14.1 
Example of a fi
 r
e
 risk assessment r
ecor
d and action plan
FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT RECORD
Acme Company Ltd
Number
Risk assessment for
Assessor’
s name
Joe 
Bloggs 
Date of
Review
assessment
date
Overall assessment of risk
HIGH NORMAL 
LOW
Circle as appropriate
No.
Primary hazar
ds
Persons
Risk rating
Contr
ol measur
es in place 
Action
at risk
(H,M,L)
(Control measures required)
yes/no
1. 
Sour
ces of ignition
 allowing 
fi 
re
 to start:
2. 
Sour
ces of fuel that
 
may assist fi
 r
e
 gr
owth:
3. 
Sour
ces of oxygen that
 
may assist fi
 r
e
 gr
owth:

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Fire risk assessment
341
No.
Secondary hazar
ds
Persons
Risk rating
Contr
ol measur
es in place 
Action
at risk
(H,M,L)
(Control measures required)
yes/no
4. Rapid 
fi 
re
 and smoke
 
spr
ead in workplace:
5. 
Fir
e spr
ead to adjacent
 pr
operties:
6. 
Persons in pr
emises
 
unawar
e of fi
 re
:
7. 
Persons cannot safely 
 
evacuate in the event 
 of 
fi re
:

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Introduction to Fire Safety Management
342
No.
Secondary hazar
ds
Persons
Risk rating
Contr
ol measur
es in place 
Action
at risk
(H,M,L)
(Control measures required)
yes/no
8. 
Persons cannot be
 accounted 
for:
9. Small 
fi r
e
 gr
ows 
 rapidly/untrained 
 
persons at risk:
10. 
No emergency plan – 
 
Fir
e Service unawar
e 
 of 
fi re
:
11. 
Fir
e Service unawar
e of 
 building 
risks:

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Fire risk assessment
343
No.
Secondary hazar
ds
Persons
Risk rating
Contr
ol measur
es in place 
Action
at risk
(H,M,L)
(Control measures required)
yes/no
12. 
Fir
e Service cannot 
 gain 
access:
13. Futur
e 
construction/ 
 maintenance 
alterations:
Major
Serious
Slight
High
High risk
Medium risk
Medium risk
Medium risk
Low risk
Low risk
Low risk
Low risk
Medium
Low
Insignificant risk 

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Introduction to Fire Safety Management
344
FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT ACTION PLAN
Acme Company Ltd
Number
No.
Contr
ols r
equir
ed
Priority or target
Person Reassessment 
Revised 
risk
date
responsible
by (name)
rating
1 
 
Immediate action r
equir
ed – within 24 hours
2 
 
Short-term action r
equir
ed within 1 week
3 
 
Undertake action within 1 month
4
Action within 3 months or agr
ee plan within 6 months
5 
 
Review as part of business plan
The r
elevant paragraph numbers ar
e indicated on 
the attached plan to enable easy identifi
cation of the 
signifi
cant uncontr
olled material hazar
ds identifi
ed 
in 
this assessment.

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345
This chapter contains a summary of the following 
legislation:
15.1
Acts of Parliament
➤
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSW 
Act) (pg. 346)
➤
The Environmental Protection Act 1990 (pg. 350)
➤
The Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 (pg. 352)
➤
The Occupiers’ Liability Acts 1957 and 1984 (brief 
summaries only) (pg. 355)
➤
The Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 
1969 (and supporting regulations) (pg. 355)
➤
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (pg. 349)
➤
The Water Resources Act 1991 (pg. 359)
15.2
Regulations (listed alphabetically)
➤
The Building Regulations 2000 (SI 2000/2531)
➤
The Chemicals (Hazardous Information and 
Packaging for Supply) Regulations 2002 (SI 1689)
➤
The 
Confi ned Spaces Regulations 1997 (SI 1713)
➤
The Construction (Design and Management) 
Regulations 2007 (SI 320)
➤
The Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 
1999 (SI 734)
➤
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health 
Regulations 2002 (SI 2677)
➤
The Dangerous Substances and Explosive 
Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (SI 2776)
➤
The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (SI 0635)
➤
The Gas Appliances (Safety) Regulations 1992 (SI 
0711) (brief summary only)
➤
The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 
1998 (SI 2451) (brief summary only)
➤
The Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) 
Regulations 1996 (SI 1513)
➤
The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 
(SI 0917)
➤
The Health and Safety (Information for Employees) 
Regulations 1989 (SI 0682)
➤
The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Safety 
Signals) Regulations 1996 (SI 0341) (brief summary 
only)
➤
The Management of Health and Safety at Work 
Regulations 1999 (SI 3242)
➤
The Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 
1992 (SI 2966)
➤
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment 
Regulations 1998 (SI 2306)
➤
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 
(SI 1541)
➤
The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous 
Occurrences Regulations 1995 (SI 3163)
➤
The Safety Representatives and Safety Committees 
Regulations 1977 (SI 0500)
➤
The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 1992 
(SI 3073) (brief summary only)
➤
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) 
Regulations 1992 (SI 3004)
Note:
The summaries provided in this chapter should 
not be regarded as direct quotes of either statutory 
requirements or ACoP standards. For full details of the 
legal text you should refer to the specifi c legislation and 
any supporting ACoP or guidance.
15
Summary of key legal 
requirements

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Introduction to Fire Safety Management
346
Recent amendments are also included in the 
summaries where appropriate.
The summaries provided focus upon the key areas 
relevant to this publication as they relate to fi re safety 
and risk management.
15.3
The Health and Safety at Work etc. 
Act 1974 (HSW Act)
Often referred to as the Primary or Umbrella Act, the 
HSW Act details the principal statutory duties in relation 
to occupational health and safety.
Supporting regulations made under section 15 of 
the HSW Act expand these duties and are referred to as 
‘subordinate’ or ‘delegated’ legislation.
The HSW Act is divided into four parts:
1.