Introduction to Fire Safety Management

Figure 14.5
Self-closing 
device
Worked example 3 – Rapid fi re and 
smoke spread in the workplace
A landlord (responsible person) is providing a 
building for multi-occupant (employer’s) use. 
Service risers (electrical and IT) are located 
within ‘common’ parts of the building at each 
lift/staircase lobby area.
The service risers are fi tted with wooden 
doors on which a sign ‘Fire Door Keep Locked 
Shut’ is positioned. Access to the service 
risers is controlled by the landlord’s manage-
ment team.
Documentation provided indicates that 
all tenants must refrain from accessing the 
service risers and that it is the management 
team’s responsibility to manage this area.
During the practical risk assessment pro-
cess it was noted that a number of service 
risers were insecure. That the doors to the 
risers were defective and were not fi tted with 
intumescent strips and that the risers them-
selves were likely to act as a chimney due to 
the lack of fi re compartmentation between 
each of the building’s fl oors.

---

Fire risk assessment
337
There are no existing controls such as arrange-
ments for assisting those with disabilities, particularly as 
they are working on the second fl oor, access to which 
is via a lift. There has, however, been discussion by the 
management team for the provision of two ‘evac chairs’ 
to be provided in the staircase areas at either end of the 
second fl oor.
The risk category with controls is likely to refl ect a 
medium/high or high risk rating for those who may be 
affected.
Additional controls will revolve around the produc-
tion of personal emergency evacuation plans for each 
of the disabled persons (or a standard emergency 
evacuation plan which may cover all disabled persons). 
Controls are likely to include the use of an area within the 
protected staircases either end (known as a refuge area), 
the provision of methods for evacuation, e.g. evac chair, 
trained competent members of staff who may assist 
persons using the evac chair, the provision of information 
to all staff in relation to the evacuation procedures for 
those with disabilities, a review of the fi re safety policy 
arrangements to include persons with disabilities. It may 
also be possible to consider the upgrading of the existing 
lift to that of an evacuation lift.
In terms of prioritisation an initial review as to the 
potential for those with physical disabilities to work on 
the ground fl oor (until such time as remedial actions can 
be implemented) required the provision of evac chairs 
and training with a Priority 3 rating, together with raising 
staff awareness, plus the review of the policy with a 
Priority rating of 3/4 and the provision of an evacuation 
lift (Priority 5).