Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

13.8.7 Structural 
features
The workplace may contain features that could promote 
the rapid spread of fi re, heat or smoke and affect escape 
routes. These features may include ducts or fl ues, open-
ings in fl oors or walls, or combustible wall or ceiling lin-
ings. Where people are put at risk from these features, 
appropriate steps should be taken to reduce the poten-
tial for rapid fi re spread by, for example, non-combustible 
automatic dampers fi tted in ducts or to provide an early 
warning of fi re so that people can leave the workplace 
before their escape routes become unusable.
Combustible wall or ceiling linings should not be used 
on escape routes and large areas should be removed 
wherever they are found. Other holes in fi re resisting 
fl oors, walls or ceilings should be fi lled in with fi re resist-
ing material to prevent the passage of smoke, heat and 
fl ames.

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13.8.8 Maintenance and refurbishment
Sources of heat or combustible materials may be intro-
duced into the workplace during periods of maintenance 
or refurbishment. Where the work involves the introduc-
tion of heat, such as welding, this should be carefully 
controlled by a safe system of work, for example, a Fire 
Permit (see Chapter 6 for details). All materials brought 
into the workplace in connection with the work being 
carried out should be stored away from sources of heat 
and not obstruct exit routes.
13.8.9 Fire 
plans
Fire plans should be produced and attached to the risk 
assessment. A copy should be posted in the workplace. 
A single line plan of the area or fl oor should be pro-
duced or an existing plan should be used which needs 
to show:
➤
escape routes, numbers of exits, number of stairs, 
fi re resisting doors, fi re resisting walls and partitions, 
places of safety, and the like
➤
fi re safety signs and notices including pictorial fi re 
exit signs and fi re action notices
➤
the location of fi re warning call points and sounders 
or rotary gongs
➤
the location of emergency lights
➤
the location and type of fi re-fi ghting equipment.