The issue of Fire Safety is taken extremely seriously and we will strive to ensure Indigo Hair & Beauty and its employees comply with the Regulatory reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
More importantly we will strive 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 visitors, staff and contractors but exclude fire fighters in pursuance of fire fighting.
Employees should be aware it is a criminal offence not to consider theirs and others fire safety whilst at work and breaches will be dealt with in a robust manner.
Responsibilities
The Responsible Person
The responsible person retains overall responsibility for policy and management of fire safety and under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 designated as the “Responsible Person”.
The Responsible Person has delegated the following roles:
Task
| 1 | Ensuring all exits are available and useable during time people are in the premises (recommended daily) | Duty Manager |
| 2 | Fire fighting equipment is in place and undamaged (recommended weekly) | Salon Manager |
| 3 | Staff have received induction training | Salon Manager |
| 4 | The weekly test of the fire alarm | Salon Manager / Duty Manager |
| 5 | The monthly test of the emergency lighting | Salon Manager / Duty Manager |
| 6 | Completion of the Fire Risk Assessment | Salon Manager |
| 7 | Ensuring portable electrical appliances are maintained as required (PAT) | Salon Manager |
| 8 | Ensuring fixed electrics are inspected at least once every five years | Salon Manager |
| 9 | Completion of refresher training | Salon Manager |
| 10 | Completion of an annual fire drill | Salon Manager |
All Employees
All employees have a responsibility for their own and others fire safety. They should report any possible dangerous issues to Salon Manager / Duty Manager for action.
Emplyees are forbidden from carrying out actions that could compromise their or others fire safety.
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 the premises to a fire in the early stages and provide 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 management accepts there is a legal duty to ensure there is some persons trained in the use of fire fighting equipment they do not encourage the fighting of fires by staff and actively discourages the fighting of fires by any guests unless they have received training.
Staff will receive fire safety training including the use of fire extinguishers but their overriding responsibility is to sound an alarm and initiate an evacuation of the immediate area.
The company 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 circumstance to the premises.
A hard copy of the FRA will be held on site in a safe place.
The fire risk assessment is a comprehensive assessment of the building, the processes taking place and the people expected to use it to ensure all relevant people are not at 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 control measures are in place and what additional measures should be instigated.
Any Significant Finding will be prioritised as High, Medium, and Low or as a Note. High, Medium and Low are an identification of the risk the hazard presents to relevant people. The Company will use this system as a way of prioritising the work to complete it.
Where a Significant Finding is stated as a Note, there is unlikely to be any additional control measure. The Note is a way of informing the reader that an issue has been identified but due to the existing control measures requires no further attention.
The Responsible Person is responsible for ensuring the Significant Findings detailed in the FRA receive appropriate attention.
Testing and Maintenance
Fire Alarm and Detection
The level of coverage will be set by the FRA and serviced in accordance with the relevant British Standard (BS5839 Pt 1: 2013) by a competent person.
The alarm will be inspected daily by staff to ensure it is showing a healthy supply (green light on panel).
The call points will be tested weekly by using a test key to operate a different call point each week on a rolling program. Records of the tests will be maintained on site for inspection by company personnel, fire risk assessors and enforcement officers.
Emergency Lighting
The level of emergency lighting will be dictated by the FRA.
The installed system will be tested monthly by House Staff by using a suitable test key or by isolating (using the local light circuit breaker) the lights.
The system will be serviced annually by a competent firm of engineers in accordance with BS 5266 Pt 1: 2005.
Records of the tests will be maintained on site for inspection by fire risk assessors and enforcement officers.
Portable Electrical Equipment
The portable electrical equipment within the building work areas will be tested annually to ensure it is fit for purpose and in a safe condition. The company will have equipment tested in accordance with HSE guidance.
Records of tests will be held to be able to show due diligence.
Portable Fire Fighting Equipment
The portable firefighting equipment will be inspected to ensure the equipment appears in good condition, all extinguishers have a safety pin and plastic tag fitted and all equipment is in its appropriate position.
The equipment will be serviced annually by a firm of competent engineers in accordance with the manufactures instructions and the BS 5306 Pt 3.
Means of Escape
It is the responsibility of all on duty employees to ensure that all corridors and and exits are kept clear of obstructions and combustible material.
Records of Testing & Maintenance
Management to ensure accurate and true records associated with testing and maintenance of fire safety measures as well as staff training and evacuation drills.
Records must be kept on site and except for staff training in a single file with the following information:
Date of test
Item tested
Result of test
Action taken
Person completing test
In the case of staff training records they should be retained on site for the period the employee is working on site. 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 fire safety training when employed; this will take place on their first day of employment or the first practicable day thereafter. It will and will encompass:
Where necessary, nominated key staff will receive additional annual training providing detailed knowledge on the installed fire safety measures and use of fire fighting equipment.
Employees will sign the Instruction and Training record to show they have completed the training.
Continuation training should be completed annually. All staff are to sign the Instruction and Training record to show they have completed the training.
Evacuation Drills
It is anticipated this will take place without visitors. The drill should take place at least annually. All staff should sign the Instruction and Training record to show they have completed the drill.
Policy on Fire Fighting
Staff who have been trained in the use of portable fire fighting equipment may attempt to fight an uncontrolled fire where they feel confident it can be dealt with safely however they must not do this where they would put themselves or others at risk of harm from the fire or its effects.
Visitors are actively discouraged from fighting fire unless they have received specific training. Any such fire fighting is carried out at their own risk.
Sufficient fire fighting equipment will be provided in the premises for the purpose of immediate first aid fire fighting. The level of equipment provided will be decided by the fire risk assessment or other competent persons.
Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEP’s)
All staff known to have a disability will have a PEEP completed on them.
The purpose of the PEEP is to ensure the person is provided with a means of being alerted to a fire emergency and a safe means of escape taking into account 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 ensuring 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 Manager should speak to the person involved to discuss:
What fire safety issues present problems? How serious are the problems?
How can they be overcome?
A generic PEEP can be found on Firesafe Solutions website.
Where it is recognized a resident has a disability that may affect their escape from the building the Responsible Person should consider discussing with them how they can be assisted however as these are private dwellings there is no legal requirement to formally provide outside assistance.
Contractors on Site
Any contractors 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 assessment stating how the equipment is to be used and what precautions will be put into 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 as specified in their risk assessment.
All such fire fighting equipment must be in service (within one year). When the contractors have set up to work, onsite management must carry out an inspection and satisfy themselves they are working safely and to their risk assessment/method statement.
Onsite management have the right to stop any contractor from working in or on the premises where they feel there is an unacceptable risk to the contractors, staff and/or visitors.