The LWF Blog

 Fire Safety for Facilities Management Personnel – Fire Safety Management – Part 295

March 17, 2025 11:46 am

Lawrence Webster Forrest (LWF) is a specialist fire engineering and fire risk management consultancy whose aim is to give information on best practice in fire safety for facilities management personnel through this blog series. In part 294, LWF considered the information and guidance available for fire safety management (FSM) and how to assess the effectiveness in an organisation. In part 295, we continue to look at the areas to be assessed when considering the effectiveness of fire safety management in an organisation.

When assessing the standard of fire safety management in an organisation, there are certain indicators which should be noted, as follows: (continuation from part 294)

• A program of regular in-house fire safety inspections
• Organised contracts or other formal arrangements for the inspection, testing and maintenance of fire protection equipment
• The proper inspection, testing and maintenance of plant and equipment, including electrical installations
• Maintenance of close control over the activities of outside contractors
• Proper procedures during hazardous activities such as hot work (permits etc.)
• Regular liaison with the local Fire Service and arrangements for assisting the fire and rescue service in the event of fire
• Liaison with the enforcing authorities, such as the building control body, when material changes are proposed
• Detailed records of inspections, tests and maintenance of fire protection equipment, training of staff, fire drills, etc.
• Policies concerning smoking, consistently enforced
• Fire prevention standards and the organisation of security against arson
• Housekeeping standards and maintenance of standards
• Identification and control of dangerous substances
• Alternative plans for fire or other emergency, where initial plan is not possible
• Monitoring of fire losses, including all small fires (where no losses are sustained, small fires should be noted anyway)

Although every item listed in this and the previous blog should be given appropriate attention, housekeeping is particularly important. Housekeeping relates to the tidiness and order within the building and outside. Obvious issues might include packaging materials obstructing exit routes or as a source of fuel for a fire, but it is just as important to pay attention to details such as the arrangements for storage and appropriate and timely disposal of waste.

For example, in a business where many cardboard boxes are opened to gain access to the contents, and the packaging is taken outside, flattened and placed in a recycling bin, the detail would relate to how often the packaging is taken outside, where it is stored until it is taken outside and how well employees understand the fire risk involved in leaving packaging around.

In part 296 of this series, LWF will continue to discuss effective housekeeping and how it contributes to fire safety in an organisation. In the meantime, if you have any queries about your own facilities or wish to discuss this blog series, please contact LWF on freephone 0800 410 1130.

Lawrence Webster Forrest is a fire engineering consultancy based in Surrey with over 35 years’ experience, which provides a wide range of consultancy services to professionals involved in the design, development and construction and operation of buildings.

 

While care has been taken to ensure that information contained in LWF’s publications is true and correct at the time of publication, changes in circumstances after the time of publication may impact on the accuracy of this information.