All London Commercial Premises and Residential Blocks of Flats should Review & Revise their current Fire Safety Risk Assessment to reflect the implications of Covid -19.

Most Premises have been affected by the Covid-19 virus, premises have been shutdown, or numbers of Staff reduced and/or Staff working from home. It’s the identified ‘Responsible Persons’ responsibility to reflect the imposed changes in their Fire Safety Risk Assessment.

If the premise has been shutdown then you should reflect in your Fire Safety Risk Assessment the procedures you have followed in making the premise safe i.e. ensuring that electrical appliances have been switched off and unplugged. Heating has been turned off and the premise is secure and safe from arson to name but a few.

If your premise is open but you have only a skeleton Staff operating then you need to ensure they are in a safe environment. Do they know what to do if a Fire broke out – are there sufficient Fire Marshals in place? Is the ‘Responsible Person’ checking on them frequently so that they feel supported?

If you have Staff working from Home then the ‘Responsible Person’ needs to ensure that there are procedures in place for safe working and communication lines are kept open with frequent checks on the employees wellbeing.

London Fire Risk Assessments has prepared a Questionnaire designed to help the ‘Responsible Persons’ consider various points within their Fire Safety Risk Assessment that may need to be ‘reviewed and revised’. The Questionnaire is free and is London Fire Risk Assessments way of helping business through these tough times. Contact us on 0781 8888626 or via email [email protected] we are here to help!

Covid-19 and working from Home – time to have a Fire Safety check to keep you and your family safe!

With thousands of people across the country working from home, playing their part in the war against Covid-19, it may be time to take just a few minutes to do a Fire Safety check!

A few things to consider:

Electrical – with families being isolated, technology is playing a huge part in keeping everyone connected and entertained. Double check that you are not overloading extension leads, sockets are not showing signs of overheating and chargers are not left plugged in and unattended.

Heaters – it may be Spring but there is still a nip in the air so the heating may be on in the evenings. Double check that soft furnishing, clothes and other combustible materials are away from the heater and never cover electric convector heaters.

Smoking – you may or may not smoke in the house but if you do try not to smoke in bed or if you are feeling sleepy. Make sure you extinguish the cigarette properly and always use an ashtray or metal container.

Candles – creating an atmosphere and a change of mood is a nice idea, an excuse to dress up and enjoy a nice meal! Never leave a candle unattended and never position them near soft furnishings and finally make sure you extinguish them properly!

Know the Plan – London Fire Brigade have had a long running campaign to encourage families to ‘know the plan’ in case of an emergency. Make sure that the means of escape out of the home is kept clear and everyone knows what to do if things went wrong! This is particularly important if you have vulnerable or disabled persons in the home.

If you need any further advice on Fire Safety then contact London Fire Risk Assessments on 0781 8888626 or email [email protected] our advice is free!