RBFRS And Other UK Fire Services Help Businesses Enable Employees To Return To Work Safely, Post Lifting Of COVID-19 Restrictions

Now that businesses are starting to operate again, there are some key fire safety matters for organizations to consider, in order ensure employees can return safety back to work.

The Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service (RBFRS), Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service (BFRS) and Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue Service (OFRS) are helping businesses return to work safely, in these extraordinary times.

Adapting to new ways of working

Businesses have had to adapt to new ways of working, over the past 11 weeks, which has seen them face great challenges. However, RBFRS’ teams are on hand to help businesses return to work safely, as COVID-19 restrictions are eased.

Councillor Christine Bateson, Member Champion for Community Safety, at the Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service (RBFRS) said “We are here to support you the best we can, during these challenging times, while ensuring compliance is met with fire safety legislation, to keep all staff, customers, and visitors safe, while on your premises.”

Fire safety inspecting officers provide support

Our fire safety inspecting officers are working to provide support and guidance"

Christine Bateson adds, “Our fire safety inspecting officers are working to provide support and guidance, to ensure that businesses and customers across the Thames Valley are safe, when businesses reopen, and are on hand to answer any questions you may have, with regards to your business needs.”

New ways of working may mean that the business needs have changed and so it is important to review the fire risk assessment, in order to ensure that it reflects how the business is now operating.

Business aspects that can affect fire risk assessment

Some key aspects of the business that could affect the fire risk assessment include:

• Changes to work processes and their implementation, e.g. new equipment
• Temporary change of use in the premises e.g. introduced sleeping on-premises
• Alterations to the building, including the internal layout
• Substantial changes to furniture and fixings
• Increase or change of stock kept on site
• An increase or decrease in the numbers of staff or customers at the premises
• The capability of the business establishment to safely evacuate everybody from the premises. Ensuring the fire assembly point is still workable with social distancing in mind?

There may be other considerations to take into account, as everyone prepares to return to work in a safe manner. Some of these considerations include:

• How much rubbish is the building premises generating? Building operators need to ensure that all rubbish is properly disposed of, so as to reduce the risk of arson or other fire incidents.
• Building operators need to ensure that the means of escape are suited to the number of people working in the building and their needs. They also need to ensure that the means of escape are kept clear and are suited to the requirements of the people, within the building.
• Taking the new members of staff into account. Enterprises need to make sure that staff is properly trained, including any additional training needs that may have arisen in the building’s fire risk assessment
• Does the fire warning system and emergency lighting work correctly? While the premises have been closed, have these systems been tested?
• Don’t be tempted to prop open fire doors. Minimizing contact with door handles may be at the forefront of people’s minds at the moment, but do not use wedges or extinguishers to hold open fire doors

RBFRS’ teams on hand to help organizations

RBFRS’ teams are on hand to help everyone return to work safely. For any queries about fire safety in the workplace, please visit the Safety at Work page on the RBFRS website, to find advice and guidance, as well as contact details for the company’s fire safety offices.