What are the differences between a fire risk and a fire hazard? Assessed Risk offers fire prevention and risk assessment tips.
All businesses should be are aware of how important fire risk assessments are. Most importantly, understanding the concept of fire risks and hazards are crucial to providing the relevant prevention processes. As fire safety is a legal requirement for all local companies, it is often overlooked as to what the differences between a fire risk and a fire hazard are.
A fire risk is understanding and estimating the level of harm to employees and visitors and the business given by a fire hazard. Fire risk assessments allow for questions around hazards presented in a building or office which produces a level of risk. This, in turn, results in solutions on how to plan for a fire and understand how to prevent one.
A fire hazard has two parts to it and the item in question should be balanced against one another. A hazard is defined by the possibility of a fire occurring versus the magnitude of consequences of that fire. The fire risk assessment allows for an understanding of whether a fire could occur and how substantial that could be.
The best example of a difference between a fire risk and a fire hazard is considering a factory that produces hazardous products. If the production line caught fire, that is the hazard. The risk assessment should show up how much of a risk the line would be to the workers and building by assessing fire exits, alarms, and prevention plans. Although a business could be dealing with a potentially dangerous product, if the plans in place to eliminate the risk of fire are implemented, the risk is considered much lower.
There are easy ways to understand fire prevention in local businesses.
1) Ensure that the business adheres to legal requirements in fire safety training and that responsible staff members regularly train employees in plans for evacuation.
2) Maintain your firefighting equipment to ensure it is working correctly and that staff is aware of how to use them.
3) The equipment and training in a business should be guided by your risk assessment. Your documentation will aid your business in implementing and ensuring compliance to fire safety laws.
Scott Taylor, Managing Director of Assessed Risk said: “It is crucial to understand the difference between your risks and hazards to produce a fire safety plan in your business. Long-standing experience in fire safety allows for us to produce all the relevant assessments to make sure local businesses are correctly adhering to regulation which can provide that all important peace of mind.”
About Assessed Risk
The company can provide fire risk assessments to Bristol, Bath, Swindon, Cheltenham and Newbury. The firm has helped businesses to protect against fires which could have occurred if adequate measures and assessments were not in place. Fire risk assessments should consider exists and routes for an escape of fire, appropriate equipment for firefighting, systems to detect and give warnings and an appropriate plan for escape and evacuation. Visit https://assessedrisk.com/.
