Each year there are hundreds of fires on construction sites in the United Kingdom. Insurance companies are paying out millions of pounds in claims to contractors and building owners.
New build and renovation sites are hazardous places with multiple sources for ignition and combustion. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have tightened up its standards in its latest Fire Safety in Construction guide (HSG168) to improve health and safety and reduce fire risks on construction sites.
HSG168’s main purpose is to provide fire safety guidance for clients, designers and those carrying out construction work. The most recent edition focuses on reducing fire risks at the pre-construction stage.
Key changes will impact the following:
- The client
- The principal designer
- The principal contractor
- Fire risk assessors
- Liaising with fire and rescue service
- Fire call points
The Client
It is the client’s responsibility to provide relevant pre-construction information (PCI) as soon as possible, including general fire precautions (GFPs), building layouts and any presence of hazardous materials. The PCI must allow for adequate provision of precautions, which the contractor then must ensure is completed. Essentially, the client’s PCI must prioritise health and safety for construction workers.
The Principal Designer
The principal designer not only assists the client in the handling of PCI, but must also plan, monitor and coordinate health and safety during a project’s pre-construction phase. Design decisions made during the pre-construction stage can have a huge influence on the safe delivery of the project. These decisions should be included in the PCI, especially if they impact the development stage, as this will be crucial information for the principal contractor.
The Principal Contractor
Principal contractors must address GFPs at the construction phase, any aspects that may impact this phase should be outlined in the PCI. Therefore, the principal contractor needs to liaise with the designer and ensure the PCI contains updated and relevant information.
Fire Risk Assessors
It is important to note that an existing complex structure may already have a fire strategy in place, this should be considered during the risk assessment stage and provided as part of the PCI. When undertaking a fire risk assessment, assessors should pay attention to absent fire-engineered solutions or incomplete compartmentation of the structure, as this can lead to a rapid spread of smoke and fire.
Liaising with Fire and Rescue
During the pre-construction phase it is vital that duty holders liaise with the fire and rescue service regarding access and water supply.
Fire Call Points
Finally, the distance that fire call points are placed needs to be reduced to prevent people running to set off an alarm. Reducing the distance will also reduce the overall fire risks and improve safety on construction sites. The distance between call points should be decided on a case-by-case basis, Instead of the previously advised 45 metres.
How Can We Help?
Bull Products can help all stakeholders with HSG168 compliance in a number of ways. Bull is fully accredited to provide Fire Risk Assessments, and its Fire360 approach is a holistic approach to fire safety management on construction sites. Furthermore, our team of experts can answer any questions you might have regarding the updates listed in this blog.
To find out more, contact the team on 01432 806806, or visit our fire safety page.