Fire Risk Assessment Template - Advice On How To Carry Out Your Own Fire Risk Assessment
Care should be taken when looking for fire risk assessment templates, because each workplace is different and must be properly assessed for its own particular risks. A template as such is not really necessary if you use a good fire risk assessment form. A form is better in many ways because it will still guide you through the whole process, without second guessing what you should be writing in each section by adding things which could be completely inappropriate or irrelevant.
While a template may sound tempting, it would be difficult to come up with one that would be appropriate for all work places. Not doing a thorough fire risk assessment may only seem to be a matter of complying with the law, but it is also a matter of ensuring the safety of your employees and the future of your business. For this reason it is worth giving it the time it takes to do it properly, and avoiding shortcuts which may make it ineffective.
The fact that there is clear guidance from the government with regard to the steps to go through when carrying out a fire risk assessment, means that any form should be based on these set steps and provide a good structure which can guide you through the whole process. Carrying out your assessment will then mean inspecting your workplace and systems, looking for potential risks, and recording your findings on the form.
Whatever template or form you use to help you, it will be necessary to read some guidance on the fire risk assessment process first in order to do it properly. Such advice is freely available online. Fire risk assessment forms can also be downloaded free of charge online. You need to fill in all the boxes on your form with the standard information about you and your premises, then work through the recommended five step process of the assessment, adding information to the relevant boxes on your form as you go.
If you are considering using a template because you are not sure if you understand how to properly assess all the different risks, then you should consider carefully whether you would qualify as a ?competent person' to undertake the assessment. While there is no definition of what a competent person is, it is going to depend very much on your workplace. If you have a very simple office environment, then anyone with a bit of sense and some basic fire safety knowledge should be able to carry out an assessment. However, for larger or more specialised premises, or where there are particular high risk materials or equipment in use, a much greater degree of knowledge and experience is required.
If you do not feel confident that you are suitably qualified to undertake the fire risk assessment, the sensible course of action is to use a fire safety consultant. If in doubt, it is probably safer to use a consultant for at least your first assessment. You may then feel confident enough to undertake the regular reviews on your own after that.
Read detailed guidance on how to carry out your own fire risk assessments now, and download free fire risk assessment forms. Find recommendations for some of the most reputable fire consultants. K Garrow has managed large public buildings for the last twenty years and has extensive experience of workplace safety issues. His website offers free advice on a range of subjects, including PAT testing, staff training, disaster recovery plans, emergency lighting and safety signs.
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com
