Causes & prevention of Fire

1. CAUSES & PREVENTION OF FIRE
MODULE 8
Prepared by:
Chrispin Nakaanga Grad IOSH, MPH, B-tech, Dip

2. Accidental Fires
• The term accidental fire refers to all fires other than
those which have been deliberately or maliciously
started.
• There are a wide range of causes of fires within the
workplace.
• These will to a certain extent reflect the use to which
the workplace is put.
• It is also useful to consider causes of fires in vehicles as
in many organisations a workplace may be a vehicle,
such as in the case of a long distance lorry driver
working for a haulage company.

3. Cont...
• Using the current statistics available it can be seen that that
the common causes of major accidental fires in the
workplace fall under the broad headings of:
➤ Electrical appliances and installations
➤ Cookers, associated cooking equipment and installations
➤ Naked lights and flames
➤ Heaters and heating systems
➤ Chemical and LPG (hazardous materials)
➤ Smokers and smokers’ materials
➤ Waste and waste management systems
➤ Other significant causes.

4. Electrical Appliances & Installations
• Outside deliberate fire setting, fires that are
caused by electrical appliances and installations
are the most common cause of fires in both
industry and the home.
• There are a variety of different ways that
electricity fl owing through equipment and
installations can cause a fire, these include:
Overloaded wiring – where the electric current fl
owing in the wires exceeds the rating of the
cables.

5. Cont...
• The wiring heats up and melts the insulation and
can set fire to flammable material nearby.
• Commonly found in flexible cables or cords, or
consumer panel/power board leads.
• Over recent years there have also been a number
of fires involving electrical extension leads, where
the cable has remained fully wound on the cable
drum.
• The flow of electricity and the tightness of the
fully wound cable prevent heat dissipation
causing overheating and a fire to start.

6. Cont...
 Loose wiring connections – the current fl owing through
the wiring encounters resistance at the connection and
generates heat.
• This can start a fire in the wall at the back of a power point
or socket, in a wiring junction box in the ceiling, above light
fittings or inside a switch/fuse board or consumer panel.
 Electrical ‘arcing’ (or sparking) – this generally occurs
where wiring insulation has been damaged by an external
occurrence perhaps due to poor location (e.g. Under floor
coverings).
• This deterioration to the insulation allows the copper
conductors inside the cable to touch one another briefly, or
to just make contact with the metal case of an appliance.

7. Cont...
• A small current will then flow from the ‘live’ conductor
to the neutral or earth wire, or to the earthed metal
case.
• The current will initially be too small to blow a fuse or
to trip a circuit breaker, but because the contact area is
also very small (a few strands of wire) the heat
produced at this point can reach sufficiently high
temperatures to melt or vaporise metals such as
copper, brass or sheet metal.
• The localised heating or energy release will ignite
combustible materials in close proximity and start a
fire.

8. Cont...
• Poorly maintained equipment, unauthorised use
or maintenance of electrical systems,
components and equipment, lack of formal and
informal checks and inspections can all be
directly linked to causes of fires within the
workplace.
• Fires have been known to have been caused by
vermin such as rats eating through electrical
cables within basement areas due to a lack of
vermin control procedures.

9. Cookers, Associated Cooking Equipment
& Installations
• Cookers, cooking equipment or other equipment or
installations used for the heating of food provide a
range of sources of ignition and fuel have the potential
to initiate and exacerbate a fire.
• The failure of the heat controlling device is then likely
to allow the overheating of the food or substance
being cooked which may combust and catch fire.
• In instances where oil is being used to cook food, chips,
for example, this raising of the oil’s temperature
releases sufficient vapours to cause the oil to reach its
flash and then fire point.

10. Cont...
• Gas cooking systems incorporate both an ignition
source, by way of a pilot light, and a substantial
fuel source, by way of the gas supply used in the
cooking process.
• A number of fires are caused each year from
faulty systems where the pilot light fails and gas is
released to mix with the air until an explosive
concentration is reached and any alternative
ignition sources such as a light switch are capable
of causing an explosion or fire.

11. Naked Lights & Flames
• By their nature lighting units emit heat; the
amount of heat will generally depend upon
two factors, the wattage or energy
consumption and the type of light, such as
halogen lamps, incandescent units or
fluorescent strip lighting.

12. Cont...
• As in the case of all fires, the lights themselves will need to be
positioned close to or touching a combustible material, or in the
case of flammable mixtures in air, provide sufficient heat or an
ignition source to ignite the vapours.
• Halogen lighting (high heat output) is becoming more popular
within industry and it used to light both internal and external
signage.
• If the signage itself is combustible and the halogen unit has been
installed incorrectly or poorly maintained the lighting unit may
come into contact with the signage starting a fire.
• Halogen desk lamps are also in evidence in offices and workshops
to provide additional task lighting.
• These units if poorly positioned and left unattended have the
• ability to start a fire

13. Heaters & Heating Systems
• Fires caused by heaters and heating systems can be divided into
two key areas; those that are caused by faulty systems including
poor design, inappropriate installation or lack of planned preventive
maintenance; and those that are caused by inappropriate use or
misuse.
• Poor design and installation can allow the heat produced from the
system to come into direct contact with combustible materials,
perhaps such as wall linings through which the system’s ducting is
routed.
• As previously discussed with regard to cooking equipment, a lack of
maintenance may allow heat controlling devices to malfunction.
• In addition if moving or rotating parts are included in a heating
system any bearings may run dry or seals fail due to a lack of
maintenance.

14. Chemical & LPG (hazardous materials)
• The Chemicals (Hazards Information and
Packaging for Supply) Regulations classify
substances representing certain hazards.
• If a substance has been classified under CHIP
as being dangerous for supply, anyone
supplying it must conform to the
requirements concerning the provision of
hazard information to those who may
subsequently come in contact with it.

15. Cont...
• The labelling requirements are that a package
containing a dangerous substance or
preparation bear a label of an approved
design, and be of a specific size relative to the
size of the package, containing relevant
information.

16. LPG
• Fires that involve chemicals and LPG are generally
caused by inadequate arrangements for their safe
use, transportation, storage and disposal.
• The lack of appropriate levels of training (and
where appropriate levels of supervision) when
using chemicals may lead to reactive chemicals
being mixed causing a fire or explosive cocktail, or
allowing the release of flammable vapours which
can find an ignition source to start a fire.
• Mishandling or poorly connecting LPG gas
cylinders can have a similar effect.

17. Cont...
• LPG gas cylinders can represent a serious risk
if they are involved in fire and although they
are less often seen as the direct cause of a fire
they can produce devastating effects when
involved.
• Poorly maintained equipment and
installations are also seen as a significant risk
when using LPG and can cause a release that
can in turn result in a fire or explosion.

18. Cont...
• Poor storage and transportation arrangements are also responsible
for causing fires involving both chemicals and LPG.
• Storing chemicals such as cleaning agents which may include acids
and oxidisers in the same cupboard may precipitate a reaction if
leakages and poor storage arrangements allow the chemicals to
come into contact with one another.
• The same can be said of disposal arrangements when substandard
procedures allow reactive chemicals, flammable mixtures and LPG
cylinders to come into contact with sources of ignition or with other
reactive chemicals.
• Fires can also start from poorly planned dismantling or disposal of
equipment containing residues of flammable liquids or when
dealing with spillages as part of environmental spill protection
procedures.

19. Smokers & Smokers’ Materials
• The majority of current workplaces are non-smoking and
with the advent of legislation that bans smoking in public
the number of fires in workplaces caused by smokers and
their discarded smoking materials is set to be reduced still
further if not eradicated.
• As is very often the case where prohibition of practices
such as smoking is established the consequences are to
drive the prohibited practice ‘underground’.
• Boiler rooms, stores and other out of the way places are
then utilised for the prohibited practice, which if not
checked can lead to increased risks, particularly as there
are no formal arrangements for disposal of smoking
materials.

20. Waste & Waste Management Systems
• Waste materials and a lack of formalised waste management
systems are very often a major cause of fires within the workplace.
• Arson is a very real threat in today’s society
• Accidental fires are also started from poor management of waste,
including the lack of a formalised policy in removal from a building
and onward transportation from the site.
• A lack of staff awareness as to the priority of combustible and
flammable material waste management is also responsible for poor
management of waste, for example the poor disposal of rags
contaminated with linseed oil by persons working within the
furniture industry or solvent contaminated materials in the printing
industry being discarded inappropriately.

21. Other Significant Hazards
• Electrostatic discharges from machinery, the decanting
of solvents and other processes which are poorly
managed due to a lack of procedures, training and use
of inappropriate materials can also cause fires.
• The heating and magnetic forces produced by the high
currents of a lightning strike can cause structural
damage to buildings (direct effects), and the associated
electric and magnetic fields can induce transients
which may damage or disrupt electrical equipment
(indirect effects).
• Either the direct or indirect effects of a lightning strike
can cause fires and possibly explosions.

22. Vehicle Fires
• Accidental fires involving vehicles can occur for a
number of reasons, these are generally due to:
➤ Faulty wiring looms or components
➤ Fuel leakage
➤ Discarded smokers’ materials
➤ Faulty HT systems (ignition systems)
➤ Hot exhaust contact with combustible
materials
➤ Vehicle collisions or accidents.

23. Cont...
• Modern vehicle interiors are largely composed of polymers,
plastics and other synthetic materials – all of which are
particularly combustible giving off flammable vapours.
• The smoke and fumes from the outbreak of fire are highly
toxic and can be deadly if inhaled.
• Poorly conducted and managed refuelling or recharging
arrangements for vehicles can also cause fires.
• Overcharging of batteries (e.g. forklift trucks) can release
hydrogen which has a very wide explosive range and
refuelling a petrol driven vehicle in close proximity to
ignition sources also has the potential to cause a fire.

24. Cont...
• Vehicle fires can also be a primary source for a
secondary fire in a building, e.g.
delivery/haulage vehicle within a distribution
depot, or a forklift truck within a warehouse,
where a fire starting from a vehicle quickly
spreads within a building causing the whole
building to be involved.

25. Causes of Fire Relating to
Construction & Maintenance
• Many of the causes of fire detailed above can relate to
work involving construction and maintenance operations.
• Equally the preventive measures that may be adopted to
minimise the risk of a fire occurring in construction and
maintenance operations may be equally valid across many
sectors of industry.
• A large proportion of fires started within the construction
sector fall under the following key headings:
➤ Arson
➤ Electrical
➤ Hot work
➤ Flammable and combustible substances.

26. Temporary Electrical Installations
• While similar in nature to electrical systems utilised within
permanent structures those used in construction and maintenance
operations are subject to potentially more arduous or hostile
environments.
• Some common electrical faults in construction and maintenance
operations that pose fire hazards include:
➤ The overloading of electrical sockets and systems in site
accommodation
➤ The incorrect use of fl at twin and earth cable as extension leads
instead of suitable flexible cable
➤ Electrical cables or lighting laid on or near combustible material
(frequently in roof and ceiling voids)
➤ Mechanical damage to cables, often as a result of inappropriate
routing of cables

27. Cont...
➤ The intentional defeating of safety devices, such as fuses
or circuit breakers (use of metal objects such as nails)
➤ The accumulation of combustible rubbish against
temporary distribution boards and transformers
➤ Unauthorised make-shift cable joints made without
correct proprietary connectors.
• In addition to the above issues fires have been started by
inappropriate location of temporary site and task lighting
particularly when using halogen lighting systems in close
proximity to flammable or combustible materials.

28. Hot Works
• Generally the term ‘hot work’ applies to the use of open flames,
fires and work involving the application of heat by means of tools or
equipment.
• More specifically hot work includes any works involving the use of
naked flames, such as when welding or brazing, or when
undertaking plumbing work with gas torches.
• Hot work also includes the use of grinders which create high
temperature sparks and also includes the use of hot air guns for
sealing materials such as flooring.
• The use of naked flames and tools that apply heat, in themselves
will not necessarily be the cause of fire, but the inappropriate use
of the equipment or lack of control of combustible materials,
flammable vapours, etc. when undertaking hot work operations
have been the start of many fires within the construction and
maintenance sector.

29. Cont...
• Sparks, for instance, falling on unprotected wood or behind
panelling or onto wood shavings or dust can ignite the material.
• It has also been known that the heat generated by hot air guns
when laying flooring materials can ignite combustible items upon
which the flooring is being laid particularly as the heat generated in
the process is then sealed in.
• It is often the case that sparks of heat generated in such ways may
go unnoticed for long periods of time and given the correct
conditions, perhaps opening up sheeted areas, etc., will provide
additional oxygen supplies to complete the fire triangle.
• Fires can start in this way as long as 1–2 hours have elapsed after
the works have been completed.

30. Cont...
• The use of bitumen or tar boilers can present a significant risk.
• Such fires are invariably due to:
➤ Poorly maintained equipment (thermostat faulty or poorly
adjusted)
➤ Poor position of the boiler such as on the roof itself with no fire
resistant materials between it and the roof
➤ Poorly supervised units allowing the boiler to boil over or boil
dry
➤ Attempting to move boilers while the burner is still alight
➤ Overfilling of the boiler allowing the boiler to boil over
➤ Use of LPG cylinders without the appropriate safety features
such as flashback arrestors.

31. Cont...
• The use of oxy-fuel equipment such as acetylene and propane are
inevitably responsible for a number of fires in construction and
maintenance operations.
• The additional risks that the use of such equipment brings arise from such
issues as poor handling and storage arrangements for cylinders of
acetylene.
• Acetylene is an extremely flammable gas.
• It is different from other flammable gases because it is also unstable.
• Under certain conditions, it can decompose explosively into its constituent
elements, carbon and hydrogen.
• This decomposition can be more readily brought about from mishandling,
dropping, etc. of the cylinder causing damage to the internal mass.
• Uncontrolled leaks from the acetylene cylinder regulator or hoses can also
have the same effect.

32. Oxy-fuel Equipment on a Construction
Site

33. Flammable & Combustible Substances
• The use, storage, transportation and disposal of
flammable and combustible substances within
construction and maintenance operations bring
with them a wide variety of different hazards and
associated risks.
• While the industry is attempting to reduce the
use of flammable substances as a matter of
overall risk management many proprietary
substances used in the work cannot be
substituted.

34. Flammable Substances
• Risks arise from a lack of competency of those using
flammable chemicals in that they are unaware of either the
flammable properties of the substance or any reactions
that may occur as part of a mixing process.
• Chemicals used for degreasing metals are often solvent
based as are a large number of paints, varnishes, etc. and if
they are used within an area with ignition sources such as
hot work operations, fires and possibly explosions can
occur.
• Poor storage arrangements such as storing incompatible
substances, failing to control ignition sources, lack of
designated storage facilities, poor ventilation, etc. all have
been responsible for causing fires on construction sites and
during maintenance operations.

35. Cont...
• Inadequate arrangements for the safe disposal
of flammable waste products such as aerosol
containers, paint cans, mastics, together with
poor arrangements for removal and disposal
of contaminated fuels such as diesel, petrol,
etc. are also known to have contributed to
fires in construction operations.

36. Combustible Substances
• The amount of combustible material encountered at
any one time on a construction site will vary
dependent upon the nature of the project and the
schedule of the works.
• Poor management of waste combustible materials is
recognised as being a major factor when considering
fire risks on a project.
• Poor housekeeping in relation to the removal of waste,
or allowing a build-up of combustible waste such as
used cement bags are easily identifiable as sources of
fuel, which when taking into account the sources of
ignition available, increase the fire risk greatly.

37. Demolition Operations
• Demolition operations during construction also
contribute greatly to the fire and explosion risk
with many combustible and flammable
substances used, produced or released during the
process, such as:
➤ Explosive charges
➤ Fine dust levels
➤ Wood and other carbonaceous materials
➤ Gas supplies
➤ Electrical supplies.

38. Arson
• Arson can be defined as the deliberate or wilful act of
setting fire to a building or item of property, be it an
industrial property, dwelling house, car or any similar item.
• Arson has become the largest single cause of major fires in
the UK.
• At its worst, arson can lead to loss of life and significant
financial consequences as in the case of any fire, but
persistent and pervasive minor arson attacks also establish
a strongly detrimental (and visually harmful) tone to
deprived areas and communities.
• In some areas, arson now accounts for 70% of all fires,
rising to a staggering 82% of fires in certain inner city
localities.

39. Arson Cont`d
• The number of arson fires, both in their own
right and as a proportion of the total fires in
the UK, attended by the fire service has more
than doubled over the past decade and now
stands in excess of 85 000 per year.
• The number of casualties, as a direct
consequence of arson attacks, over the same
period of time, has shown a similar increase in
rate.

40. Causes of Arson – Why People
Commit it
• Arson is a complex and serious crime which
has a wide variety of causes that include:
➤ Arson associated with other criminal acts
➤ Arson associated with a grievance
➤ Fraudulent arson
➤ Arson associated with economic or political
motivation
➤ Arson associated with mental instability.

41. Arson Attack on a School

42. Arson Associated with Other Criminal
Acts
• This generally takes the form of an act of criminal
damage or similar opportunist vandalism.
• It may also be associated with an attempt to
conceal or destroy evidence of another crime
such as a break-in, burglary, or sabotage of the
equipment in the premises or the premises itself.
• Young people are very much associated with this
form of fire setting.

43. Arson Associated with a Grievance
• This may result from the fear of unemployment
possibly due to company relocation, lack of
advancement or promotion, salary grievances, or
having been humiliated in front of co-workers.
• At a personal level employer/employee conflicts
such as jealousy of a work colleague’s promotion
or success or revenge against a superior or
employer are also known to cause arson attacks.

44. Fraudulent Arson
• This type of arson may be committed in an attempt to
defraud the insurers by an owner of a business
employee setting fire to their own premises or
property.
• This may be property in the workplace or at home.
• Fraudulent fires in industry and commerce do not
always involve setting fire to the financial records, they
may, for example, involve an attempt to destroy out-of-
date (or out-of-fashion) stock, with a claim
subsequently being made for more modern items as
part of a ‘new for old’ policy.

45. Arson Associated with Economic or
Political Motivation
• Arson attacks may be associated with
industrial action (strikes), industrial sabotage,
campaigns of pressure groups (e.g. animal
rights) and more recently as a result of
terrorist activities.

46. Arson Associated with Mental
Instability
• It is true to say that pyromania is rare; however,
the feelings associated with hatred and jealousy,
the desire to attract attention, together with
frustration and sexual perversion have all led to
fire raising and arson.
• The would-be heroes who light fires in order to
be able to ‘discover’ them and assist in the rescue
of their colleagues and involvement in fire
fighting operations also come into this category.

47. Arson – Influencing Factors &
Management
• There are a number of factors that influence
the likelihood of an arson attack which also
serve to provide information on how such
attacks can be managed.

48. When Arson Occurs
• Arsonists, in common with other criminals, do
not like to be seen.
• They often attack at night, under the cover of
darkness.
• Statistics reveal that:
➤ 49% of all fires occur at night
➤ 68% of arson fires occur during the hours of
darkness
➤ 84% of ‘major’ arson fires (damage valued at
over £50000) occur during the hours of darkness.

49. Cont...
• Given the above statistics security lighting is
undoubtedly a cost-effective way of reducing the
incidence of arson attacks.
• In many premises such lights may be operated by
passive infrared (PIR) detectors and not only
provide illumination but also produce an element
of surprise.
• PIR is also seen as being more acceptable in built-
up areas due to the nuisance caused by
permanent illumination.

50. Cont...
• These lighting systems should also be enhanced
by intruder alarms, which ideally should be
supported by audible alarms which when
sounding often put off a ‘would-be’ arsonist.
• Ensuring that the arsonist is visible is also an
important element in other forms of security
precautions as part of an overall strategy.
• For example, palisade welded mesh fencing or in
the case of construction, Herras fencing, is
preferable to a wall or solid fence, as intruders
inside the grounds or site are rendered visible.

51. Typical Security Lighting

52. Cont...
• Arson also often occurs during tea or lunch
break times, when few staff are present, again
reducing the likelihood of the arsonist being
seen.
• This can be combated by introducing tighter
entrance control measures and raising staff
awareness.

53. Buildings/Sites at Risk
• When considering the initial design and layout of a
building, those with areas that allow a person to linger
(an arsonist) unseen present a high risk as do those
that have access to the roof.
• These areas can be designed out at this stage if
appropriate thought is applied.
• These issues should also be taken into account when
considering temporary sites such as in construction
work, where layouts of site accommodation and
building operations, stores, vehicle pounds, etc. must
also take into account security against arson.

54. Cont...
• In many cases the employers or occupiers of a building have had
little or no input or control over the design of the premises in which
they work, therefore basic measures to prevent access to the roof
or other areas of the building must be considered.
• Simple controls such as the inclusion of a dense, thorny hedgerow
at the perimeter of the site may assist in preventing access and the
environment of the premises may also be enhanced by such an
introduction.
• Priority should be given to keeping arsonists out, especially when
the premises are not occupied.
• Attention must be paid to primary control measures like the siting
and security of windows, doors, locking mechanisms, fences and
gates.

55. Cont...
• Weak points in building perimeter protection that
should be considered may include letter boxes,
air vents and louvered windows.
• The poor management of access keys can also
add to the risk and therefore the security
programme must include accountability for keys
and proper authorisation for their issue.
• A register should be maintained of all key/access
issues and all keys/cards accounted for at the end
of each period of work.

56. Cont...
• Entry to isolated or less used parts of the premises,
such as storerooms and warehouses, should be
restricted and monitored.
• In addition suitable arrangements must be taken to
identify legitimate visitors or, where appropriate,
restrict the areas to which members of the public have
access.
• Where buildings or sites are unoccupied at night or at
weekends, serious consideration should be given to the
installation of CCTV as it has a high deterrent effect.
• It should be noted that CCTV systems which are not
monitored have limited value.

57. Cont...
• The equipment used must be of a high quality and be installed to
suit the prevailing conditions and should incorporate suitable
recording equipment.
• Specialist advice should be sought before installation to ensure the
correct system is fitted.
• Frequent, but irregular visits by mobile security patrols outside
normal working hours can be a deterrent against arson and similar
crimes, if there is no 24-hour security presence on the site.
• If used, security staff should be vigilant and take note of such
crimes in the neighbourhood, this is a particularly good indicator of
a security company’s competency if they have such information
readily available.
• Keeping a log of such incidents may help in assessing the likelihood
of an arson attack occurring.

58. Cont...
• Perhaps one of the most cost-effective
measures against the arsonist is an alert and
motivated workforce.
• All staff should be reminded to challenge
those they do not know.
• It may be that a simple ‘Can I help you?’ may
be sufficient to deter a potential arsonist.

59. CCTV with infrared lights reduce the
likelihood of arson attack

60. Business Operations & Activities
• The type of operations or activities that an employer or
occupier undertakes can also be a target for an
arsonist.
• Those companies who undertake work that makes use
of animals as part of research, or who hold personal,
secure data that may be used against a person or
organisation, are potentially at risk.
• It may be that specialist tools and equipment are in use
or a particular piece of plant or machinery is stored
which could be stolen and sold on for profit, any of
which may be attempted to be hidden by the use of
fire.

61. Cont...
• Gathering information about pressure groups that may
pose a threat and liaising with local police and fire services
may assist in managing the threat of arson.
• Information is often kept by insurance companies, who may
also provide guidance with regard to prevention, some of
which may be required for insurance to be offered.
• Taking simple steps such as ensuring that stock and
valuable items are secured out of the away and outside
general view, particularly those on transient sites such as in
the construction sector, also assist in managing arson as
arson attacks often follow acts of petty theft and
vandalism.

62. Minimising the Availability of
Combustible Materials
• Minimising the availability of combustible
materials to the arsonist, managing items such
as skips and other refuse containers and
securing flammable chemicals that could be
used as accelerants are all part of the arson
risk reduction measures that a company could
adopt to prevent this risk of arson and
subsequent losses that would be likely to
occur following an attack.

63. Prevention of Fire
• The preventive strategies for reducing the risk of
fi re and explosion within the workplace can be
equally applied across the majority of industry
sectors as illustrated from the preceding section
on arson prevention and control.
• The principal causes of fire generally only vary in
very specific detail and more often than not
relate to hazardous operations and sites, e.g.
COMAH sites, otherwise the causes remain
constant, particularly when it revolves around
‘human factor’.

64. Cont...
• The overall preventive and protective
arrangements for each element covered
should be included in a comprehensive
prevention strategy by way of ensuring that a
written policy is formalised and
communicated.
• The written policy should cover the following:
➤ A statement of the specific policy that is
being covered, e.g. hot works

65. Cont...
➤ An organisational section detailing clearly who
is responsible and for what, e.g. who is
responsible for securing a contractor to
undertake testing of electrical apparatus, or the
role of the employees for undertaking visual
checks
➤ Specific arrangements for undertaking risk
assessments and implementing controls such as
identifying the number of fire wardens required
and how they are to be trained

66. Cont...
➤ Details of any monitoring or measuring of
performance should also be included such as the
signing off of a permit to work system, whether they
were completed adequately and operated effectively
➤ How the elements of the individual policies will be
reviewed and audited, to identify effectiveness or
waste.
• For example, gas heating equipment may no longer be
in use but may still be included on an inspection aide
memoir and the policy still appears to cover gas
equipment and persons are still being trained in the
safe handling of gas cylinders.

67. Electrical Appliances & Installations
• Electrical fires rate only second to arson in relation to
providing the primary hazard and cause of fire in the
workplace.
• A range of management steps should be taken to
minimise the risks associated with electrical appliances
and systems and are likely to be included in the
management system detailed above.
• Electrical appliances and apparatus should only be
procured from a reputable (ideally approved) supplier.
• A risk assessment should have been completed prior to
procurement to confirm the equipment is going to be
safe and fit for its intended purpose.

68. Electrical Supply Testing

69. Portable Appliance Testing

70. Cont...
• Both temporary and permanent electrical supply
installations should be installed in accordance with the
latest addition of BS 7671 (IEE Wiring Regulations and the
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989).
• Installations, particularly if of a temporary nature, for
example in construction works, must be inspected regularly
and tested at intervals no greater than those specified by
the installation company.
• It should be noted that if temporary installations are in
position for a greater period than 3 months on a
construction site then they should be subject to test in line
with HSE guidance every 3 months or when they have been
altered.

71. Cont...
• Electrical cabling should be protected against
damage by appropriate routing away from
potentially hazardous areas such as pedestrian
routes or vehicular routes.

72. Portable Appliance Testing (PAT)
• Portable electrical equipment should be
subject to regular inspections and tests, the
time frames of which will be dependent upon
the nature of use.
• Ideally portable electrical equipment should
carry durable labels which display that it has
been inspected and tested and is in a
satisfactory condition.

73. Cont...
• Electrical equipment used in more hostile environments such as in
construction and mountainous works are tested more frequently.
• Electrical installations, whether temporary or permanent, together
with electrical equipment and apparatus, should be protected by a
range of measures including residual current devices (RCDs) which
protect human beings from electrical shock, fuses and miniature
moulded case circuit breakers (MCCBs) which provide protection to
apparatus from overheating and short circuits.
• Arrangements should be in place to ensure that all electrical work
to installations and/or electrical equipment is undertaken by only
trained, qualified and competent electricians who are familiar with
the systems involved.

74. Cont...
• Electrical safety systems such as those detailed above will
also assist in reducing the risk of fire caused by damage to
installation cabling caused by vermin; however, these
systems should be supported by active management to
control vermin for the risk of fire from these areas to be
avoided or minimised.
• All staff members who are to make use of electrical
equipment should be familiarised with the hazards
associated with electrical equipment, any specific design
issues, limitations and signs and symptoms of deterioration
or wear.
• Documented systems to provide evidence of the testing,
inspection, etc., together with a defect reporting system,
should be considered to assist in managing electrical safety.

75. Cookers, Associated Cooking
Equipment & Installations
• Management systems that include those issues
covered under electrical safety must be
considered when using electrical cookers and
cooking equipment.
• In addition to the management systems detailed
above establishing a planned preventive
maintenance scheme (PPM) should take into
account heat controlling devices such as
thermocouples as it is unlikely that the portable
appliance testing will entirely eliminate the risks
from such equipment.

76. Cont...
• Ideally as technology advances gas systems and
appliances should ‘fail to safe in the event of an
emergency, i.e. fire’.
• It is likely that gas supplies to appliances and
installations will therefore be linked to alarm/detection
systems that will automatically isolate the gas supplies
upon actuation.
• It is worthy of note that gas supplies should not be able
to be re-energised after an emergency in such a way
that gas supplies are allowed to ‘free flow’ with the
presence of an ignition source to control the gas
release.

77. Naked Lights & Flames
• Avoiding the use of naked flame within the workplace is the
most effective way of managing fire risks from this source.
• Replacing hot work and flame generating devices such as
oxy-fuel equipment must be seen as the first step in
significantly reducing the risks from this area.
• In relation to practical operations the use of compression
plumbers’ fittings as opposed to the soldered fittings is a
good example of where such replacement negates the risk
entirely.
• Where the use of naked flames cannot be avoided, formal
operating procedures, safe systems of work, additional
levels of supervision and adequate levels of regular formal
monitoring may serve to reduce the risk.

78. Heaters & Heating Systems
• The preceding paragraphs detail the hazards
associated with electrical and gas systems which
are also common to those sources of energy used
by heaters and heating systems.
• As has already been discussed, the poor design,
inappropriate installation and lack of planned
preventive maintenance are all causes of fire.
• It is therefore appropriate to ensure that systems
are designed, installed and subject to planned
preventive maintenance.

79. Other Significant Hazards
• Electrostatic discharges – the risk of fires and
explosions attributed to electrostatic discharges
that arise from machinery such as the Neoprene
belt on a conveyor unit or from processes such as
the decanting of solvents can be managed
effectively by selecting the correct equipment,
managing the environment, e.g. humidity, by the
practice of grounding metallic objects, and
replacing insulating materials with static
dissipative materials.

80. Vehicles
• Road-going vehicles are subject to testing as
part of Ministry of Transport requirements;
however, such ‘MOT’ testing provides only a
‘snapshot’ test of the vehicle and while
failures of electrical components, exhausts,
etc. are included the possibilities of electrical
wiring defects which may lead to an
uncontrolled ignition source may go
unnoticed.

81. Cont...
• Ensuring that road-going or site-based vehicles
are subject to regular inspections and servicing
will assist in identifying components and systems
that could lead to a fire before it occurs.
• Establishing formal procedures for refuelling or
recharging of vehicles as part of a safe system of
work and ensuring that staff are provided with
training to raise their awareness of the risks
involved will reduce the likelihood of fire starting
from such operations.

82. Contractor Management
• An employer/client is liable for the actions of the
contractor while working on the client’s site.
• Any unsafe work practice could lead to the client being
involved in compensation claims if anyone is injured or to
enforcement action if a breach of safety legislation is
involved.
• There are a number of inherent risks to be considered
when employing contractors.
• In terms of fire safety management these risks arise from
the actions of the contractors during the work itself and the
subsequent impact upon the fire safety arrangements
within the building following the contracted works.

83. Cont...
• In order to reduce the liabilities of the
employer/client it is essential they carefully select
competent contractors and then exercise
sufficient management control over the project
to ensure the contractor employs safe working
practices throughout the duration of the
contract.
• The selection procedure should be flexible
enough to ensure the amount of work required in
each specific case is kept in proportion to the
degree of risk inherent in the contract.

84. Cont...
• The selection process should take place in two
stages:
➤ Initial selection stage – to appear on the
list of approved contractors
➤ Tender stage – against the specific needs of
the contract.

85. Initial Selection Stage
• A large number of major client organisations have
quality assurance (QA), which requires the initial
selection or pre-qualification of suppliers and
contractors.
• The successful contractors are placed on an
approved list from which contractors are then
selected for specific contract requirements.
• Where organisations do not have formal QA
systems, they would be well advised to adopt the
same principles to ensure proper selection of
competent contractors.

86. Cont...
• The selection process would require the contractor to supply relevant information
regarding a number of areas of their business management in order for the client
to form a judgement of their ability to properly carry out the work.
• The common areas which are considered are usually concerned with ensuring the
contractor is able to meet the technical requirements of the contract.
• These may include, where relevant, such items as:
➤ Financial standing
➤ Quality assurance procedures
➤ Technical experience of previous work of a similar nature
➤ Technical skills of contractor’s employees
➤ Technical procedures relevant to the contract
➤ Technical method statements
➤ References from previous clients
➤ Industrial relations record
➤ Environmental record.

87. Safety Performance
• In addition to information regarding the contractor’s technical
ability to carry out the project works, the client should seek
information to allow them to judge the safety management
procedures and practice of the contractor.
• Therefore, safety issues should form an integral part of the
selection process.
• The client may seek information on relevant areas, such as:
➤ Contractor’s safety policy and/or procedures manual
➤ Employees’ safety handbook/safety instructions
➤ Contractor’s safety management system and organisation
➤ Safety personnel – competence
➤ Safety representatives/committees

88. Cont...
➤ Contractors safety record:
➤ Safety event statistics including; incidents, accidents and fires,
etc.
➤ Safety-related work references
➤ Enforcement actions taken against them
➤ Membership of relevant professional bodies
➤ Training procedures – sample records
➤ Maintenance procedures – sample records
➤ Risk assessment procedures – generic and specific
➤ Sample assessment records for the type of work
➤ Method statements – generic or specific from previous similar
work
➤ Relevant insurance policies.

89. Tender Stage Selection
• At this stage the client will be selecting a specific contractor
from those appearing on the approved list and will require
specific details from the contractor as to how they intend
to meet all of the contract specification, including the
safety requirements of the project works.
• To a large degree the response from the contractor will
depend on the information provided to them by the client.
• In order to formulate a comprehensive tender the
contractor will require specific information about the
technical requirements of the contract, which is often dealt
with very well. However, they will also require information
about the safety conditions of the contract and any risks
which the client has identified, which they will need to
consider during the project works.

90. Cont...
• The types of information the contractor will need will include, as necessary, the following:
➤ A clear defi nition of the project
➤ Identifi cation of any specifi c risks presented by the client premises, plant, substances, work
processes or operations which the contractor will need to consider
➤ Identities of persons with health and safety responsibilities
➤ Requirements for specifi c responsibilities within contractor staff, e.g. stipulating for a site safety
officer
➤ Risk control measures required by the client
➤ Health and safety performance standards required
➤ Limits on the contractor’s actions and areas of invitation
➤ Client and joint management arrangements, reporting and consultation procedures
➤ Permit to work procedures to be adopted
➤ Monitoring arrangements to be implemented by:
➤ The client
➤ The contractor
➤ Jointly.

91. Site Rules Poster

92. Cont...
• The client can then judge the response from the contractor to make the fi nal
selection and award of the contract.
• The considerations during the fi nal selection process will be based on the
information provided by the contractor which should include, as necessary:
➤ Safety plan for the project
➤ Risk assessments for the project works
➤ Method statements for the project works
➤ Response to the issues raised by the client
➤ Evidence of the resources to be allocated to the project, such as:
➤ Plant and equipment
➤ Access procedures/equipment
➤ Materials
➤ Safety equipment
➤ Numbers and skills of personnel and subcontractors
➤ Employment procedures

93. Cont...
➤ Emergency equipment and procedures
➤ Time allocated for completion of the works
➤ Nominated project management personnel,
including health and safety responsibility
➤ Procedures for checking the competence of
subcontractors
➤ Defined safe systems of work
➤ Permit to work systems
➤ Specific emergency procedures.

94. Managing the Contract
• Once the contract has been awarded and the work
commences, the client will still need to exercise
adequate control over the project works to ensure the
contractor does, in fact, maintain the health and safety
standards required.
• In order to do this the client would need to establish
joint management procedures with the contractor.
• The nature and degree of control required must be
kept in proportion to the size and complexity of the
project, and will depend on the extent of risk involved
in the work and the nature of the work site.

95. Cont...
• The management procedures should be determined at the planning
stage of the project and form part of the conditions of the contract.
• The areas that will need consideration will include:
➤ Management of the project:
➤ Contractors procedures
➤ Client procedures
➤ Joint procedures.
➤ Project monitoring procedures for the contractor and client are
held jointly and require agreed protocols for:
➤ Communication and reporting procedures
➤ Procedures for dealing with non-compliance issues
➤ Suitable welfare arrangements
➤ Emergency procedures for fire, medical and other
emergency.

96. Safety Conditions of the Contract
• In order to make these conditions enforceable through
the contract, any joint management arrangements and
specific requirements for site controls should be
detailed in the contract specification, either as specific
conditions included in the contract or by referring to
standard safety conditions in a separate document.
• Failure to notify the contractor of such details, which
may have a cost element, could result in conflict during
the contract works and, possibly, claims for additional
payment at a later date.

97. Cont...
• The type of safety conditions or rules which could be imposed
include:
➤ A requirement to comply with all legal obligations
➤ Restrictions or controls on the activities of the contractor
➤ Provision for access and egress – client and contractor staff
➤ Specific site rules, e.g. management of fire doors, smoking, etc.
➤ Working times/hours
➤ Site services and facilities to be provided by the client or the
contractor, in particular safety critical systems that must be
maintained during the contract, e.g. fi re detection and alarm
systems
➤ Security arrangements

98. Cont...
➤ Restrictions on equipment:
➤ Type and use
➤ Loans
➤ Hire
➤ Requirements for maintenance of equipment
➤ Control of hazardous substances
➤ Housekeeping and site cleanliness/tidiness
➤ Storage requirements or restrictions
➤ Welfare arrangements
➤ Accident reporting and investigation procedures – the client should
know as soon as possible of any unsafe event on their site
➤ Permit to work procedures to be followed
➤ Sanctions which may be imposed in the event of poor performance.

99. Cont...
• During the contract works the client should exercise
sufficient monitoring of the contractor’s activities to ensure
compliance with the conditions.
• Again, the extent of the monitoring will be dictated by the
scope of the work and the degree of risk inherent in it.
• The monitoring arrangements may, therefore, range
between simple observation of the contractor’s activities at
one end of the scale, to formal inspection and monitoring
procedures at the other.
• The client would need to determine the extent of the
monitoring activities they wish to employ at the planning
stage and inform all internal personnel involved of the
procedures.

100. Performance Review
• In order to confirm the contractor has in fact
carried out the work to a satisfactory standard
and met the safety conditions, the client will
need a formal procedure for reviewing the
performance of the contractor against the
contract specification and conditions.
• In the case of the safety conditions of the
contract this will involve both effective
monitoring of the work in progress and a formal
review on completion of the work.

101. Monitoring the Contractor’s
Performance
• As already stated, the degree of monitoring
required would be dictated by the nature of
the work.
• However, no matter how simple or low risk
the work may be there will always be a need
for monitoring in some form. The

102. Formal Review
• On completion of the works, or at predetermined
periods during contracts of long duration, the client
should carry out a formal review of the performance of
the contractor against the requirements of the contract
and their own method statements.
• This should include the health and safety performance
of the contractor as well as the technical aspects of the
works.
• The formal review of performance should be used in
determining the competence of the contractor to
continue the contract and when letting future
contracts.

103. Cont...
• the provision of temporary electrical supplies to
ensure that they are kept free from water and
plant/ vehicle movements.
• Temporary lighting, particularly halogen units,
should be installed and located away from
combustible/ flammable materials. Ideally, any
electrical plugs should be removed when not in
use.
• The control of use and installation of gas supplies
on a construction site must also adhere to the
same requirements as those on permanent sites.

104. Arson & Site Security
• The majority of issues relating to arson have been
discussed previously within the chapter; however, the
instances of arson on construction sites are significant,
particularly from unauthorised access, especially by
children.
• As secure fencing is required under construction
legislation, arrangements for monitoring the fencing/
hoarding around the site should be included as part of
any control measure.
• Secure storage of flammable liquids, LPG and any
substantial volume of combustible materials must be
considered, particularly when the site is closed.

105. Cont...
• On some sites, particularly those vulnerable to arson, gathering
details relating to the area’s history is an essential part of site
security.
• Precautions that need to be taken may include:
➤ Significant physical anti-climb fencing/boarding
➤ Security lighting
➤ CCTV monitoring
➤ Regular out of hours security controls or a permanent presence
➤ Liaison with local authorities including the fire and police
service.
• Securing items such as expensive plant and tools away from view,
together with the management of combustible waste (secure
skips), also reduces the risk of arson

106. THE END