FRA IOSH

Institution of Occupational Safety and Health Fire Risk Assessment

Project Overview

Property: Institution of Occupational Saftey and Health, Leicester

Industry: Educational premises

Contract Awarded to: RiskFire

Type of Contract: FRA

Project Scope: Fire Risk Assessment

Location: Leicester

Project Duration: 1 day

Scope of Works

RiskFire conducted a Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) for IOSH, focusing on the adequacy of fire exits, signage, escape routes, and fire door inspections to ensure compliance with fire safety regulations and protect building occupants.

Challenges

During the assessment, the following issues were identified:

• Fire Exit:
• The primary fire exit is a sliding door. While deemed adequate due to multiple exits and fail-safes within the alarm system, this arrangement requires ongoing monitoring to ensure it remains fit for purpose.
• Directional/Escape Signage:
• Insufficient directional signage, particularly in the main entrance area, which lacked adequate emergency signage to guide occupants.
• Escape Route Maintenance:
• The site confirmed that escape routes, exits, fastenings, and gangways were not inspected frequently. This posed a risk of escape routes becoming obstructed or non-compliant over time.
• Fire Door Inspections:
• No formal schedule for inspecting fire doors along escape routes and final exits, which could lead to unidentified faults affecting their functionality in an emergency.

Solution Provided

RiskFire recommended the following measures to address the identified challenges:

• Fire Exit Monitoring:
• Although the sliding door at the main entrance was deemed adequate, RiskFire recommended regular testing of the door’s fail-safe mechanisms as part of routine fire safety checks.
• Advised maintaining clear access to this and all other exits to ensure they remain functional in an emergency.
• Directional/Escape Signage:
• Conducted a full review of directional and escape signage throughout the premises.
• Recommended installing additional emergency exit and directional signs, particularly in the main entrance area and along escape routes, to ensure clear guidance for occupants during an evacuation.
• Advised compliance with BS ISO 7010 standards for safety signs.
• Escape Route Maintenance:
• Recommended introducing regular inspections of escape routes, exits, fastenings, and gangways to ensure they remain clear and accessible.
• Suggested a documented inspection schedule with checks conducted at least every six months to identify and address any obstructions or maintenance needs promptly.
• Fire Door Inspections:
• Recommended six-monthly inspections of all fire doors along escape routes and final exits to ensure continued compliance and functionality.
• Advised recording all inspections, including details of identified issues and actions taken, to demonstrate ongoing compliance with fire safety regulations.

Results

The implementation of RiskFire’s recommendations achieved the following outcomes:

• Improved safety at the main entrance by ensuring the sliding door remains functional and accessible as a fire exit.
• Enhanced guidance for occupants during emergencies through additional directional and escape signage.
• Proactive management of escape routes, exits, and gangways, reducing the risk of obstructions.
• Regular fire door inspections to identify and address faults promptly, maintaining their effectiveness in emergencies.
• A clear record-keeping system to support ongoing compliance with fire safety standards.

Conclusion

RiskFire’s Fire Risk Assessment and tailored recommendations significantly improved fire safety at IOSH. By addressing deficiencies in signage, escape route maintenance, and fire door inspections, the organization is now better prepared for fire emergencies and compliant with fire safety regulations. This case underscores RiskFire’s expertise in providing practical and compliant fire safety solutions for corporate environments.

This FRA was completed using the Firehub app.

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