Businesses have a duty to adhere to health and safety regulations, which cover the proactive risk management of fires breaking out. Certain businesses may use materials that are more prone to fires, and as such should take additional safety precautions that reduce the risk of a blaze catching and spreading.

It is the responsibility of the person in charge of health and safety to ensure that there are suitable fire safety procedures in place and that everyone on-premises knows how they are expected to react. It is not only vital to know how to reduce the risk of a fire breaking out, but also ways to prevent fires from spreading. It is imperative that safety measures are regularly reviewed, especially when there are new hazards introduced in the workplace that could affect fire spread.

The team at SafetyBuyer is experienced in giving advice on preventative measures and steps that businesses can take in order to reduce the risks of fires occurring in the first place, but also from spreading. The most effective methods will depend on a number of factors, such as the nature of the business’s activities and the relevant fire risks that they pose. 

Read our guide below on the most effective measures that prevent fires from spreading in the workplace, and understand how you should choose an option that best suits your workplace and specific circumstances. 

Keep your workplace clean and tidy

A clean and tidy workplace is expected by customers, but its importance extends to safety; dirty and cluttered workplaces increase the risk of a fire spreading. By allowing a flame to reach other flammable objects, the risk of it spreading will be magnified and make it much tougher to prevent. 

Ensuring that workplaces are organised and free of clutter will decrease the likelihood of fire spreading. A simple application of this is to allow for space between flammable objects. Should one area catch fire, there should be enough space to prevent the fire from reaching another area - or at least decrease the time it takes to spread. 

Implementing and sticking to a cleanliness regime is imperative, and measures should be taken to reduce the risk of flammable clutter taking place. This can also enable people to exit more easily by creating clear pathways between objects, should they need to evacuate.

Dispose of waste

Frequently disposing of waste across the workplace will reduce the risk of it accumulating. It is not only vital to dispose of waste regularly but also according to your workplace’s waste disposal protocol. Materials should be in their allocated waste area.

Furthermore, this waste area and such bins must be clear of other hazards, especially those that could set fire to them. This means securely containing flammable objects away from incendiary items at a minimum. 

Store chemicals safely

If your business works with flammable chemicals, you should store and handle these to the highest safety standards. Labelling and other appropriate safety signs must be attached and visible in the chemical’s storage area as a warning to all.

Chemicals should not be stored near other chemicals with which they can interact; the reaction could be harmful.

If there are any spillages, these should be cleaned immediately. A procedure to clean any leaks or spills must be known to all who handle the chemicals.

View our storing chemicals safely page for more information.

Keep fire doors closed 

Fire doors are legally required in all properties that are not domestic. As such, these must be installed in strategic areas to contain any fire outbreak. There must be a review of the workplace layout to understand where fire doors should be located, and where they can be used to best reduce the spread of fire.

Once installed, fire doors must be kept shut. All fire exits must be kept clear at all times so that in case of fire, people on-premises can leave safely.

Check electrical equipment and machinery often

One of the most common causes of electrical fire is faulty equipment. Machinery should be checked regularly for maintenance issues, even if there is no apparent fault. If you find a fault, you should take immediate action to replace or repair it.

Regular assessments of all machinery will significantly reduce the risk of a fault occurring that could lead to a fire outbreak. You should keep a record of the assessments you take, so that you can pinpoint a fault should one arise.

Carry out a regular fire risk assessment

Finally, you should ensure that there are regular fire risk assessments throughout the premises. Any potential cause of fire and anything that could incite the spread of fire should be noted and immediately reported to the appropriate person.

It is a legal requirement to undertake fire risk assessments, and failure to do so can result in legal action being taken against those responsible. 

Find fire protection solutions

If your fire risk assessments unearth any potential risks, you should consider all your options to effectively remove them.

You should have extinguishers available in strategic locations around the premises, allowing for any individual to easily locate and quickly use them in the event of a fire. Alongside fire extinguishers - which should be available in all types of flame retardants according to the risks of your workplace - you should also stock your work premises with alternative fire extinguishing materials, such as fire blankets and fire hose reels. 

A surefire way to reduce the risk of fire spreading is to ensure that there are adequate alarm systems to alert everyone on the premises when a fire breaks out. Depending on the size and layout of your workplace, you should consider all site alarm types. For example, on construction sites, you may prefer easy-to-install, reusable battery-operated site fire alarms. For more permanent solutions, you may want to consider alarms such as Evacuator Synergy RF Wireless Alarm Systems.

Find more fire safety information and solutions

SafetyBuyer has extensive experience in helping businesses protect themselves from fires breaking out and spreading. We have the knowledge required to help you find and implement the solution your workplace needs. View our collection of fire safety equipment here.