Date: 4th December, 2017
Businesses in Dorset and Wiltshire are being reminded to keep their premises safe from fire in the run-up to Christmas.
Dorset and Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service wants all local businesses to check their fire risk assessments and make changes to their processes if necessary.
Station Manager Mike Bagnall said: “The festive season brings with it additional fire risks – shops have large amounts of extra stock, licensed premises are always a lot busier, and there are often seasonal employees who perhaps don’t know the processes as well as other staff. Fire can be devastating, and many small businesses don’t recover from having a fire, so we really want people to take a bit of time to check their businesses are as safe as possible.”
Next week, fire safety inspectors in Dorset, Bournemouth, Poole and Wiltshire will be visiting retail premises in town centres and out-of-town sites such as garden centres to look at stock levels, fire risk assessments and escape routes. Similar inspections have been underway in the Swindon area for a couple of weeks and are continuing into December.
Among the risks that are being highlighted to businesses are:
- Safe storage of additional stock, not blocking thoroughfares or doors.
- Safe disposal of additional packaging, such as cardboard.
- Maintaining safe escape routes and fire exits.
- Ensuring that temporary staff fully understand what they should do in the event of a fire.
- Keeping decorations away from alarm sensors and anything that generates heat.
A full range of advice on fire risk assessments, and the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order on commercial premises, can be found at www.dwfire.org.uk/your-business