Posted By Ged Hi Lorraine, There is a very good book that for a change is not too expensive by JALITE tel 01268 242300 this book was recommended to me by a fire inspector as one of the best on the market, it covers other things as well and is extremely comprehensive Cost 9.95p the book is called Means of Escape Fire safety audit a guide for basic Fire Risk Assessment. Cheers Ged

Posted By Sylvia Tyler Lorraine - for offices quite easy to do using guidance. I think there is an update happening this year though. The hardest part is the compartmentation, ie looking in ceiling voids, and the risk of fire spread ensuring service ducts etc are sealed to prevent smoke spread. I will e-mail you a copy of fire risk assessment for an office I have carried out and has been accepted by the Fire Officer on his visit, resulting in exemption from certification. Is your office covered by a fire certificate? If so when you have done the assessment (and implemented any outstanding controls) perhaps you can call in your local fire officer and ask for his comments. I attended an IOSH course Fire Risk Assessment - it was excellent. I will let you have details of the trainer, it may be something that you can consider for CPD. I have several schools I'm responsible but will call in a "Fire" professional for them! Sylvia

Posted By Julie Geairns Sylvia Could I be cheeky and ask you to email me a copy too as I am in the same boat as the first 'postee'. Many thanks in advance Julie

Posted By Paul L Williams Lorraine, I have sent you a direct email, which has attached a fire audit/risk assessment and a daily inspection checklist. Hopefully these will be of some use to you. Regards Paul Williams

Posted By Laurie Like Pete I too thought that this was a bit over the top. For an office environment I would keep it simple - "Exit routes and widths are adequate for the numbers and physical abilities of the people at risk, there are adequate means of detecting fire, there are adequate first aid fire fighting appliances and personnel have been trained in their use (If applicable), there are adequate means of raising the alarm and evacuation procedures are regularly exercised. Likelihood - Possible, Severity - Cuts and Bruises, Action Nil. Review in 12 Months." That usually satisfied my fire inspectors from the fire service, LA, insurers, etc. One of the problems with risk assessment is that people insist on treating it as some form of black art, when in reality it can be nothing more complicated than dipping your elbow in Baby's bath water. However, you might need something a bit more comprehensive for doing an underwater weld on a North Sea rig! Laurie

Posted By Tom Clark Hi Lorriane Here's another good site for info - I'm not advertising BT by the way. www.fpa-fireriskassessment.com Regards Tom

Posted By Merv Newman To send an e-mail to someone on this chat show, if their name is blue then just click on it and your e-mail programme should open automatically, with their adress in the "to" line. If the name is not blue then they have not supplied an e-mail adress. So you can't

Posted By Alan F Cox Anyone contemplating carrying out a Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) should get themselves a copy of PAS 79 from BSI. This is the nearest thing presently available to a "Standard FRA" Obviously there are many different forms available and no matter which one you use you will always get one Fire Officer who will not like a certain part or thinks that something else should be included. At least if you use the one produced by BSI you will be working to a nationally agreed standard. The question as to who should carry out the FRA is another problem area and one which you need to think about in great detail. I would suggest that it is not like carrying out a DSE or MH Risk Assessment as the consequences can be far more serious. If you do it yourself I would suggest that you need to consider some specialised training from an approved organisation. If you consider an external consultant don't just think that because a person has been in the Fire Brigade he will know all about FRAs. And don't assume that someone with MIOSH is automatically the right choice either. Alan F Cox

Posted By Jon Bradburn This has made interesting reading for me. We moved sites in December 2003. At the initial inspection by the fire authority the assessments were very well regarded despite having no reference to voids etc. Our greatest problem in this respect lay with building control who made a major issue of badly placed fire curtains. Pending legislation notwithstanding our procedures allow for a very early detection and rapid evacuation. Great for people - saving which is the primarly concern of the fire brigade. Consider the total loss of a building though and its implications I shall certainly review our assessments!!