Rank: Forum user 
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I have recently joined a company and have identified that there is a need for fire risk assessments to be completed for sites. The problem is there are so many, over a wide area and are constantly changing as the jobs complete. With the amount of sites being done it would mean that completing Fire Risk Assessments is all I would be doing for 3 weeks of the month with everything else to do as well. I was contemplating creating a simply step by step (tick box) assessment for the site managers to complete. They have had some fire marshal and awareness training historically. The problem is I don't think this would satisfy the requirement for a competent person to complete the assessment. What does everyone else think?
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Rank: Super forum user
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They need to be done, so if you don't have the time I suggest you hire a safety consultant who has experience in fire risk assessments.
You will, or someone will, need to spend time with the assessor at each of the sites so that he understands the activities there, any hot processes, what flammable materials are on site, where all the storage areas are, where all the exits are, explain how fire drills are conducted, and demonstrate that the alarm systems work etc etc
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Rank: Forum user
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That's what I thought John W but trying to find a way to make it reasonably practicable as some of the projects only last a week and some can be up to a year.
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Rank: Forum user
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Obviously fire safety has to be managed - but aren't you just another contractor on site, as such the fire risk assessment is the reponsibility of the duty holder/responsible person for the site/building?
Especially for the shorter term jobs.
SHouldn't you be telling the duty holder etc what you do/provide a method statement etc - highlighting any particular fire risks from your work e.g. hot work.
Likewise the duty holder/site manager etc inducting your staff on site - escape routes, actions to take in case of a fire etc.
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Rank: Forum user
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Sorry J J Proudbody I should have said. Company is the principal contractor completing repair works in mainly domestic properties making us responsible. Should have said that to start with, sorry.
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Rank: Forum user 
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All this Projects should have their own safe systems of work, whether its a week or a year they should have their own Risk assessments, method statements etc. So could you not incorporate the Fire Risk assessment into these, so its imbedded into the SSOW process for site work. I suspect the main issue is resource.
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Rank: Forum user
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I guess most of the properties will have similar fire risks - domestic cooking, heating, personal electrical items (if residents in situ), one means of escape from upstairs, inward opening final exit doors etc. These could be covered by a template assessment and supplemented with an assessment of the risks you bring into the house arising from your work activities.
If it's social housing, I'd ask the landlord for gas safety certs, fixed wiring inspection records at the planning stage (unless this is the type of work you're doing!)
Create a template for covering all of the above and get the site foreman to complete an additional sheet showing risks unique to that building found at the start of the job, include a simple line drawing of layout, exits, assembly point etc.
Then draw up, using another template, a simple fire strategy/evac plan - control of hot works, roll call procedures, who will take charge, address and post code (in case a 999 call needs to be made).
I think KISS would apply here, or it will get too cumbersome (and expensive).
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Rank: Forum user
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...Of course site staff would need some training, but his shouldn't be too difficult - relatively low fire risk, depending on what you're doing.
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