HSE publishes new guidance on fire safety in construction

Date:

6 October 2010

The Health and Safety Executive has today, Weds 6 October, published revised guidance on "Fire Safety in Construction".

Each year there are thousands of fires on construction sites, potentially putting the lives of workers and members of the public at risk. The new guidance, freely available on HSE's website, is about preventing fires from starting and ensuring people's safety if they do.

Relevant to all construction projects, including small refurbishment sites, the guidance is aimed at all those with a role for developing and managing construction sites, including clients and designers. Much of what is contained in the guidance is not new, but the sections covering multi-storey buildings and high risk building such as timber frame have been strengthened to include lessons learned from recent fires.

The guidance clearly explains how all those involved in construction projects can comply with their legal duties relating to fire risks.

Recently there have been some very large fires affecting sites involving timber frame construction. The guidance contains new and detailed guidance on the fire risks and precautions which should be considered from the earliest stages of such a project. The guidance asks that clients and designers consider carefully the specific site, location and development and the fire risks it poses to those on site and neighbouring properties and ensure those risks are minimised.

Fire safety should be a key consideration on all construction sites, irrespective of size or the duration of the project. The combination of high-risk activities, such as hot work, with circumstances where fires can spread quickly and means of escape maybe difficult, can make them deadly.

Philip White, HSE Chief Inspector of Construction, said:

"At worst, fires can and do kill. They can also badly injure and cause serious human suffering and financial loss. Preventing them must be a priority on any building project.

"We have updated the guidance to take account of changes in the law and recent fires on construction sites. It includes new information on higher risk building such as timber frame and multi storey construction and outlines the extra precautions which need to be taken with these.

"Our inspectors would prefer to offer advice but if lives and livelihoods are at risk they will not hesitate to take enforcement action."

Copies of 'Fire Safety in Construction' are freely available for download from HSE's Website - http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg168.htm

Notes to editors

1. Interviews with Philip White are available on request
2. There are several thousand construction fires each year, in 2009/10, 15 fires resulted in the site being shut for more than 24 hours.
3. Relevant fire legislation
   • Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007
   • Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO) in England and Wales
   • Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 (FSA) and Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006
   • The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR).
4. The Health and Safety Executive is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice; promoting training; new or revised regulations and codes of practice; and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. www.hse.gov.uk
5. Further information on construction safety: http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/

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