Lockdown measures have been eased and many people have now returned to the office permanently, flexibly, or will soon be returning. It’s been a crazy two years and there have been lots of changes to businesses and their premises. Office layouts may have changed for hot desking or social distancing for example. While health, safety and hygiene may have been at the forefront of your mind – have you considered your fire safety?
The business premises may have been empty for some time. The layout may have changed, or you may have moved to a new office. These are all things that could change the fire safety regulations in the business.
In this blog post we look at just some of the fire safety procedures for returning to the office that you need to consider.
- Postponed Fire Safety Maintenance
Do you have regular fire safety checks within your business? When was the last one? Did you have to postpone it due to lack of staff in the office? Maybe it was missed when the lockdown came in? If you have missed a scheduled fire safety or fire maintenance check then it is essential that you get one booked in. Call our commercial fire safety team now. We can arrange a time that suits you to complete your fire safety and maintenance checks.
- Unoccupied Buildings
Were your buildings or business premises left unoccupied for a length of time? During this time your fire safety equipment may have become faulty, been switched off or unplugged. It is important that you check all fire doors are closed and secure and that all fire safety systems are plugged in, switched on and in good working order. It’s important to check that your fire equipment is also in good working order, or it could pose a potential fire risk.
- Fire Risk Assessment
If you have moved offices or the layout of your business has changed, your fire risk assessment may no longer be valid. It may have elapsed in the time the office was not in use, or the changes to the building could mean the fire assessment is now invalid. Have a think about any changes that you have made. Perhaps you have moved operations within your business? Have you put social distancing measures in place that now obstruct fire exits? Maybe staff, offices and desks have moved for social distancing purposes? These are all things that could affect the validity of your fire risk assessment.
Concerned about fire safety procedures for returning to the office? Call our team now to find out more.
