Factories carry different types of fire risks to those of offices and shops. Therefore a generic checklist will not be sufficient.
Identify Your Ignition Sources
Machinery, electrical panels, moving parts and friction can generate heat. You need to identify every piece of equipment on the factory floor and write down if it can cause a fire. Also check if it is in good working order and that it is not surrounded by flammable items.
Store Flammable Materials Properly
Flammable liquids, solvents and combustible dusts must be stored in dedicated, well-ventilated areas, away from any potential fire ignition sources. Only the amount of stock needed for the following day’s work should be stored on the factory floor. The remainder should be returned to a dedicated storage area.
Plan Escape Routes for Large Floor Areas
Mark out clear routes for people to take when they are trying to leave a factory and check the way out through every exit door that doesn’t require a key to open them. Keep exit routes empty of stock and pallets at all times.
Account for Shift and Lone Workers
Night-shift or lone workers need a clear emergency plan to be put in place that does not rely on the daytime managers for the Fire Risk Assessment to be effective.
Update Records After Process Changes
Introducing new equipment, re-organising parts of your factory or switching to using different materials are just a few examples of how your fire risk assessment can become out of date quickly.
A useful reference for Fire Risk Assessment Milton Keynes is //isefireproducts.co.uk/fire-risk-assessments/milton-keynes/.
It takes more than good intentions to get the details right in a factory. A structured, site-specific assessment is needed.
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