The next step

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Do you really need to hold a fire drill?

The law

The relevant legislation in this case is the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO) which applies in England and Wales. Equivalent national legislation is in place in Scotland and Northern Ireland. The FSO requires that employers provide instruction and training for employees and establish emergency procedures. There’s no specific mention of practice fire evacuation drills but it is included within government guidance. For example, Fire Safety Risk Assessment - Offices and Shops states, “You must provide adequate fire safety training for your staff. The type of training should be based on the particular features of your premises and should be tested by fire drills.” Other sector-specific guidance takes a similar line (see The next step).

The no drills option

Clearly, there will be premises and circumstances where fire drills are truly unnecessary. Fortunately, the FSO allows for this, stating that fire arrangements should have regard to the size of the undertaking and the activities taking place. Before you decide you’re in the unnecessary category, consider the following:

• is your procedure really as obvious as you think? What about those who may have less experience, specifically young people and those with language difficulties?
• are you sure that staff will close doors and windows before leaving, or check that all parts of the building are clear?
• are all fire exits used regularly or might some staff be unfamiliar with their operation?
• do you need to practice shutting off fuel supplies, closing down processes etc. before evacuating?
• what about those who need assistance to leave the premises?
• is it easy to account for everyone present or does this need practicing?

Bear in mind that even if your premises are small and simple, a fire drill still has the advantage of testing the arrangements in “real” circumstances, e.g. can exit doors be easily opened? Are all routes always available? What about others in the premises you’re responsible for, e.g. tenants, visitors etc.?

Trap. Premises where drills aren’t required at all will be few and far between.

Make it worthwhile

In most situations you’ll need to carry out a drill at least annually. Make the best of it by using it as an opportunity to provide training in the fire procedure and to check that it runs smoothly.

Tip 1. Try out different scenarios, such as the absence of key staff or an exit route being obstructed.

Tip 2. Hold a review afterwards to check how quickly everyone assembled, whether doors and windows were closed, whether staff used their nearest exits or if there were any unforeseen problems.

For a link to the official fire safety guidance documents, visit http://healthandsafety.indicator.co.uk(HS 09.21.06).