HSE update to construction fire safety

Last week, the Health and Safety Executive announced that it had published a revised guidance on “Fire Safety in Construction” due to the increasing fire risk to workers and members of the public on construction sites.

It is hoped that the new guidance is able to prevent fires in the first place as well as offering safety advice on what to do in the event of a fire.

HSE Chief Inspector of Construction, Philip White, 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.”

Fire safety training is a must for construction workers and anyone associated with this industry. There are now courses specifically designed for those who work on construction sites.