Risk Assessment: Fire Risk Assessment

The fire legislation is relatively new (October 2006) and there is still a debate in the industry as to how this applies. The principles of risk assessment generally still apply as they have been outlined above, however, a fire risk assessment is a very specific legal requirement. Every venue must do a fire risk assessment. They must make the findings available to an event organiser. For practical purposes, especially in large venues this may be the section which applies particularly to the halls. The organiser must then do their fire risk assessment. The key question to be asked here is ‘to what extent does my show alter the dynamics of the fire risk in the hall?’

Typical aspects which would increase the fire risk would be:

Naked flame on stands (candles or gel burners)
Use of compressed or flammable gases on stands
Use of pyrotechnics, lasers and other stage effects
Cookery demonstrations
Exhibition of motor vehicles
Likelihood of illegal smoking in outfield areas or in built storage areas on stands
High levels of packaging waste
High numbers of complex structures.
Hot works during stand construction
Dressing of stock or Octonorm panels with untreated (non flame retardant) materials.

Exhibitors will also need to complete a fire risk assessment. To keep it simple it is suggested that they fill in some form of return which either indicates that there is no risk, or acknowledges it, and includes it as part of the stand risk assessment (see below).

Any stand which is a complex structure or space only stand which large numbers of people could gather will need a fire risk assessment simply because of the escape issue.

The Government has issued a set of guidance books for various industries. The principal guidance which applies to the Events Industry is Fire Safety Risk Assessment – Large Places of Assembly. It is written especially for venues for gatherings of over 300 persons. Other guidance in the series includes Small and Medium Places of Assembly for small gatherings up to 60 or medium gatherings up to 300, and Theatres Cinemas and Similar Premises.

A suggested fire risk assessment template can be found under Risk Assessment: Templates.

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