Fire safety is an important responsibility for businesses and organisations across Ireland. Whether you operate an office, hotel, restaurant, retail premises, school, warehouse or another type of commercial building, protecting the people who use the premises should remain a priority.
Under Ireland’s Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003, responsibilities apply to persons having control over premises. This can include an owner, occupier, lessee or person hiring a premises, depending on the circumstances.
Fire Detection and Alarm Systems
Early detection and warning can give people valuable time to leave a building safely.
Workplaces should have appropriate arrangements for detecting fire and providing a warning. The type of system required can depend on factors such as the size, layout and use of the premises and the findings of the fire-safety risk assessment.
Fire detection and alarm equipment should also be regularly checked and maintained so that it remains in effective working order.
Emergency Lighting and Escape Routes
A fire alarm is only one part of fire safety.
Businesses also need to consider how people will safely leave the premises during an emergency.
Escape routes should be clearly identified and kept unobstructed. Where emergency routes and exits require illumination, emergency lighting should provide adequate light if the normal lighting fails.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Fire safety is not simply about installing equipment. Fire detection and alarms, emergency lighting, escape routes, fire-fighting equipment, emergency procedures, staff information and ongoing maintenance all form part of effective fire-safety management.
Regular Testing, Servicing and Maintenance
Fire-safety systems should not be installed and then forgotten.
Fire-safety measures and equipment should be maintained in effective working order. This can include fire detection and alarm systems, fire-fighting equipment, emergency lighting, fire doors, corridors and staircases.
Regular checks, periodic servicing and maintenance can help identify faults and ensure important safety systems remain ready when needed.
Fire Risk Assessment and Emergency Planning
Businesses should consider fire risks as part of their overall workplace safety arrangements.
Employers are required to identify hazards, assess risks and record their risk assessment in their Safety Statement. Fire-safety planning should consider prevention, detection and warning, emergency escape and fire fighting.
Emergency procedures should also be established so that employees and other people on the premises know what to do if a fire occurs.
Fire Safety Is an Ongoing Responsibility
Fire safety should be treated as an ongoing responsibility rather than a one-time exercise.
Changes to a building, its use, occupancy, layout, equipment or operations may affect its fire-safety requirements. Businesses should therefore keep their arrangements under review and obtain appropriate professional advice where required.
Official Information & Verification
The information in this article is provided for general information and does not replace professional, legal, regulatory or fire-safety advice. Requirements may vary depending on the building, its use and individual circumstances.
For the latest official information and guidance, please refer to the relevant Irish Government, local Fire Authority and Health and Safety Authority information.
