Key Stages - Step 4

Record, Plan, Inform, Instruct and Train

Record the significant findings and action taken

Significant findings should include details of:

• The fire hazards you have identified
• The actions you have taken or will take to remove or reduce the chance of a fire occurring
• Persons who may be at risk, particularly those at greatest risk.
• The actions you have taken or will take to reduce the risk to people from the spread of fire and smoke
• The actions people need to take in case of fire (your emergency plan).
• The information, instruction and training you have identified that people need and how it will be given.

In some very small premises, record keeping may be no more than a few sheets of paper, containing details of significant findings, any action taken and a copy of the emergency plan.

In more complex premises, it is best to keep a dedicated record including details of significant findings, any action taken, a copy of the emergency plan, maintenance of fire-protection equipment and training. There is no one 'correct' format.

You must be able to satisfy the enforcing authority, if called upon to do so, that you have carried out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment. Keeping records will help you do this and will also form the basis of your subsequent reviews.

It can be helpful to include a simple line drawing to illustrate your fire precautions. This can also help you check your precautions as part of your ongoing review.

Emergency Plan

You need to have an emergency plan for dealing with any fire situation. Your emergency plan should be based on the outcome of your fire risk assessment and be available for your employees, their representatives (where appointed) and the enforcing authority.

In small premises the emergency plan may be no more than a fire action notice. In multi-occupied, larger and more complex premises, the emergency plan will need to be more detailed and compiled only after consultation with other occupiers and other responsible people.

Inform, instruct, co-operate and co-ordinate

You must give clear and relevant information and instructions to your staff and the employers of other people working in your premises, about how to prevent fires and what they should do if there is a fire.

You must also co-operate and co-ordinate with other responsible people who use any part of the premises.

Information and instruction

All staff should be given information and instruction as soon as possible after they are appointed and regularly after that. The information and instructions you give should take account of those with disabilities such as hearing or sight impairment, those with learning difficulties and those who do not use English as their first language.

The information and instruction you give must include:

• the significant findings from your fire risk assessment
• the measures that you have put in place to reduce the risk
• what staff should do if there is a fire
• the identity of people you have nominated with responsibilities for fire safety
• any special arrangements for serious and imminent danger to persons from fire.

Co-operation and co-ordination

In buildings where there is more than one occupier, and others are responsible for different parts of the building, it is important that you liaise with them and inform them of any significant risks that you have identified.

By liaising you can ensure that a co-ordinated emergency plan operates effectively. Employees also have a responsibility to co-operate with their employer so far as it is necessary to help the employer comply with any legal duty.

Fire safety training

You must provide adequate fire safety training for your staff. The type of training should:

• take account of the findings of the fire risk assessment
• explain your emergency procedures
• take account of the work activity and explain the duties and responsibilities of staff
• take place during normal working hours and be repeated periodically where appropriate
• be easily understandable by your staff and other people who may be present
• be tested by fire drills

Your staff training should include the following:

• what to do on discovering a fire
• how to raise the alarm and what happens then
• what to do upon hearing the fire alarm
• the evacuation procedures for everyone in your premises to reach an assembly point at a place of total safety
• the location and, when appropriate, the use of fire fighting equipment
• the location of escape routes, especially those not in regular use
• the importance of keeping fire doors closed to prevent the spread of fire, heat and smoke
• the importance of general fire safety, which includes good housekeeping