C3 - Workplace fire risk assessment

Question 1

Powers of inspectors under RRFSO

Answer 1

• Enter and inspect any premises he believes necessary
• Make all necessary enquiries in order to identify the responsible persons
• Request any records or plans required for examination or inspection and take copies
• Require premises to give him facilities and assistance as required
• Take samples
• Dismantle and test anything likely to cause danger

Question 2

RRFSO enforcement actions that can be taken

Answer 2

• Alterations notice - prevents alterations without prior notice
• Enforcement notice - require improvements with a minimum of 28 days before compliance required
• Prohibition notice - prevent or restrictions on a place until works done to rectify
• Can prosecute summarily or indictable

Question 3

RRFSO shared responsibility

Answer 3

Fire authority = majority of workplaces and premises

HSE = nuclear, shops under construction or repair and construction sites

Local authority- sports grounds

Question 4

RRFSO requires employers to

Answer 4

• Carry out fire risk assessment
• Take steps to remove or reduce identified risks
• Meet requirements of means of escape, fire fighting equipment
• Take measures to mitigate the spread of fire

Question 5

Who is the responsible person under RRFSO

Answer 5

Person who is in control of the premises

Question 6

Principles of prevention

Answer 6

• Avoid risk
• Evaluate risks which cannot be avoided
• Combat risk at source
• Adapt to technical progress
• Replace with less dangerous
• Develop a coherent prevention policy
• Give collective protective measures priority over individual
• Give appropriate instruction to employees

Question 7

Duties of the responsible person

Answer 7

• Carry our RA
• Take general fire precautions
• Appoint one or more competent persons
• Implement appropriate arrangements
• Apply principles of prevention in measures
• Provide employees with information
• Provide the employer of any other persons working on premises with information
• Ensure premises, facilities and equipment in relation to fire safety are maintained
• Eliminate, reduce dangerous substances
• Ensure appropriate fire detection, alarm raising and fire fighting
• Ensure emergency routes are provided, safe, effective and maintained
• Employees trainee
• Ensure appropriate procedures in place for serious or imminent danger

Question 8

Five steps to Fire RA

Answer 8

• identify fire hazards (fire triangle)
• Identify people at risk
• Evaluate (remove, reduce and protect from risk)
• Record, plan, inform, instruct and train
• Review

Question 9

Classification of fire

Answer 9

Class A = Fire mostly involving organic matter (wood, paper)
Class B = Flammable liquids or liquified solids (fats, wax, petrol, oils paints)
Class C = Fires involving gases (butane)
Class D = Fires involving metals (magnesium, ally)
Class F = Fires involving commercial deep fat/ oil

Question 10

Extinguisher for class fire

Answer 10

Class A = Water, Foam, Dry powder.
Class B = Dry powder, Specialist foam, Co2
Class C = Dry powder for liquified residues
Class D = Specialist powders
Class F = Wet chemical or fire blanket

Question 11

Extinguisher colours

Answer 11

Red = Water
Cream = Foam
Blue = Dry powder 
Black = Co2
Yellow = Wet chemical

Question 12

Well designed staircase should consist of

Answer 12

• Sited on an outer wall, good lighting and ventilation
• Discharge into open air or protected lobby
• Fully enclosed with minimum fire resistive materials
• Sufficient width for escaping staff
• Handrails (wide stairs x2)
• no more than 16 or less than 3 steps without a landing
• pitch compliant with building regs
• no more than 36 steps and landing without a turn
• Clear headroom, no protection below 2m
• No combustible or class A linings
• Non slip surfaces

Question 13

Type of automatic fire detector

Answer 13

Heat = electrical thermocouple, can be fixed temp or rate of rise

Smoke = optical (light beam) or ironising (radioactive)