FIRE chiefs in Warwickshire are urging businesses to ensure fire safety remains a priority in the ongoing covid-19 crisis.
Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service is making the call to local businesses as part of this week’s Business Safety Week.
WFRS is reminding companies of the legal and moral responsibility to ensure premises are safe from fire and ensure they review fire risk assessments.
They should also consider the potential risks covid secure measures – which are required to open some premises – may, in some cases, compromise fire safety measures.
Examples include: screens potentially obstructing smoke detection, the need for enough trained staff on premises to support evacuation procedures and to ensure social distancing measures do not impact those procedures or impede support from emergency services.
WFRS spokesman Roland Bayley said: “The pandemic has been a very difficult and challenging time for so many people and businesses. We want to make sure that businesses remain fire safe with the changes they have had to make to premises due to covid-19.
“Fire can have a devastating impact on business with many never recovering after an incident. We are here to support businesses if they need advice and guidance and we are asking all businesses in Warwickshire to review their fire risk assessments and help us to keep their business working safely.”
Warwickshire County Council fire and rescue spokesman, Coun Andy Crump added: “Many businesses have had to respond quickly to the pandemic once they were allowed to reopen. We appreciate that having to reopen so quickly may have meant that fire safety was not at the forefront of planning, so as part of Business Fire Safety Week we would like to urge all businesses in Warwickshire to revisit their fire risk assessments and ensure that their premises are fire safe.”
WFRS will be sharing a variety business safety tips across social media throughout the week using #BusinessSafety2020.
