Fire safety isn’t just a policy in a folder that you create once. In a real emergency, you need clear systems and people who know exactly what to do without hesitation. Smoke spreads quickly, alarms can be ignored if staff aren’t confident, and one blocked exit or overloaded socket can turn a minor incident into a major one.
Use the tips below as a straight-talking checklist. If you’re responsible for a workplace, these are the areas that make the biggest difference.
1) Start with a Proper Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) — and Keep It Updated
The first step towards ensuring maximum protection for your people and properties is to undertake a Fire Risk Assessment. Under current legislation, namely the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, all commercial premises and workplaces must undertake an FRA and have it available for inspection. It is crucial to have these FRAs completed by a competent and experienced person, especially for more complex and higher-risk premises. The FRA will focus on areas such as identifying fire hazards and people at risk. These findings must be recorded and can then be used to implement measures to reduce the risk.
A strong FRA should clearly identify:
- Fire hazards (ignition sources, fuel sources, oxygen sources)
- Who is at risk (including visitors and vulnerable people)
- Existing controls (alarms, exits, extinguishers, signage, emergency lighting)
- What needs improving (with actions, responsibilities, and deadlines)
It’s not enough to “have one” — it needs reviewing regularly, especially after changes like new equipment, layout changes, staffing changes, or building works.
Top Tip: If your FRA is out of date, it’s as useful as having no FRA at all.
2) Don’t Rely on “Someone Will Notice” — Get Detection and Alarms Right
Should a fire occur, a fire detection system gives maximum early warning to allow people to escape. It may also provide sufficient warning so that a small incident, for example a smouldering wastepaper basket, may be suppressed. Automatic systems come in the form of heat and/ or smoke detector heads. A manual call point allows persons discovering a fire to activate the fire alarm system, which comprises an alarm sounder and possibly visual indicators for persons with reduced hearing. Smaller premises may also benefit from basic alarm procedures such as a megaphone or hand-operated horn.
Top Tip: The best alarm is the one everyone can hear, recognise, and respond to immediately.
3) Make Your Evacuation Plan Obvious (Not “Somewhere on the Intranet”)
During an incident a common human reaction is to exit a building via the route and door that they entered by. This would be very dangerous if the fire had breached this route.
A practical Emergency Evacuation Plan should cover:
- Primary and secondary exit routes
- Safe assembly points
- Who checks key areas
- How you support people with reduced mobility (PEEPs where required)
- What to do if an exit is blocked
Top Tip: If your evacuation plan only makes sense on paper, it won’t work under pressure.
4) Train All of Your Team to Act Calmly in an Emergency, Not Just Know the Rules
The more prepared people are, the better they will be with their actions in a fire emergency. Regular training must be provided to all employees. This training should include, but not be limited to, Fire behaviour awareness – an understanding of how a fire will spread through a building. Fire Prevention – methods and actions to reduce the risk of a fire starting and spreading.
Additional training should be provided to those nominated to be Fire Marshals. Everyone should understand the fire protection systems in their workplace and how to use firefighting equipment, if applicable. Ultimately, training should impart confidence to all candidates that they will be able to react calmly and effectively in an emergency.
Our training can teach your team confidence, which includes:
- How fire and smoke behave in buildings
- Common causes of workplace fires
- What to do on discovery of fire
- What to do when the alarm sounds
- When to attempt firefighting (and when to evacuate immediately)
Top Tip: Panic comes from uncertainty — training removes the guesswork.
5) Extinguishers and Fire Blankets: Useful Tools… When Used Correctly
Most workplaces have extinguishers, but many people wouldn’t feel confident using one — and using the wrong type can make things worse.
At minimum, staff should understand:
- The main classes of fire
- Why extinguisher type matters
- Basic safe operation and limits
- The priority: **raise the alarm, protect escape routes, and only tackle small fires if it’s safe**
Fire blankets also have a place, particularly in kitchen environments, but again — only if people know how to use them calmly and correctly.
6) Electrical Safety: Small Habits That Prevent Big Fires
A common cause of fires, especially in workplaces, is a disregard for electrical safety. Our training courses will highlight these areas, giving candidates an understanding of how to use electricity safely.
The risks usually come from day-to-day behaviour, such as:
- Overloaded sockets and daisy-chained extension leads
- Damaged plugs, loose cables, and crushed wires
- Heaters used unsafely or too close to combustibles
- Poor housekeeping around electrical equipment
Regular testing and maintenance matter, but so does fire awareness — staff should feel able to report defects without being brushed off.
Top Tip: If a plug, lead, or socket looks “a bit dodgy,” it needs sorting now — not later.
7) Kitchen Fire Safety: When “Quick Jobs” Become Risks
Kitchens are amongst the most hazardous areas when it comes to fire safety. Indeed, many fires occur in kitchens and food preparation areas. Using naked flames for cooking and dips in human concentration can prove to be a lethal combination.
Common causes include:
* Cooking left unattended
* Oil overheating
* Grease build-up and poor cleaning routines
* Appliances left on or used incorrectly
Clear rules, regular checks, and decent cleaning routines massively reduce risk.
Top Tip: Most kitchen fires start with “I’ll just be a second.”
8) Flammable Materials: Store Them Properly, or Don’t Store Them at All
The storage and use of flammable materials can pose a high risk to fire safety. By understanding how to correctly and safely store such materials, the risk can be greatly reduced.
Good practice includes:
- Using approved storage cabinets where required
- Keeping flammables away from ignition sources
- Clear labelling and designated storage areas
- Ventilation where needed
- Spill control and tidy housekeeping
Top Tip: If it burns easily, it shouldn’t be stored “wherever there’s space.”
9) Fire Drills: Practise Like It’s Real — Then Fix What You Learn
It is recommended by government advise to conduct at least one fire drill per year. Fire Drills are extremely useful for solidifying both the Fire Protection systems within a building and the duties of behaviours of employees and visitors.
A drill can reveal:
- Confusion about exits or assembly points
- Poor alarm audibility in certain areas
- Blocked or awkward escape routes
- Problems supporting visitors or vulnerable people
- Gaps in marshal roles or roll-call procedure
Fire drills are an effective way of testing your emergency evacuation plan (see point 2) as well as rectifying and resolving any issues that arise.
Top Tip: A drill is only “successful” if it shows you what needs improving.
10) Help the Fire Service on Arrival: Small Actions, Big Impact
If the fire service attends your site, you can support them by providing clear, calm information. This can reduce delays and improve safety for everyone.
Helpful actions include:
- Directing crews to the best access points
- Providing basic building layouts if available
- Confirming whether everyone is accounted for
- Identifying key hazards (gas shut-offs, electrical rooms, chemicals, plant rooms)
- Pointing out firefighting systems (where applicable)
Top Tip: The clearer your information, the faster crews can work.
The safest workplaces don’t rely on luck. They’ve got a current Fire Risk Assessment, effective detection, clear evacuation routes, and people who know how to respond calmly and correctly. That combination protects life first and reduces the chance of serious damage and disruption.
If you want practical support building staff confidence and competence, Cataldo Training Ltd delivers workplace training in Fire Safety, Being a Fire Marshall and Fire Extinguisher use.
Training is delivered on site for your convenience.