Fire Risk Assessments in Construction
The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM) obliges duty holders to consider fire safety during a construction project. Appendix 4 of the guidance to the regulation explains how CDM duty holders should manage fire risks. HSG168 Fire safety in construction provides additional useful guidance on how to manage fire risk.
The process for a fire risk assessment for a construction site follows the same principle used for conducting any fire risk assessment.
Hazards need to be approached differently because of the temporary arrangements that might be in place on a construction site. Simple examples like temporary lighting may be needed (Festoon lighting), which will introduce hazards that would not be present in a permanent structure. The emergency plan will need continual updating as the project develops, and regulations such as The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR) presents hazards that will require consideration from site work, for example, flammable liquids and gases, gases under pressure, organic dusts, and corrosive substances.
