Fire safety in construction: An ever-evolving risk

The ever-changing nature of construction sites poses a unique problem for fire safety. An area free of fire hazards one day may feature several the next, and what was a safe evacuation route at the start of the week could be inaccessible by the end of it. The constantly evolving landscape of construction sites demands that fire risks must be regularly reassessed to ensure the safety of staff and the general public at all times.

Here, we offer a thorough guide to fire safety in construction sites, including vital information from key pieces of current legislation such as the Fire Safety Act 2021.

Who’s responsible for fire safety on construction sites?

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires construction sites to have a ‘responsible person’ take ownership over the fire safety of the premises. Typically, this is the principal contractor who is both qualified and in control of the site. It is the contractor’s responsibility to ensure the site, and all works carried out on it, comply with relevant standards and regulations – namely the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, which are enforced by the Health and Safety Executive, and the aforementioned Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. The regulations apply no matter the size or complexity of the site.

Adapting fire safety to various settings

The responsible person on a construction site should ensure a consistently high standard of fire safety by performing fire risk assessments at regular intervals, especially when there has been any change to the setting or type of work being performed. While they may share similar qualities, no two construction sites are exactly the same, and neither are their fire risks. For example, construction sites in urban areas present a greater threat to the general public if a fire or explosion was to occur. This is because flames can quickly spread through built-up areas into surrounding buildings. As part of the fire risk assessment, the responsible person must:

• Identify any risks
• Identify the people most at risk
• Evaluate and remove or reduce any risks
• Protect people and property from any risks
• Record and plan to tackle any risks 
• Inform and train the team on handling any risks
• Review the risks and plans regularly

For a more detailed look at what’s involved, read our comprehensive guide on fire risk assessments.

Fire risks on construction sites

There are an endless number of fire risks that could be present on construction sites depending on what and where the project is. Regulation 29 of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM) states that:

Suitable and sufficient steps must be taken to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, the risk of injury to a person during the carrying out of construction work arising from – (a) fire or explosion; (b) flooding; or (c) any substance liable to cause asphyxiation.

This requires the principal contractor to set reasonable safety measures to avoid the harm of those working onsite. For example, flammable materials should not be stored near an ignition source, appropriate fire extinguishers must be clearly visible and accessible, and high-risk tasks should be performed by a qualified person. In Regulation 30, the CDM adds that:

Where necessary in the interests of the health or safety of a person on a construction site, suitable and sufficient arrangements for dealing with any foreseeable emergency must be made and, where necessary, implemented, and those arrangements must include procedures for any necessary evacuation of the site or any part of it.

This refers to the fire risk assessment in which the responsible person identifies potential hazards, scores them on a scale of likelihood and severity and takes necessary steps to minimise or nullify the risks. It is crucial that fire risk assessments are frequently revisited for construction sites as the layout, type of work being performed and, ultimately, fire hazards are ever-changing throughout the project. This is especially true of small or fast-paced construction projects, or those that don’t conform to ‘standard’ construction works. For example, escape routes and assembly points (both indicated by suitable signs), types of fire extinguisher (view our guide), and the means of giving warning may change over time as the build progresses. Factors that may contribute to the risk of injury through fire or explosion include:

• Electrical faults: all fixed electrical systems or portable equipment must be tested, inspected and commissioned before use
• Smoking: workers who smoke should have a designated area offsite to reduce the risk of fire
• Lighting: it is often necessary to provide temporary lighting for specific tasks. Where this is applicable, lights and lamps must be allowed to cool and should not be placed in proximity to combustible materials. The same rules apply with regards to testing portable electronic equipment
• Arson: to reduce the risk of malicious activity onsite, access should be strictly controlled and waste should be managed correctly to deter opportunists
• Combustible building components: storage of these materials should not exceed the requirement for that day’s work and must be kept at least six metres away from fuel
• Flammable gases and liquids: fuel may be required for specific construction work and must be kept away from potential ignition sources and clearly marked by the correct fire safety signage

Implementing the Fire Safety Act 2021

Having been proposed in response to the tragedy of Grenfell Tower in 2017, the Fire Safety Act 2021 is now law, and amends and extends the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Architects, designers and construction companies should take note, as its contents could potentially affect the way they work. The Act includes amendments to clarify that the responsible person for multi-occupied, residential buildings must manage and reduce the risk of fire for:

• The structure and external walls of the building, including cladding, balconies and windows
• Entrance doors to individual flats that open into communal areas

The introduction of the Fire Safety Act 2021 aims to prevent an incident like the Grenfell Tower fire ever happening again and lays the groundwork for further responsible person reforms, including:

• Regular lift inspections and reporting to fire and rescue services
• Review of evacuation plans with frequent updates
• Providing fire safety instructions to residents in a reasonable form they can understand

See our post on the Fire Safety Act 2021 to find out more, and visit our resource centre for more information on fire safety in construction.