Waste management fire safety

Waste management sites pose significant fire risk, owing partially to the melting pot of different combustive materials in one location. This piece will outline who is responsible for fire safety, highlight the fire risks posed by improper waste management, and discuss how a waste management fire should be tackled, should one break out.

Safety hazards from poor waste management

Safety hazards from poor waste management may include health risks, air and water pollution, and chemical exposure. Improperly disposed of waste can also create fire hazards, particularly when combustible materials such as plastics or paper are mixed in with other waste. As with any fire, there’s risk of health damage, serious injury, and even death from high thermal energy and smoke inhalation. 

However, owing to large amounts of diverse waste materials, fires at waste management sites pose additional risks. Combustion products, even those from non-toxic materials, release airborne pollutants which can cause short and long-term effects on human health, including (potentially) public health. Furthermore, firewater run-off can transport pollutants into drainage systems, rivers and lakes, groundwater and soil, threatening water supplies, public health, wildlife and recreational use.

Who is responsible for fire safety at waste management sites?

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRFSO) defines the responsible person for fire safety in any workplace as the employer (should the workplace be under their control). Where the premises is not a workplace, the responsible person is the occupier or owner of the premises.

What is the regulating body for waste management fire safety?

There are multiple regulators for waste management fire safety, meaning various regulatory audiences must be considered and adhered to. These include (but are not limited to):

• The Waste Industry Safety and Health (WISH) forum
• The Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
• The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRFSO) 
• The local Fire and Rescue Authority (FRA)
• Local Acts of Parliament

However, owing to the diverging waste types and circumstances at different waste management sites, other regulators covering specific risks and legislation may apply, such as Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations (DSEAR).

Reducing fire risk at waste management sites

Reducing fire risk at waste management sites is critical to protecting public health and the environment. 

Carry out a fire risk assessment

It’s the role of the responsible person to carry out a fire risk assessment, or assign a competent person to carry out the task. The RRFSO also requires the responsible person to appoint one or more (depending on the size of the premises) ‘competent persons’ to assist in undertaking preventative and protective measures. Chiefly, the fire risk assessment should identify fire risks and those who are at risk, before setting out measures to reduce the likelihood or impact of each risk. At waste management sites, some common risk-reducing measurements may include:

1. Separating waste materials between hazardous and non-hazardous to minimise the risk of chemical reactions or ignition.

2. Controlling temperature and humidity to reduce the risk of spontaneous combustion.

3. Properly storing flammable materials such as gasoline, oils, and propane in appropriate containers and away from ignition sources.

Install fire protection measures

Once the presence of risk has been concluded (and removed as far as is possible), it’s crucial that steps are taken to reduce any remaining risk, with precautions put in place. This means installing early warning systems such as smoke detectors and fire alarms. A managed evacuation plan is of utmost importance – it’s a responsible person’s legal duty in order to adhere to fire safety. 

The UK government’s fire safety guidelines recommend that fire drills be performed at least once a year and preferably once per quarter, at varying times of day. Fire assembly points and fire safety signage should be kept up to date, with any changes to fire escape routes clearly communicated to all. Finally, fire doors should be operational at all times and never propped open.

Recycling and waste management fire suppression

When a fire breaks out at a waste management or recycling facility, it can be particularly challenging to extinguish due to the various materials involved. Effective fire suppression is essential to preventing fires from spreading and causing significant damage to property and harm to people.

Water supply

According to section 2.8 of WISH WASTE 28: Reducing fire risk at waste management sites, “the majority of larger waste fires are likely to be fought with water”, with “volumes as high as 10,000 litres per minute for several hours or more” recorded for some very large waste fires. Therefore, recycling and waste management facilities must have adequate water supply on-site for fire suppression. Unfortunately, there’s no ‘standard’ answer for how much water is required and this must be determined for each individual waste management facility during the risk assessment. It is important to ensure that these water systems are regularly tested and maintained to ensure they’re in working order when needed.

Fire suppression systems

While fire extinguishers will be required at certain points throughout a waste management facility, larger-scale fire suppression systems must also be in place to quickly extinguish fires. Depending on the specific waste management applications and classes of fire at risk of breaking out, these may include automatic sprinkler systems, foam suppression systems, or dry chemical extinguishing agents. An in-depth guide to these fire suppression systems can be found in appendix 4 of WISH WASTE 28: Reducing fire risk at waste management sites.

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