Social Distancing and Fire Safety

With employees returning to work and having to ensure they social distance, there are a number of recommendations being put forward, from:

• keeping desks 2 meters apart
• making sure employees sit side by side, rather than facing each other
• implementing one way systems

When implementing these measures, you do also need to consider if any changes are compromising your Fire safety arrangements. 

One way systems

Keeping people walking in the same direction so they don’t pass each other, is a great way to help keep their distance from one another. If you do put this in place, you do need to make sure you update your Evacuation Plans and Fire safety policies. This will make sure that employees are aware, how you would like them to make their escape, in the event of a fire. Would the one way system still allow for employees to find the nearest fire exit, or if the alarm sounds, do they need to ignore the one way system? Having a fire drill once you’ve established the correct procedure, will help to enforce the policy and ensure that employees are familiar with the new systems.

Moving the furniture

Another area, that again will help maintain the social distancing that we need to achieve, is to move desks apart. Once these have been put in place, you need to check that the escape routes, are still passable. If it also means that employees need to take a different route, to their nearest exit, just check is it still within the correct travel distance, or will it mean they have to travel too far to get out safely? https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Travel_distance

Let us help

These are very challenging times for everyone. We all have to learn to behave differently. Many aspects of our lives are changing, from the food shopping, to how we interact with friends and family. Our social lives are completely different. On the plus side, many of us are joining in so many quizzes, we will all be much better informed!?!

Should you be concerned about any part of your return to work policies, please do give us a call and we will be happy to help. Or go to our questions page and bob us a query https://fireriskassessments.com/qa-help-and-advice/