What Is A Fire Safety Log Book?

Although it might seem obvious what a fire safety log book is, the specifics about exactly what it does is less known. This blog will explain exactly what a fire safety log book is and what it does.

First and foremost, a fire safety log is a record that stays on-site that will assist and allow you to follow all of your legal fire safety obligations. It should be filled in following any fire safety work, such as inspections or tests. You should keep the book as up-to-date as possible with checks on things like fire exit signs, emergency lighting, fire alarms and fire escapes. The Regulatory Reform Order 2005 states that it needs to be ready at any given moment for a fire officer to look at during an inspection of your establishment. It should also be ready for anyone else who wishes to view it, like engineers doing work on your premises.

Escape Routes

Escape routes in your establishment should never have anything obstructing them and their functions should be up to scratch. Inspections of escape routes will cover points such as these areas being free of obstruction, the doors on these routes being easy to open, and their self-closing counterparts working properly too.

Fire Alarms

You should ensure that fire alarms and everything to do with fire safety on your premises has someone available who is qualified and trained to maintain or fix any issues in these systems to keep them functioning well. All of this of course needs to be recorded in the log. As well as this, you should also regularly test the alarms to ensure that they are in working order. Fire alarms should be tested weekly, including any linked with electronic door mechanisms, but ensure you switch up the call point so all areas of your establishment will be tested. 

Fire alarms should also be inspected every few months, the exact timings should be based on your risk assessment. Again, always make sure the person doing this is fully qualified. Also, make sure that every false alarm is also recorded in the fire safety log, this is not only important for your records but also to help stop more in the future.

Fire Equipment

Fire equipment found on your premises, such as fire extinguishers and blankets should be regularly checked by you to ensure they are working properly and positioned in the right place. Please note that extinguishers will also need a yearly inspection by a qualified professional.

Emergency Lighting

These types of checks are more important than you might think; if the lights go down, your building will need them to ensure everyone’s safety, before you even think of being able to work. Emergency lighting checks should be carried out monthly by yourself to ensure that they work, and then yearly a qualified professional will be required to do a discharge test.

Fire Doors

Fire doors should be checked no less than every 6 months.

Drills and Training

You should ensure that drills are carried out regularly, so all staff know what to do in the event of a fire. Similarly, every member of staff should be trained on fire safety, from what to do in a fire, to how to avoid fires and what fire safety procedures your company has in place.

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