Fire Risk Assessment

St Mary's Church

This fire risk assessment is considered to be suitable and sufficient to meet the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

For St Mary’s Church, day to day responsibility for all aspects of fire safety will be held by the Buildings Facilities and Finance Team, with ultimate responsibility being with the Parochial Church Council.

The Buildings Facilities and Finance Team is responsible for any subsequent changes to the premises, subsequent faults in equipment, or deterioration in the premises and testing requirements and the responsibility for the ongoing management of the premises.

All sections should be strictly adhered to in order for this document to remain valid.

The Buildings Facilities and Finance Team shall ensure that this risk assessment is constantly maintained, reviewed at least annually and amended as necessary.

Document History and Review Record

The document shall be reviewed at least annually and the details recorded below

Introduction

Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

The Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order came into force in October 2006. It firmly places the responsibility on the ‘Responsible Person’ and outlines all the measures that must be taken to ensure the safety of all people you are directly or indirectly responsible for.

The above order amends or replaces 118 pieces of legislation, the most significant being the repeal of the Fire Precautions Act 1971 (Fire Certificates), and the revocation of the Fire Precautions (workplace) Regulations 1997.

What is required?

Under The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and The Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, anyone who has control of premises or who has a degree of control over certain areas or systems may be designated a ‘responsible person’ (eg. an employer, a managing agent, an owner, an occupier or any other person who has some control over all or part of relevant premises).

This responsibility will be held by the Buildings Facilities and Finance Team, with the Chairperson acting as signatory when required, and it will:

• Maintain the Fire Risk Assessment, identifying the risks and hazards.

• Maintain the Fire Log book.

• Have in place a Fire Safety Strategy.

• Report on who is considered to be especially at risk.

• Put in place plans and actions to eliminate or reduce the risk from fire as far as is reasonably practical, and provide general fire precautions to deal with any residual risk.

• Take additional measures to ensure fire safety where flammable or explosive materials are used or stored.

• Review the Fire Risk Assessment at least annually.

Buildings Facilities and Finance Team

The list of team members is held by the management team of St Mary’s Church.

Building Construction & Use

The church is a stone-built Grade 1 listed building dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries with later additions and alterations.  It is used regularly for church services, baptisms, weddings, funerals and concerts.

Fire Strategy

Adequate exit routes in the event of an emergency are provided.

Alternative means of escape is available from all areas of the building with the exception of the rooms in the tower above ground level.

Sufficient fire-fighting equipment is in place.

Combustibles and ignition sources are kept to a minimum in all areas.

A Fire Safety Strategy is in place.

Regular fire safety checks are undertaken.

Identification of Fire Hazards for St Mary's Church

Identification of Persons at Risk for St Mary's Community Church

1.0         Management of Fire Safety

1.1         As previously stated, the Buildings Facilities and Finance Team is accountable for the safety of everyone who uses the building. Such accountability includes the requirements to communicate, inform, control, train and provide documentary evidence of compliance to the Church’s own procedures, and, where necessary, to any enforcing authority.

1.2        The Buildings Facilities and Finance Team’s ability to instruct, train and develop will determine the success or otherwise of good fire safety management. Volunteers/staff will be encouraged to contribute to the creation of a safe environment.

1.3        The Buildings Facilities and Finance Team will undertake its responsibilities diligently and regularly carry out fire safety inspections of the property. Adequate procedures will be adopted to ensure that any vulnerable persons or those with mobility issues are aware of the evacuation procedures. If any additional requirements are needed these will be recorded and implemented.

 1.4        All volunteers/staff will be made aware of their fire safety duties.

 1.5        Fire Safety will be a regular item on Buildings Facilities and Finance Team meetings.

2.0         Electrical Ignition Risks

2.1         All portable electrical appliances will be maintained in a safe condition. If any piece of electrical equipment fails a Portable Appliance Test, the item shall be repaired or replaced with new.

2.2        Regular examinations shall be carried out to ensure there is no damage to any electrical equipment and cables.  Should any problems be found, a competent electrical engineer shall attend to resolve the problem.

3.0         Other Ignition risks

3.1        Waste Management

Internal waste storage will be removed from the premises regularly. Externally, the bins are positioned away from the building.

3.2        Smoking Policy

There is a no smoking policy inside the premises, including e cigarettes.

3.3         Furniture and furnishings

It is recognized that cushions and kneelers do not conform with current fire regulations but are seen as a low risk.

3.4        Naked Flames

Naked flames are used during many services in the form of candles.  It is the responsibility of the Churchwardens and serving teams to ensure candles are extinguished at the end of services.

3.5        Gas Safety

There will be an annual safety check on all gas appliances.

4.0        Risks of Arson

4.1        Management regularly inspects the building, and ensures that all risks and targets are kept to a minimum.

5.0        Fire Safety Training

5.1        Existing and newly appointed volunteers/staff will be advised of fire safety for the building. They are to be made aware of the premises and all escape routes and given a basic understanding of fire-fighting equipment. However, volunteers/staff should only be expected to tackle a fire with an extinguisher if they are trained or feel competent.

5.2        Fire Safety Checks – The Buildings Facilities and Finance Team will ensure that appropriate training is provided to individuals who undertake these regular checks.

6.0        Documentation

6.1        Fire safety records of all documents are to be kept up to date and available for inspection by the Fire Authority. These include regular checks of the fire-fighting equipment and that escape routes from the building are kept clear.

7.0        Doors and Means of escape

7.1        Doorways and the means of escape, including aisles, will be kept clear at all times.

7.2       Alternative means of escape is available from all areas for those who are able bodied, apart from the tower. For wheel chair users the only means of escape is via the main front door.  

8.0        Signs and Notices

8.1        There are no exit signs visible from the main area of the church.  The only sign for an emergency exit is above the external door in the vestry.  As church services always have Churchwardens and/or Stewards on duty, it is felt that further signage within the main body of the church would not improve fire safety to any significant extent.

9.0        Lighting

9.1        General lighting of the church is good with the exception of the tower where it is poorly lit.  A project to improve the lighting in the tower and to install emergency lighting on the stairwell is due to be completed in late 2022.

11.0        Fire Fighting Equipment

11.1        There is sufficient fire-fighting equipment provided throughout the premises. It is checked twice annually by a specialist company.  

12.0        Fire Appliance Access

12.1        Access for fire appliances is satisfactory.

13.0        Water Supplies

13.1        Water supplies are sufficient for the premises. Fire hydrants are provided within 90m of entry point to the building and not more than 90m apart, along Selby Road and also Colton Road.

14.0        Fire Assembly Point

14.1        The fire assembly point is the Community Centre car park and grassed area.

15.0        Occupancy Figures

15.1        The usual practice for calculating this figure is to base it on a 2.5 minute evacuation    time, taking into account the number of exits available, but excluding one of them.  Using this method would give a capacity of 300.  However, from experience, once attendance goes above 200 people it can start to get uncomfortably overcrowded.  It will be down to those on duty such as Churchwardens or Stewards to manage the situation safely.  Where it is foreknown that a service such as a wedding or funeral will attract an unusually large congregation, live streaming of the service will be provided.

16.0    Review of the Fire Risk Assessment

Constant awareness of how the building is being used is needed in order to assess the validity of this fire risk assessment, and how effectively the risk is being controlled.

If there is any reason to suspect that the fire risk assessment is no longer valid, or there has been significant changes to the premises that have affected the fire precautions, a review will be needed and the document amended as required.

Reasons for a review:

• Changes to the type of activities being undertaken in the building

• Introduction of new equipment

• Alterations to the building, including the internal layout

• The failure of fire precautions procedures

• Problems reported by volunteers/staff

• Significant increase in the number of people in attendance

• The presence of people with mobility issues

The potential risk of any significant change will be considered before it is introduced.

16.0        Action Plan