Stay safe as lockdown eases, fire chiefs urge firms

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is urging Renfrewshire business owners to ensure social distancing measures do not impact on fire safety as lockdown restrictions start to ease.

The service is encouraging people who operate public premises to check that buildings and those who work in them or who use them remain protected from fire risk.

For example, measures to keep people safe from the spread of Covid-19 - such as plastic screens to support social distancing - could hamper fire safety measures including sprinklers or smoke detectors.

And while it is important to observe the two metre social distancing rule wherever possible during the coronavirus pandemic, it is vital that people always exit a building as quickly and safely as possible, using all available means of escape in the event of a fire.

Any external queuing systems in place outside of businesses should also be designed to ensure they do not hamper the ability of emergency services to access a building when required to do so quickly.

Holiday rental businesses and those who operate a holiday rental business should also take all available steps to make their premises safe from fire.

Alasdair Perry, the SFRS Deputy Assistant Chief Officer for Prevention and Protection, said: “We know that businesses owners and dutyholders will naturally be both excited and anxious about preparations to reopening for the first time in several weeks’ time.

“During the last few months many of these workplaces will have understandably and correctly taken measures to protect staff from the spread of Covid-19.

“We are therefore urging all dutyholders to consider if these measures, including the installation of plastic screening, could have any impact on their fire detection or fire safety measures.

“It is possible that screening installation, along with any increased loading or materials in the premises, may obstruct automatic fire detection apparatus such as smoke alarms.

“We would also ask businesses to manage any external queuing systems safely to ensure safe access for emergency service vehicles.”