Fire safety in construction

HSE has published a revised version of publication Fire safety in construction (HSG168), which applies to the UK. It aims to help companies achieve good fire safety management and compliance with The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. A fire on a construction site can potentially put the lives of workers and members of the public at risk, property adjacent to the site may also be damaged. This guidance is about eliminating fire risks during the design phase (where practicable), preventing fires from starting and ensuring people’s safety if they do. It is relevant to all construction processes on construction sites.

This latest (third) edition contains guidance explaining the need to eliminate, and or mitigate fire risks during the design phase of a construction project (where practicable), how to prevent site fires from starting and ensuring people’s safety if they do. The main changes to this guidance relate to elimination, and or, reduction of fire risks at the pre-construction stage as required by the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. A glossary has also been added.

The guidance is aimed at all those involved with construction projects who procure, design, develop and manage construction sites, including clients and designers. Construction projects include those involving demolition, new build, maintenance and refurbishment, and site investigation.

It aims to support those with legal duties under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM), and under fire safety legislation, to embed good fire risk management from design through to project completion.

The full HSG168 guidance can be read here, the following are the contents:

• Part 1 Fire risk assessment
• Part 2 Detailed guidance on fire risk assessment and fire precautions
• Part 3 Legal and enforcement responsibilities
• Appendix 1 Temporary accommodation units
• Appendix 2 Sleeping accommodation
• Appendix 3 Summary of basic precautions for all sites and additional precautions for high-risk sites
• Appendix 4 Who does what?
• Glossary

Following guidance is not compulsory; CDM dutyholders are free to devise alternative methods of achieving safety and legal compliance.

Sources:

Fire safety in construction, HSG168 (Third edition) – HSE, published July 2022

The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (SI 2015 No. 51) – legislation.go.uk