FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT – FARADAY BUILDING
AUGUST 2013
INTRODUCTION.
Faraday Building is located on the Crescent in Salford. The building is of brick and
concrete construction and has six floors. The building is used for office space and seminar
rooms.
METHODOLOGY.
The fire risk assessment was undertaken using the framework outlined in the British
Standard PAS 79:2007. The process involved a visual inspection of all accessible areas
on a floor by floor basis to determine:
1. Potential sources of ignition.
2. Combustible materials.
3. Means of detection.
4. Means of escape.
5. Emergency lighting.
6. Means of fighting fire.
7. Fire safety signage.
8. Procedures and training.
9. Structural features.
10. Hazardous areas.
11. Significant hazards requiring further controls.
12. Risk level.
FINDINGS.
1. Potential sources of ignition.
The potential sources of ignition identified in the building are:
 Electrical appliances, including computer equipment – in offices.
 Vending machines in main foyer.
 Arson, the building has open access for students/visitors to most areas.
 Contractors tools in foyer and on 4th floor.
2. Combustible materials.
These are primarily:
 Paper files in offices.
 Waste paper bins and recycling bins in offices.
 Waste paper and cardboard on corridors and stairs.
3. Means of detection.
The building has automatic detection in the form of smoke (or heat in kitchen areas)
sensors as well as manually operated call points in accordance with BS5839 part 1,
L4/L5M. These points are numerous and situated in convenient locations.
4. Means of escape.
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FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT – FARADAY BUILDING
AUGUST 2013
The building has a simple layout with the upper floors being a corridor served by an
accommodation stairwell to one end and an emergency stairwell to the other.
Alterations on the fourth floor have divided the corridor in two creating an open plan office
to the car park end of the building (see plans). This has created a situation where if the
door to the office was locked there would be no protected escape route from the fourth
floor. Therefore this door must be kept unlocked at all times whilst there are people in the
building.
The buildings two main stairwells are situated at either end of the building. There is a
further stairwell that serves the first floor situated to the east side of the building. These
stairs have ample capacity for the numbers of people who will be using the building (see
table 1 below).
The following capacities have been calculated using table 7 in ‘Approved Document B’.
Table 1.
Stairwell
Main accommodation.
Main rear.
First floor only.
Width
1100 serving 4 floors.
1100 serving 4 floors.
1100 serving 1 floors.
Capacity
340
340
220
Disabled visitors have access to all floors via the lifts from reception. Once on a floor there
are no changes in level. There are specified refuge points on each floor on the rear
stairwell.
5. Emergency Lighting.
The building is fitted with adequate escape lighting which is designed to enable safe exit in
the event of a power failure.
6. Means of fighting fire.
Extinguishers are provided by most call points and in areas of specific risk such as
kitchens. These are in pairs of one water and one carbon dioxide unless the risk dictates
otherwise where alternative suitable extinguishers are provided.
Extinguishers are serviced annually by the University appointed contractor (currently
Aarhus).
7. Signage.
The building is fitted with a variety of fire safety signs. These include fire exit, extinguisher,
fire-action notices and call points and comply with the Safety (Safety Signs and Signals)
Regulations 1996.
8. Fire Procedures.
An emergency plan is in place for the building and there is a trained evacuation team. The
plan is on the University standard layout and shows adequate numbers of fire wardens.
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FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT – FARADAY BUILDING
AUGUST 2013
In the event of the alarm sounding it will automatically relay to Maxwell control (security)
who in turn will contact the Fire Brigade.
Fire drills are carried out annually usually in September when the new intake of students
have arrived.
9. Structural Features.
There were no obvious structural features that would increase the fire risk.
10. Hazardous areas.
The building is used as office and meeting spaces and as such there are no significant
hazards that would increase the fire risk.
11. Significant hazards requiring further control.
General Items Identified
Action Required
See review record for minor actions.
Actioned by
12. Risk level.
The following assessment of risk is based on the building after completion of the additional
controls identified above.
Likelihood
of Fire
X
Severity

=

1
X
Risk Level

2
=
2
Control measures to manage the fire risk in Faraday House are quantified as: Acceptable
Increasing Consequence
Risk Rating:
5
10
15
20
25
4
8
12
16
20
3
6
9
12
15
2
4
6
8
10
1
2
3
4
5
17-25 Unacceptable – Stop activity and make
immediate improvements/seek further advice
10-16 Tolerable – look to improve within
specified timescale
5-9 Adequate – Look to improve at next
review
1-4 Acceptable - No further action, but ensure
controls are maintained
Increasing Likelihood
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FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT – FARADAY BUILDING
AUGUST 2013
Guide to using the risk rating table:
Consequences
1 Insignificant – no impact
2 Minor – minor interruption to activity/process
3 Moderate – some damage to property/business interruption
4 Major – significant internal damage to property
5 Catastrophic –major disaster e.g. loss of life/loss of a
building/impact on surrounding areas
Likelihood
1 Very unlikely – 1 in a million chance of it happening
2 Unlikely – 1 in 100,000 chance of it happening
3 Fairly likely – 1 in 10,000 chance of it happening
4 Likely – 1 in 1,000 chance of it happening
5 Very likely – 1 in 100 chance of it happening
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