Revised guidance on Fire safety in construction

Revised guidance on Fire safety in construction has been published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

The guidance is not new, but the sections covering multi-storey buildings and high-risk building such as those with a timber frame have been strengthened, to reflect lessons learned from recent fires.

The HSE points out how, each year, thousands of fires on construction sites put the lives of workers and members of the public at risk, both on and adjacent to the site.

The combination of high-risk activities, such as hot work, often difficult means of escape and opportunities for fires to spread quickly can make construction site fires deadly.

The guidance stresses the importance of considering fire safety from the earliest stages of each project.