Fire safety for retailers.

If you're responsible for a retail business like a shop or salon, there are specific areas of fire safety you need to really pay attention to.

It's mandatory for you to carry out a detailed assessment identifying the risks and hazards in a commercial premises. By law, if you are responsible for the premises, you need to make sure that a Fire Risk Assessment has been completed by someone competent to do so and that you record the findings. We're often asked to help people carry out a Fire Risk Assessment, but our role as the enforcing authority would make that a conflict of interest. However we do offer some advice on our Fire Risk Assessment page, including how to find a competent assessor.

On this page, we'll take a closer look at the risks - and what you can do to reduce them.

Whilst landlords have responsibilities for fire safety and maintenance of the building, as tenants, you have legal responsibilities too.

You will need to complete your own Fire Risk Assessment and make an emergency plan. You should also be mindful of other tenants andtheir safety, particularly if there is accommodation above your shop.

The first step to improving your fire prevention strategy is identifying where things can go wrong. Our firefighters attend many fires in retail businesses across London, and we've noticed some common factors in these premises.

Common fire risks in retail premises

• Electrical equipment- these fires often happen when portable items aren't properly tested and maintained, or when the electrical item/system itself isn't in good condition. We attend many fires caused by lighting placed too close to flammable materials, items left charging unattended, and overloaded sockets, including unsafe use of extension leads such as plugging them into other extension leads or using unfused extension leads.
• Irons, curling tongs and straightening irons - staff leaving them on unattended, or not being trained to use them properly.
• Smoking - smoking in inappropriate areas or smoking materials being disposed of carelessly
• Arson - leaving clutter or rubbish in a publicly accessible place could become a target for arson.

Gaps and holes

Gaps around doors and through walls, floors and ceilings would allow fire and smoke to travel between different areas and could compromise escape. Ensure these are filled in or replaced with suitable fire stopping materials.

What to look out for:

• Damaged/cracked walls/ceiling/floor, particularly between the commercial premises and upstairs accommodation
• Ill-fitting or damaged doors
• Holes around pipe work or electrical wiring that pass between different rooms.

Emergency planning risks

• Emergency planning and staff training - you must have a suitable emergency evacuation plan and ensure that everyone knows how to put it into action. The plan must consider the needs of the customers, including vulnerable people.
• Escape routes for neighbours - in addition to your escape route, it's important to consider how people in accommodation above any shops or salon premises might escape. 

Firefighters tips for shops and salons

Though the retail business poses its own risks and challenges when it comes to preventing fire, with a little planning you can keep your customers, your people, and your premises fire safe. You may need to work with the landlord of the shop and/or landlord/owners of upstairs accommodation to make sure that your fire safety strategy doesn’t endanger any other occupants of the building.

• Make sure a Fire Risk Assessment has been completed by a competent person and ensure this is implemented and enforced.
• Make an emergency evacuation plan.
• Make sure that fire safety training and fire drills are carried out regularly.
• Not everyone will be able to respond to and escape from a fire in the same way. Train your staff on how they can support disabled and vulnerable customers during an evacuation.
• Ensure maintenance and renovation workers are aware of existing fire safety precautions, that they identify if the work will impact fire safety measures and make arrangements to maintain fire safety throughout. Ensure that you monitor and control any work that involves a spark or flame.
• Make sure that any changes to the layout of the store doesn’t interfere with the escape route.
• Ensure that stock/deliveries are stored away from escape routes.
• You must have a way to detect and alert occupants of a fire. If you install detection systems these must be tested and maintained regularly. You may wish to consider a suppression system (sprinklers).
• Ensure relevant firefighting equipment is installed, tested and maintained by a competent person.
• Make sure all electrical items are regularly tested and maintained.
• Ensure the electrical system is subject to a 5 year Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) by a competent electrician.
• Educate your staff about the risks of overloading sockets and make sure staff use electrical items such as chargers that are compatible with their device and recommended by manufacturers.
• Educate your staff about the risks of e-bikes/e-scooters and where possible ensure these are not charged inside or on escape routes.
• Ensure that flammable or dangerous substances are stored in line with manufacturers guidance, not on escape routes and in minimal quantities.
• Have a smoking policy - and enforce it!