Protection team offers advice on arson prevention

Our Protection Engagement Team have been visiting businesses in Rayleigh High Street today, offering them advice on reducing the risks of deliberate fires.

Their top tips include:

• Installing security lighting and CCTV
• Ensuring bins are locked away and kept away from the premises
• Reporting any suspicious behaviour and information that could prevent fires from happening anonymously to FireStoppers by calling 0800 169 5558

These precautions will help to protect your business and reduce the likelihood of arson happening.

Good housekeeping and waste management material

• Ensure that waste materials and rubbish are not allowed to build up and are carefully stored until properly disposed of, particularly at the end of the day. The more combustible materials you store the greater the source of fuel for a fire.
• Take action to avoid storage areas being vulnerable to arson or vandalism. Do not store flammable liquids or LPG cylinders next to your bins.
• If you generate a considerable quantity of combustible waste material then you may need to develop a plan of action of regular collections to manage this effectively.
• Rubbish and waste material should be placed outside in a secure closed metal container positioned away from buildings and plant.
• Entrances and exits should be clear at all times.
• If bins, particularly wheeled bins, are used outside, secure them in a compound to prevent them being moved to a position next to the building and set on fire. 
• Never place skips against a building they should normally be a minimum of 6m away from any part of the premises.
• Report accumulated or abandoned refuse to your local council.
• If bins, particularly wheeled bins, are used outside, secure them in a compound if available to prevent them being moved to a position next to the building and set on fire. 
• Avoid placing skips or rubbish containers against a building, ideally they should never be located under the window and open external stairways. Also make sure that a safe distance is kept between bins and any roof soffit boards as they may allow spread of fire into any roof voids.

Secure your premises:

• Keep your premises secure and prevent unauthorised entry into the building.
• Consider installing security lighting,  CCTV (to support a prosecution needs to be 4 megapixels and 1080p res) and intruder alarm.
• Consider installing anti-arson letterboxes on entry door.
• Report any suspicious behaviour or activities of pressure groups who could target the premises. 

Train your staff

• It is important to make staff aware  of the reasons for waste materials to be removed regularly to a safe storage area. Staff should be made aware of the flammability or combustibility of the materials with which they work and any relevant measures that should be observed regarding their storage and handling.
• Have a clear process for opening and closing premises to ensure the site is secure. 
• Ensure staff know about fire prevention and have a process to report concern. 

Remember to report incidents:

FireStoppers is an anonymous way to report what you know about deliberate fire setting in your area. It’s not for reporting any blame, it’s for us to prevent the fires from happening. You can call FireStoppers on 0800 169 5558 or report online here. 

Find out more about Business Fire Safety here: www.essex-fire.gov.uk/business