Managing Your Electrician
With the introduction of the new Reform Order the requirement for effective fire safety management of our buildings is clearly stated. This means whenever we have a tradesperson on-site, we must make sure that the quality of their work is sufficient, ensuring that no fire safety hazards have been left
For example if holes are made for various services in walls, floors or ceilings which are an integral part of the fire safety compartmentation of the overall building, then there must be some quality assurance that shows that these have been appropriately filled with the correct fire stopping product.
So when an electrician arrives on site what should our procedure be?
Firstly, it?s important to realise that whilst maintenance engineers of all types including electricians are on our premises we are responsible for their safety. And proper provision needs to be made for them to understand all appropriate fire safety measures that are required from them during their period of work. They will also need to be informed of company procedure in the case of a fire. They should be made fully aware of the means of escape, assembly areas, and no smoking policies. It is therefore appropriate to have some type of audit form where electricians should sign in showing the date, their full name, signature, the work that they intend to carry out, and the commitment that all the information that you require for your file of evidence will be submitted at the end of their contract.
Secondly, when employing an electrician it is important to ensure that they have a full plan of the building or at the very least a plan of the section of the building that they are going to work. You should provide this asking for the following:
1. They should be instructed that wherever they make an opening or where they have removed cables from an existing opening that they mark them on the plan.
2. They should be aware of the fire resistance rating of the wall, ceiling or floor and show that they had filled the hole/aperture with the correct intumescent seal, matching the integrity rating of the compartment substrate that has been compromised.
There are a number of elements that should be taken into consideration when sealing a surface aperture. The first is, what is the duration of fire resistance required for that particular building element? The second is what is the maximum size of the hole to be filled? The answer of these two questions will lead to the correct choice of seal type. For example, fire rated mastics are fully appropriate for small gaps but will not work in larger apertures. This means that you will require full information from the electrician of the size of apertures that he has been working with, the fire rating of the building element and full information of the seal that they have used including full information from the manufacturer, and proof that it has been correctly installed. This information should be added to the risk assessment findings for that particular area of the building as part of the overall file of evidence.
It really is important to ask these questions when employing an electrician. If you don?t then over months and years the effectiveness of the compartmentation of your building could be seriously compromised!
In summary:
1. Ask the electrician to sign in
2. Ensure they are aware of all fire safety issues
3. Ensure they understand where their nearest exit is in the case of a fire
4. Ensure they know the assembly point
5. Ensure they have a plan of the area of the building they are maintaining
6. Ensure that all compartment elements are marked with their fire rating
7. Ensure that all apertures, existing and new are appropriately filled
8. Ensure that the plans are returned to you signed and dated with apertures marked, including size of hole and seals used
9. Ensure that manufacturers details of the seals are returned with plans
Keep an effective audit - add this information to your file of evidence!
Warren Hickson
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