Whatever the season, if you’re hard at work within a customer’s home or on a site, fire safety is a vital consideration that is sometimes overlooked. If you own your business premises and you have either customers or employees visiting, then you’ll be required to comply with a series of regulations detailed in the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, that includes carrying out a risk assessment of potential hazards within the workspace. If you don’t have your own premises and are always travelling to different jobs in your vehicle then there are still a number of precautions that you can take to be as risk-friendly as possible.

Fit a fire extinguisher to your vehicle

If you were wondering - no, there is not a law that says you must carry a fire extinguisher onboard your van, however, it is definitely worth having one just in case. Even a small unit will give you a much better chance of putting out a fire in the event that anything did happen. With thousands of vehicle fires every year, being able to prevent any dangers from escalating might just save you from extensive damage as well as reducing the likelihood of your tools being destroyed.

Care for your equipment

As the old saying goes: ‘Take care of your tools and they will take care of you’. As long as you look after your equipment, it should last longer and serve you well. This is extra important when dealing with any electricals from your toolbox due to the fact that they pose a higher risk of causing fires or electrocution in the event of failure. Be sure to read the manufacturer’s advice with regards to maintenance and, if possible, have your electric tools PAT tested and serviced by professionals every year.

Planning is key

So, you’ve arrived at the site and you are ready to start work. Before you do begin, ask yourself if you are aware of that site’s health & safety procedures, including fire safety plans? In the event that you have not been told this information, it’s in your best interests to speak to the site manager and find out what these procedures are before you do anything.