church fire guidance
Hot works in churches
The recent fire at St Michael and All Angels, Newburn in the Diocese of Newcastle demonstrates just how great the risk of fire during building works can be.
Sparks from an angle grinder being used by a plumbing contractor to cut up an old radiator are believed to have started a fire which resulted in £2 million worth of damage, destroying the roof and causing extensive smoke damage throughout.
Hot works
During periods when buildings are undergoing repairs, maintenance or extension work, the risk of fire is greatly increased. Work may involve the presence of highly flammable liquids or liquid petroleum gases and require the use of tools such as angle grinders or blowlamps for plumbing and welding.
The hot work permit
When contract works are to be carried out, the insured should notify their insurers as soon as details are known.
If the contract involves hot work, this work will be subject to a ‘hot work permit’ system being in place. The permit must set out:
the exact nature of the work to be undertaken
the location of the work
the period during which the work can be undertaken
the time when work must cease
the time of the final check
a checklist of the precautions to be carried out eg the removal of combustible materials and the provision of fire extinguishers.
A sample of a hot work permit is available on this page - simply download the pdf.
Five top tips for churches
Maintain extra vigilance during periods when building works are taking place and closely supervise the activities of all contractors. Show all workmen the location of fire extinguishers and tell them where responsible officials or telephones can be found in the event of an emergency.
During the contract period, a responsible church official should inspect the buildings carefully at the end of every day to ensure that all is in order. Hot work must cease at least one hour before the final inspection at the end of the working day. In addition, whenever possible, irregular visits should also be made during the day.
If possible, smoking should be prohibited throughout the site and should never be permitted within roof spaces or on roofs. Where permitted, it should be confined to clearly defined areas, with adequate ashtrays provided and the areas thoroughly inspected at the end of each working day.
Paper, plastic, cardboard, crates and all other combustible waste materials should be removed from the site at the end of each working day or kept in a lockable lidded metal skip well away from the building at a distance of at least six metres.
Provision should be made for gas cylinders, paints, oils, flammable liquids and building materials to be stored outside, well away from buildings. Contractors must not leave gas cylinders on roofs when work has ceased for the day. If the spraying of roof timbers is undertaken, this should only be done in a well-ventilated atmosphere.
