Construction Sites: Planning for Fire Safety

Reading that fire safety failings on construction sites have fallen by one-third in 12 months might make you think the industry is finally taking control of fire safety. Look a bit closer at the figures, though, and it isn’t that simple.

What those figures show is that sites are now better at those elements inspectors check. That on its own isn’t evidence that sites are safer.

The figures were obtained from the HSE by training provider CE Safety. Inspectors recorded 361 fire safety failings on construction sites in 2024-2025, which is down from 536 the year before. Enforcement Notices nearly halved, from 92 to 50. Non-fatal injuries caused by fire or explosion barely changed, at 14 as opposed to 15 the year before.

These figures only count failings found during inspections so they do depend on how many sites the HSE visits in a given year and precisely what inspectors are looking for when on-site.

There has been some improvement. Home Office figures state that Fire and Rescue Services attended 318 primary fires on construction sites in England across 2023-2024, which is down from 375 two years earlier. However, in every one of those years, deliberate fires were the largest single cause, accounting for more than one-third of the total in 2023-2024.

This tells us that more needs to be done to tackle the root cause of many construction site fires, not just the few elements inspectors check. That process begins with better construction site security.

Keep the fire risk assessment live

Under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, the principal contractor plans and manages fire risk on-site on a daily basis. The problem with many plans is that they’re written at mobilisation and never touched again, even as the site changes around them.

The risks during groundworks are nothing like the risks posed once the frame is up or once fit-out contractors have filled floors with packaging. A fire risk assessment should be a live document, updated at every build phase and whenever escape routes, storage areas or ‘hot work’ locations change.

Much of the fire risk assessment process focuses on sources of ignition. That isn’t wrong, but the amount of fuel on-site decides how fast and how far a fire spreads. It’s best to clear waste and packaging daily and keep skips away from the building and the hoarding. Skips are a prime target for anyone looking to start a fire deliberately.

Store gas cylinders and flammable liquids in secure and ventilated areas away from the main structure. Further, bring materials to site as they’re needed rather than stockpiling them. This matters most on any project where there’s an exposed timber frame.

Controlling the time

The Fire Protection Association’s Joint Code of Practice on fire prevention for construction sites, which is now in its Tenth Edition, calls for a continuous fire watch for at least one hour after ‘hot works’ have finished. That should be followed by checks at least every 20 minutes for a further hour (and longer where the risk assessment calls for it).

The fire watch must carry on through tea and lunch breaks, while the Code of Practice expects thermal imaging cameras to be used routinely in order to find hidden ‘hotspots’. It’s a Code of Practice rather than the law, but many insurers make compliance a condition of cover so it’s opportune to check what the policy states.

Problems usually come down to the end of the day. ‘Hot work’ overruns, crews want to leave and the individual doing the work ends up acting as their own fire watch. If people cannot or will not stay for the full period, either start ‘hot work’ earlier or replan it. The other option is a professional fire watch service that will serve to cover everything.

With deliberate fires the largest single cause of unwanted blazes on construction sites, out-of-hours security is a key part of fire safety. Start with a fully secured perimeter. Lock away anything that could start or otherwise feed a fire and clear waste from site before everyone leaves. Don’t leave it until the next morning.

Temporary fire alarms linked to remote monitoring give an early warning when no-one is on-site. A fire watch or security patrol can also keep watch and raise the alarm if a fire starts.

Pay particular attention to longer shutdowns, such as during the Christmas period or even on a normal weekend. These periods need extra planning given that the site may be empty for days at a time.

Training for reality

Anyone who has worked on a construction site knows the fire safety induction is usually a quick run-through that lasts a few minutes at best (if it happens at all). People know where the assembly point is located. They don’t always know how to raise the alarm from the floor on which they’re working, where the nearest fire extinguisher is or how to use it.

These are easy things to fix. A trained fire marshal on each shift is the simplest way. Short toolbox talks whenever an escape route or exit changes also help people to keep on top of what to do if something happens.

Bear in mind that it’s not just about passing an inspection. Making sure all of these outlined elements are right is what keeps individuals safe on a construction site.

John Melling MSyI is Group CEO at ProFM Group (www.profmgroup.com)