Fire safety is crucial in workplaces, yet many UK employees lack understanding of fire door use.
- A survey by CE Safety reveals 34% of office workers do not know fire doors should remain closed unless equipped with specific mechanisms.
- Issues with fire doors are common, with 75% failing to meet standards, complicating their effectiveness in emergencies.
- Fire door faults identified include cracked glass, missing screws, and gaps around frames, which undermine their safety functions.
- Training on fire doors is insufficient, with 35% of workers not shown fire exit routes, stressing the need for improved safety protocols.
Fire safety in workplaces is a critical aspect that remains overlooked by a significant number of employees in the UK. A revealing survey conducted by health and safety training provider CE Safety uncovered that 34% of office workers are unaware of the correct positioning of fire doors, which should remain closed unless fitted with a self-closing mechanism or door release unit.
Inspection every six months is vital for ensuring that fire doors are operational, yet the Fire Door Inspection Scheme highlights that 75% of fire doors in the UK do not meet the mandatory standards. Furthermore, 31% of these doors were installed incorrectly from the outset, compromising their potential to offer adequate protection.
Gary Ellis, a spokesperson for CE Safety, expressed concern over the widespread lack of crucial fire door knowledge, emphasising the need for awareness to prevent life-threatening situations. There is a critical need for a designated individual responsible for checking fire doors, ensuring they function correctly and addressing any issues promptly.
A survey involving 1,000 UK office workers exposed a lack of understanding about common fire door faults, with 80% correctly noting that wedging doors open is unsafe. Additional issues included cracked glass, identified by 57% of respondents, missing locks by 43%, and gaps around frames by 22%. These faults could enable toxic smoke to bypass the door and weaken its defence.
Office environments have shown inconsistency in fire safety training. An alarming 35% of workers reported not being briefed on fire exit routes, with numbers varying significantly between regions. In London, 47% had not received training, whereas Northern Ireland showed a better response with 91% receiving guidance. Moreover, 41% of workers observed fire doors improperly wedged open, which should only occur if held by authorised mechanisms.
Addressing fire door safety knowledge gaps is crucial to enhancing workplace safety in the UK.
