Health, Safety and Fire: Considering Car Parks

In accordance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, all non-domestic premises, including the communal areas of residential blocks, require a Health, Safety and Fire Risk assessment; this extends to the external communal areas, such as Car Parks.

Health,Safety and Fire

Those responsible for the safety of a car park should beensuring that there are no slip and trip hazards that may cause potentialinjury, such as uneven floor. They should also ensure that Fire Doors aresufficient and that fire exits are clearly labelled and kept clear. Regularproperty inspections should extend to include the car parks and the responsibleperson should be implementing a system of regular inspections to include:safety hazards, safe access & egress, means of escape, fire doors, signage,and lighting.

We have a free Site Inspection App that can assist you with your property inspections; please get in touch with a member of our team who would be happy to talk you through this.

AutomaticGates

Another safety aspect to consider with car parks is electricand automatic gates. Electric gate systems should be designed, fitted andmaintained according to appropriate safety standards.

It is so important that all automatic gates are riskassessed and fitted with sufficient safety measures to prevent people frombecoming trapped or injured. In fact, there have been a number of cases wheresafety measures were not put in place when gates were installed and checks/risk assessments were not carried on the gates to ensure their safety beforebeing handed over to clients.  Some ofthese high-profile cases unfortunately include children being fatally crusheddue to gates not being properly installed and checked before hand over.  Many of these deaths could have been easilyavoided if the correct checks and risk assessments were carried out. This alsohighlights the importance of using safe contractors that have a safe workingenvironment, adequately train employees, and deliver the relevant information,instruction and supervision.

If you require any further advice or guidance, please get in touch.