Crime Reduction Toolkits: Arson - Risk Assesment: Code of Practice for Fire Safety

Risk Assessment: Code of Practice for fire safety when handling waste materials

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Every year there are some 160 000 fires involving waste materials. Many of these are started deliberately.

The fires, which may involve piles of rubbish, open skips or wheeled waste containers, can develop rapidly, especially as some types of plastic waste containers ignite easily and burn vigorously.

The flames may enter buildings though windows, eaves and lightweight wall claddings. The result is often a serious fire involving loss of property, loss of jobs and inconvenience to the community. The fires may even threaten the lives of staff, members of the public or fire-fighters.

This code of practice outlines simple measures that may be taken to reduce the incidence of fires involving skips, wheeled waste containers and piles of combustible rubbish.

Remember: Under section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 you have a duty of care to take all reasonable steps to keep waste safe.

General

Ensure that skips, wheeled waste containers and piles of waste materials:

Do not obstruct escape routes

Do not obstruct access to fire hydrants

Are not sited in fire brigade access routes

Make sure all rubbish is placed in the containers or designated areas provided and is not left on the ground nearby

Obtain specialist advice regarding the disposal of asbestos, other toxic substances and biohazards. Do not dispose of them with other waste materials.

Do not put aerosol cans, flammable liquid containers or gas cylinders, even when empty, into skips or wheeled waste containers. Keep them separate from other discarded items and seek advice from your local council.

Do not put hot ashes, cigarette ends or other smokers' materials into skips or wheeled waste containers.

Do not dispose of the contents of ashtrays with papers and other combustible waste.

Give staff instruction in basic fire prevention and the action to take in the event of the fire.

If skips or wheeled waste containers are permanently on site, or there is a designated compound for waste materials, provide a hose reel or two water-type fire extinguishers, protected from the effects of frost, nearby.

Never light fires in or near skips or waste bins. Where possible prohibit the burning of combustible waste.

Fire safety and waste skips

Wherever possible site skips at least 10 m from buildings and plant

Always use an enclosed skip rather than an open skip for combustible waste

Lock the doors or lid of the skip when the premises are not occupied

If a skip is regularly on site, paint lines on the ground to indicate where it should be located.

Ensure that skips are delivers to the designated area

Arrange for skips to be collected as soon as they are full or ready for removal

Power to compactors should be turned off when the premises are unoccupied.

Do not locate skips under canopies or trees

Do not carry out welding work on full or partly full skips.

Fire safety and wheeled waste bins

Use metal bins with lockable lids where possible and locate them in marked areas at least 6 m away from buildings and plant
If plastic containers have to be used they should be sited at least 10 m way from buildings and plant
Chain or secure wheeled containers in designated positions when the premises are unoccupied
Arrange for bins to be emptied regularly

Fire safety and combustible rubbish

Dispose of all rubbish in waste containers or skips if they are provided

If your business regularly has large amounts of combustible waste, hire an enclosed skip or a wheeled waste container, with a lockable lid. Have the skip or container removed or exchanged regularly.

Do not store loose combustible waste within 2m of the perimeter fence or within 6 m of a building or plant

If possible, recycle waste materials such as pallets and cardboard

To reduce the incidence of arson store combustible waste in a secure, well lit yard.