Arson protection

• Stop your building becoming an arson statistic
• Safe disposal of waste
  
  
  

Stop your building becoming an arson statistic

If you own or manage a business, or if you are responsible for fire safety or security in any kind of building, you should be aware that the most serious fire risk you face today is from arson!

Arson is an ever-present threat to shops, offices, storage premises, factories, hotels, restaurants, hospitals, schools and churches. No building is immune. Most arson is associated with vandalism and burglaries. You can greatly reduce the risk to your building by adopting the safeguards set out below.

• In any enterprise the owner/manager or named individual of senior grade must be made responsible for fire safety, including protection from arson attack.
• Think about the ease with which intruders could break into the premises, and take immediate steps to strengthen your defences.
• If there have been any small fires on your own or neighbouring premises inform the police immediately, as well as calling the Fire and Rescue Service. A small fire could be a warning of something worse to come!
  
  

It is a requirement of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 for employers to carry out a fire risk assessment; implementing the findings of your risk assessment can help you reduce the threat of arson. The guidance documents on the Fire and resilience page of the Communities website give valuable advice to assist you. Where 5 or more people are employed, or the premises hold a licence, the result of the assessment should be recorded.

• One entrance is better than 2, especially if that one entrance is manned throughout the day.
• Outer fences, walls and gates need to be high enough and strong enough to keep out intruders.
• Doors and windows must be in good repair and locked when not in use.
• Use good quality locks and padlocks.
• Gaps under doors should be as small as possible.
• Letter boxes should have metal containers fitted on the inside.
  
• Know who holds keys; chase any that are missing.
  
• Stored material of any kind should not be stacked adjacent to fences or walls where it could be set alight from outside.
• Skips should be sited well away from buildings.
  
  

Employees

• Warn staff of the threat from arson fires.
• Ask them to challenge anyone who should not be on the premises and report any suspicious activities.
• Vet new employees.
• Keep an eye on outside contractors and visitors; the movement of visitors within the building should be controlled.
  
  

End of day checks

A named individual must be responsible for securing the building at the end of each working day.

• Doors and windows are secure
• No combustible materials are left lying around
• No unauthorised people on premises
• Alarms are switched on
• Outside illumination is on
• Any flammable liquids locked away in secure store
  
  

Further information is available from the Arson Prevention Bureau, which has been set up by the Home Office and the Association of British Insurers to spearhead a national programme of action against arson.

Help and advice on protection of your premises is available from:

• your insurer;
• your community/technical fire safety department; or 
• the crime prevention department of Sussex Police.
  
  

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Safe disposal of waste

Waste bins and skips are becoming a very popular target for arsonists, especially over holiday periods.

Don't let your business become another fire statistic or your property a 'soft target'; by taking some simple precautions expensive inconvenience can be avoided.

Manage the disposal of waste

• Don't allow rubbish to build up around your premises.
• Clean up on a regular basis.
• Do not obstruct fire exits with rubbish,;it may be you who needs to escape via that route.

Frequency of waste collection

Monitor the frequency of collections.

• Are they sufficient or does waste produced exceed the capacity of the bins or skips provided?
• If it does, don't order more; arrange for more frequent collection.
• Make arrangements with the waste disposal companies to collect your waste before the start of any holiday brakes.

Storage of waste

• Where possible restrict access to where waste is stored.
• Try not to encourage people to come onto your property.
• Keep temptation out of sight.
• Choose carefully where you locate your bin or skip.
• Use containers made of non-combustible material.
• Ensure the rubbish containers are never overfilled and are securely shut.
• Do not site them close to your buildings and have a minimum of 3 metres between skips.
• Metal bins don't add to a fire as they don't burn and the rubber lid distorts and sometimes seals the top of the bin, starving the fire of oxygen.
• Companies with large volumes of waste paper and cardboard packaging should consider using a compactor instead of a vulnerable open skip.
• Install security devices such as cameras, lighting or alarms in storage areas.
• Organise your pre-Christmas shutdown now; don't have large volumes of waste exposed and vulnerable during the holiday period.
  
  

Why not consider joining with other retailers or occupiers to jointly implement these measures?

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