JCH Safety Ltd are an Occupational Safety and Health Practitioners based in Nuneaton, Warwickshire. Part of our service is carrying out Fire Risk Assessments for schools, colleges, small businesses, warehouses and organisations around Nuneaton, Coventry and Warwickshire. JCH Safety look after health and safety and fire risk management for a number of businesses and part of our pledge is to provide free, easy to follow information for our clients and potential customers. This blog article is about ‘How to Choose a Fire Risk Assessor in Nuneaton’. Obviously, we would really be pleased to have you as a client, however, there are a number of companies offering these services and so please do have a look around, but all being well you will come back to us!
It is a legal requirement to carry out a Fire Risk Assessment for your premises. This is set out under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. A Fire Risk Assessment assesses a property to identify possible causes of fire, including measures to remove or reduce fire risk. It is also part of the Fire Risk Assessment process to identify persons who could be at risk should a fire occur. Fire Risk Assessments can be produced in several different formats but the content should be roughly the same. A good Fire Risk Assessment will reduce the risk of fire, save lives, protect your business and livelihood, reduce risk of prosecution and help your organisation to be legally compliant.
Have you got a Fire Risk Assessment?
If you haven’t already got an up to date fire risk assessment then you need to get this sorted. A fire risk assessment should be carried out annually to ensure that your fire safety arrangements are suitable and sufficient. Depending on your type of property will depend on how much the risks change. For some companies a review is a more appropriate way to look at the assessment and for other organisations such as schools, warehouses and workshops it might be better to carry out a fire risk audit followed by a fire risk assessment. For simple premises it might be okay for you to carry out your own FRA however, if you do not have the competence, training and experience to do this we would recommend that you use a professional company. After all, fire risk is serious business. If you get it wrong the consequences can be catastrophic. If you are choosing a professional to carry out your fire risk assessment you need to ensure that they are the right people for the job. JCH Safety LTD carry out fire risk assessments for churches, schools and businesses across Coventry, Nuneaton and Warwickshire and we would be very happy to provide you with a free quotation.
Here are our suggestions to help you choose your local fire risk assessor:
1). Choose Local
There are a number of national fire risk assessment companies who offer you a fixed fee fire risk assessment with a national service. Now, some of these are very good but there can be a few drawbacks and hidden extras to watch out for such as travel charges and add on services that have not been included. Arrange for a written quotation spelling out everything included in the fixed quote and ask for a list of potential additional charges/ services that they might add on. For example, should you need a reassessment is this included or do you have to pay the same again? If you need further assistance to increase compliance is this included? Always find out exactly what is included. JCH Safety always carry out at least one site visit but it has been known for us to carry out three site visits in order to help our clients! For complex businesses we carry out a free initial visit to have a look around and to put together a bespoke quotation, based on your premises and your requirements. Being a local company means that we can do this, free of charge and then provided you with a fixed fee for our services.
Service is really important to us as is our reputation. Much of our business is by recommendation and so we are always upfront and honest. Neither you nor us will want any nasty surprises! As a local fire risk assessment company we know the areas, the types of industries, the local industrial estates and businesses around Nuneaton and Warwickshire. We probably have clients near your premises which all help us with our local specialist knowledge that a national company just couldn’t possibly know. As JCH Safety LTD are a fire safety company based in Nuneaton we have close proximity to Coventry, Hinckley, Rugby and Leicester so we only work within a 20 mile radius of Nuneaton. This means we offer a quality, professional and local service where we build relationships with our clients over many years. We are a business that offers an old fashioned personal service. You will always see the same consultant and we get to know our clients. This way we build your trust and we know that you and your team are safe.
2). Choose Insured
Companies who offer advice must have appropriate insurance to underwrite their advice. Always ensure that your Fire Safety Company provide their insurance documents so that you know they are professional. Insurance companies check qualifications and experience when issuing indemnity insurance. We are always happy to provide our insurance documents as well as evidence of our professional competency. We are not just an ‘add on service’ to a fire extinguisher company or a business offering a variety of other services. JCH Safety LTD are a dedicated occupational health and safety company who ensure your safety is our business. By the way we do not sell fire extinguishers. This is important to us as we don’t want you to think a fire risk assessment is just a way to sell extinguishers! It is so much more than that. Fire extinguishers are vital to your safety so let an independent expert help you decide the ones you need, where they should be fitted and guide you with training also.
3). Choose Qualified
Fire risk is serious. Make sure your local, fire risk assessor is qualified. In the local area there are not many qualified fire, health and safety professionals. We are members of the Institute of Fire Engineers, the Fire Protection Association; we are Specialist members of IIRSM and Chartered through IOSH. When you are choosing your fire risk assessor choose a professional who is experienced and knowledgeable.
4). Choose Value for Money not just the Cheapest
Buyer Beware – the cheapest may well be cheap! Would you buy dodgy tyres for your cars, have a fake MOT or look for a dubious gas safety certificate? We know for sure we wouldn’t! As with everything you do get what you pay for. If it is ‘too good to be true’ it is. Either they are not qualified or there is something a bit suspect. JCH Safety Ltd offer really good value for money with our fire risk assessments. Like for like against similar qualified assessors we are normally one of the best prices on offer. All of our clients are very pleased with our service and expertise and we can offer references from a number of local businesses, churches and schools in the Nuneaton, Coventry and Warwickshire areas.
5). Choose Service
Find out what follow on services are available. For example you will possibly require Fire Marshal Training, Basic Basic Fire Safety Awareness Training for your staff, or fire evacuation drawings to be done. Does the company you are looking at provide these services? JCH Safety, based in Nuneaton, has a great selection of online health and safety training courses available via our website www.jchsafety.co.uk. We offer online Fire Marshal Training and Basic Fire Safety Awareness Training as well as many other online health and safety courses. All of our online Fire Safety Courses are ROSPA Approved ensuring quality training. We also offer Fire Evacuation Planning and Advice and can supply fire safety signage. We really aim to look after our clients by providing expert assessment, a quick turnaround, training and excellent documentation. Why not choose JCH Safety Ltd to be your fire assessors particularly if you are based in or around Nuneaton, Coventry or Warwickshire.
Thank you for reading our blog article. We hope that you will find it helpful. Why not visit our site regularly and keep up to date with lots of useful fire safety and health and safety ideas?
JCH Safety are an expert safety consultancy specialising in fire safety and occupational health and safety for churches, schools, community organisations, warehouses, small businesses and construction companies. With a wide range of experience and expertise we are your ideal safety compliance partner.
Get in touch to find out more about our fire risk assessment services.
Find out what people are saying about JCH Safety Ltd here.
