Arson Prevention Advice for Businesses

Make Sure Your Business Is Not A Target

Skips, bins and combustible materials, do you

  • Dispose of waste into bins and skips; arrange regular collection of refuse with your local authority or contractors?

  • Have a designated area for skips and bins that is well lit?

  • Have a rubbish bin or skip with a metal lockable lid so that the contents can be secured at the end of each day?

  • Keep your rubbish bins/skips in a lockable compound or bin room? If this is not possible, chain the bins/skips to an immovable object well away from any buildings.

  • Keep rubbish bins or skips containing any combustible material at least 10 metres away from buildings or property to prevent fire spreading by radiated heat?

  • Keep a distance of 2 metres between bins or skips and any boundary fencing? This should prevent opportunist arsonists from accessing them outside your property.

  • Allow rubbish or containers to block escape routes?

  • Keep aerosol cans, flammable liquid containers and gas cylinders separate from combustible materials?

Pallets, do you?

  • Store pallets outside, neatly stacked away from the buildings and perimeter?

  • Stack to a height that they will not collapse if on fire or in a strong wind?

  • Keep plastic pallets separate from wooden ones?

  • Make arrangements with your supplier for removal of pallets as soon as possible?

Tyres and hazardous waste, do you?

  • Dispose of any hazardous waste separately in accordance with guidelines enforced by the Environment Agency.

Empty or unwanted gas cylinders?

  • Do you handle all gas cylinders with care in accordance with current standards?

  • Do you make provisions as even empty cylinders will still contain traces of the original contents and if exposed to heat EMPTY GAS CYLINDERS MAY STILL EXPLODE?

  • If you are unable to place abandoned or unwanted gas cylinders in a secure gas cylinder compound they should be stored safely upright away from buildings, vehicles, combustible materials and boundary fences and their collection arranged.

Visitors and security, do you?

  • Have good signage directing where to and where not to go?

  • Allow access only via clearly signed and staffed reception facility?

  • Ask for identification and operate a register for booking them in and out?

  • Insist that they display a visitor’s badge and are escorted to their destination?

  • Encourage staff to question strangers on the premises?

  • Ensure property is secure with adequate locks on doors and windows and the provision of security lighting?

  • Ensure common areas such as bin stores have satisfactory security and lighting?

  • Carry out a fire risk assessment? Fit smoke alarms, have an escape plan.

Close down procedures, do you?

  • Lock all external doors?

  • Close all internal doors?

  • Close and lock all windows?

  • Check that no unauthorised persons remain on the premises?

  • Check that there is no accumulation of rubbish or waste?

  • Make sure flammable liquids are not accessible?

  • Turn on intruder alarms?

  • Switch on security lighting

Following these suggestions will reduce the risk of fire by deliberate or malicious ignition

If you require any further details please contact:

Amanda Hughes
Business Arson Warden
North Wales Arson Reduction Team

Email: Arsonreductionteam@nthwales.pnn.police.uk
Telephone: 01745 588456

Arson Prevention Advice for Businessess

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