Arson Prevention Advice for Businesses

Make Sure Your Business Is Not A Target

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?

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?

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

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.

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.