Fire Risk Assessments

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (the Order) applies to Caravan/mobile and park home sites.

It applies to all non domestic premises in England and Wales, including certain types of caravan sites:

  1. All sites with common or shared parts (which are most sites) ; and
  2. Individual caravans which are holiday-let type i.e. they are rented out

On these sites the licence holder has a duty to undertake a fire risk assessment and decide what prevention and protection arrangements are appropriate and adequate to mitigate the identified risks.

There are some sites around the country which do not need a fire risk assessment. These include single unit sites and those sites which are occupied by single family groups.

The Communities and Local Government website; https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-communities-and-local-government contains a range of helpful information on fire safety and the requirements of the Fire Safety Order.

This is a Health and Safety Checklist for reference when carrying out your risk assessment / assessment review to comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Typical hazards associated with caravan, park/mobile/home and camping sites and example control measures.

(Please note: the following provides examples, it is not intended as an exhaustive list of areas to consider or a list of all potential hazards and controls relevant to your site. It is provided as an aide and information source to refer to when carrying out your site specific assessment.)

Static Park/Mobile Homes/ Caravans

Topic Area

Example Hazards

Example control measures

Siting and removing of static caravans

Fatality/serious injury
Musculoskeletal disorders

  • Plan for siting / removing caravans/homes
  • Staff training and supervision
  • Agreed procedure with contractors, including risk assessment
  • Exclude members of public from work area (ideally move caravans when site is closed)

Site Layout

Topic Area

Example Hazards

Example control measures

Layout of:

  • Holiday lets
  • Owner occupied
  • Touring Caravans
  • Camping Pods
  • Tents

Fire risk

  • Adequate separation between units. Including controls on the construction of decking between units' according to site licence conditions and fire risk assessment
  • No combustible sheds or other structures within the separation distance
  • No combustible storage beneath caravans or decking
  • Vegetation kept cut back
  • Fire hose reels and extinguishers provided in accordance with site licence conditions
  • Maintenance regime for fire fighting equipment, including frost protection

See GOV.UK guidance on Fire safety risk assessment: sleeping accommodation

Camping pods

Topic Area

Example Hazards

Example control measures

Use

Carbon monoxide (CO)

Notices within pods that no gas heaters, naked flames or BBQs allowed within pods
Advice given to pod users at booking and on arrival, advice displayed on site and at retail point where BBQ's sold. For further information see links below

Tents / Caravans

Topic Area

Example Hazards

Example control measures

Use

Carbon monoxide (CO)

Advice displayed on site and at retail point where BBQ's sold of dangers of CO

For further information and links to various posters see:

Site Services (For Park/Mobile Home/Caravan Sites)

Topic Area

Example Hazards

Example control measures

Electrical installation and equipment

Electric shock and burns

  • Regular visual checks for damage to installations, including hook ups and equipment
  • Electrical testing and inspection reports up-to-date, in compliance with site licence conditions
  • Work undertaken by competent person conversant with statutory requirements e.g. NICEIC or ECA contractor.
  • Isolation of abandoned pitches
  • Regular Residual Current Device (RCD) checks

Overhead electric cables

Electrocution

  • Overhead lines insulated, anti climb devices fitted.
  • Warning notices displayed
  • Advice given to site users

Further information is available on the HSE website at:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/information/overhead.htm

and from Electricity Northwest at:
http://www.enwl.co.uk/safety-and-incident-reporting/public-safety-near-electrical-installations/tents-and-caravans

Gas

Gas leak/explosion
Carbon monoxide poisoning

  • Replace old or perished gas hoses
  • Annual gas safety checks of site boilers, water heaters etc and equipment in holiday lets by Gas Safe Installer registered to work on LPG on caravan sites

For further information see http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/advice/renting_a_property/for_landlords.aspx

HSE information: OC 440/34 gas safety in touring caravans, motor-caravans, caravan holiday-homes and residential park-homes (Note: references to CORGI should be replaced with Gas Safe)

Further relevant information is also available at:

LPG

Topic Area

Example Hazards

Example control measures

LPG storage

Gas leak/ explosion/fire

Compound for storage of new and used gas cylinders

  • Suitably sited - away from buildings and drain gullies.
  • Kept locked
  • Free from overgrown vegetation
  • Adequate size to meet site requirements (no stacking of cylinders)
  • No cylinder storage outside the cage
  • Warning signage displayed
  • No smoking

For further information see the UKLPG website at http://www.uklpg.org
Information is also available on the Calor website at: https://www.calor.co.uk/gas-bottles/gas-cylinder-safety

Roadways and footpaths

Topic Area

Example Hazards

Example control measures

Pedestrian safety

  • slips and trips
  • collision with vehicles
  • Maintain access roads and footpaths in good repair
  • Speed limits imposed
  • Pedestrian routes clearly marked
  • Provide handrails to steps
  • Lighting of footways as necessary
  • Clearly marked road system
  • Separate pedestrians from vehicles where possible

(See link below)

Traffic routes

Vehicles - collision

  • Clearly marked traffic route, no obstructions
  • Speed limit applied
  • Adequate road width or one-way system in place

A workplace transport safety checklist produced by HSE is available at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/index.htm

Winter conditions

Icy/snowy conditions

  • Treatment of road and footpaths as appropriate
  • Signage

For further information see HSE's guidance at:

http://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/faq.htm

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20121015000000/www.direct.gov.uk/en/Nl1/Newsroom/DG_191868

Amenity blocks

Topic Area

Example Hazards

Example control measures

Floors

Slips/trips

  • Slip resistant flooring
  • Adequate cleaning procedures
  • Signage for wet/slippery floors

Further information is available from HSE at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/

Water temperature

Scalding from hot water

  • Thermostatic control valves at water outlets
  • Warning signage

The Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering have produced the following guidance
http://www.ciphe.org.uk/Global/Databyte/Safe%20Hot%20Water.pdf

Legionella

  • Legionella risk

Laundry room

Electric shock/physical injury

  • Ensure safety of electrical equipment
  • Interlocks fitted to washing machines, dryers etc

Guidance for launderettes is available from the National Association of the Launderette Industry at http://www.nali.co.uk/

Leisure

Topic Area

Example Hazards

Example control measures

Play Areas

Slips, trips and falls

  • Regular safety checks of equipment and surrounding area
  • Suitable floor surface material, replaced or repaired as necessary
  • Safe access route to the playground
  • Exclusion of animals
  • Safety signage displayed e.g. supervision by parents, age restrictions / zones.

For further information see the ROSPA website at:
http://www.rospa.com/leisuresafety/adviceandinformation/playsafety/default.aspx

Spa Pools / Hot Tubs

Legionella
Risk of other infections

  • Staff training in pool management
  • Effective water treatment
  • Water sampling program
  • Instructions to users

Further information is available from the HSE website at:

The Health Protection Agency have also produced Management of Spa Pools - Controlling the Risks of Infection guidance.

Asbestos

Topic Area

Example Hazards

Example control measures

Asbestos containing material

Asbestos related disease

  • Find out whether there are any materials containing asbestos on the site and, if so, where it is and what condition it is in. If in doubt, materials must be presumed to contain asbestos;
  • assess the risk and
  • make a plan to manage that risk and act on it.

HSE guidance is available at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/campaign/duty.htm

Grounds Maintenance

Topic Area

Example Hazards

Example control measures

Grounds Maintenance

Chemical poisoning

  • Safe use of grass cutting and other equipment
  • Trained staff
  • Equipment maintenance

For further information from HSE at:
http://www.pesticides.gov.uk/guidance/industries/pesticides/topics/about-pesticides

 

Physical injury

  • Safe use of grass cutting and other equipment
  • Trained staff
  • Equipment maintenance

For further information available from HSE at:
http://www.pesticides.gov.uk/guidance/industries/pesticides/topics/about-pesticides


Conflicting site uses

Topic Area

Example Hazards

Example control measures

Conflicting site uses

Collision/accident

Other activities kept separate from the caravan site

Possible Other Site features

Topic Area

Example Hazards

Example control measures

Steep slopes/ sudden changes in level

Slips trips and falls

  • Fencing as appropriate
  • Warning signage
  • Advice to site users

Watercourses

Drowning
Flood risk

  • Fencing as appropriate
  • Warning signage
  • Advice to site users

For further information see the Environment Agency website: http://publications.environment-agency.gov.uk/PDF/GEHO0111BTJJ-E-E.pdf

Ticks

Lyme Disease

Information provided on site.

For posters and further information see:
http://www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk/what-we-are-doing/information/to-download/
and
information from Public Health England at:  http://www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/InfectiousDiseases/InfectionsAZ/LymeDisease/