Notre Dame - Fire risk assessments during building renovations

The world is waking up today to the devastating news that fire has destroyed Notre-Dame Cathedral, one of Paris’s most famous tourist attractions. The Cathedral is considered to be one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture.

Whilst it is too early to know the cause of the fire as a full investigation will have to be carried out, there is some initial reports speculating that the cause may be linked to renovation works that were being carried out to restore the building.

As highlighted by the fire that destroyed The Royal Clarence Hotel in Bath, England’s oldest hotel, when building renovation work is taking place there is often an increased risk of fire.

At Tecserv UK we regularly advise building owners and responsible individuals to carry out regular fire risk assessments throughout the period of works.

Some of the additional checks you should also do are as follows:

• Check all contractors on site are working safely and have insurance
• Make sure contractors have Risk and Method statements in place for the works they are doing
• That fire exits are not blocked
• That any electrical equipment is safe to use and will not cause a fire risk
• That any flammable liquids are being used and stored safely.

The above list is not exhaustive, but it is clear that any kind of building works cause disruption which can increase fire risk. If your commercial building is located in the vicinity of building works, it is also advisable to be aware and mindful of the additional risk to protect your people, property and processes.