Case study: fire safety concerns
14 March 2024
Smoking risk from flammable liquids highlighted.
Staff were smoking inside the fuelling shed at Neville Hill depot, which could cause a fire. The reporter to CIRAS said signs in the shed made it clear that smoking isn’t allowed. The issue was making sure this rule was followed. They acknowledged that diesel isn’t easily flammable. But other liquids in the shed are, such as oil and cleaning fluids. These are sometimes in open barrels or spilled on the floor. There are no designated bins for cigarette ends in the shed, because smoking isn’t allowed, so people might throw them into the spilled liquids, potentially leading to a fire. The reporter to CIRAS wanted Northern to make clear where designated smoking areas are.
Northern briefed all employees and contractors within 24 hours of receiving our report and issued a further brief that outlined the facility’s smoking arrangements. No further issues had been reported.
As part of its transformation programme, Northern is planning to stop smoking and vaping at Neville Hill depot completely.