During our long dry summer, Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service has been concerned about the prevalence of heath fires, but now it is turning its attention to business owners.

The service is supporting Business Safety Week, the annual campaign by the National Fire Chiefs’ Council, which this year runs from 5-11 September.

The aim is to make businesses aware of their fire safety responsibilities, and for employees to have the information they need to help prevent and respond to fires in the workplace.

Business fire safety manager Emma Turner said: “So many fires in the workplace are preventable, so our main focus this year has been the introduction of business fire safety checks. These came about following some great collaborative work between the training, inspection and business support teams within our Protection department, and our operational crews, who are now out and about supporting small businesses within Dorset and Wiltshire.”

Using their detailed local knowledge, fire crews are now making contact with small businesses to offer a free check. This involves meeting with the responsible person at the business, to give simple advice on how to make the premises – and the people within it – safer from the risk of fire, or confirm that they’re doing the right thing regarding fire safety.

Emma said: “In the most recent quarter, crews completed some 240 such checks, and around 10 per cent of these resulted in follow-ups by a fire safety officer. This new process is bringing great value to our local communities, by improving fire safety in the places where people shop, work, play and visit, and helps to ensure that our local businesses continue to flourish and prosper.

“We don’t expect businesses to be experts, which is why we are here to provide help and advice. We encourage businesses to work with us to help prevent fires to help them remain productive, safe and legal.”

Further information for businesses, including how to complete a fire risk assessment, can be found at www.dwfire.org.uk/business-fire-safety