ChurchSafety Home >> Information Contents Maintenance Routine maintenance, testing and inspection is needed so that you know safety equipment will work when it is needed. Some of the checks in the below table can be completed by yourself but you are likely to need to call in a service provider for other, such as for fire extinguishers and alarm systems.

How often? What needs to be done? Whenever you use the building As part of your opening up routine,  look around the building and check that things like fire extinguishers are in place. Check the security fastenings on fire exits have been removed. Secure doors open where needed for safety (such as inward-opeing entrance doors). Equipment such as toys needs to be visually inspected before use. As you leave the building, make sure that everything has been put away correctly and nothing has been damaged. Extinguish any candles and unplug electrical equipment. You should also check that all lights are off and the building is secured.  All windows and doors should be closed. Weekly Test the fire alarm. Choose a different part of the system (for example a smoke detector or call point) each week. If you use battery powered torches, test that these light up. Open all fire exit doors. Monthly Take a look to see if safety equipment is in the right place, such as fire extinguishers and first aid kits. With fire extinguishers, look to see if the tamper seal has been broken and that the pressure gauge is OK (not all extinguishers have a pressure gauge). Test emergency lighting for about ten minutes, checking that it remains lit and shows no sign of failure, such as flickering or flashing. Check all doors along exit routes open without the use of a key and all fire exits are clear of obstructions. Walk arround the premises - both inside and out - and ensure that there are no new hazards or maintenance issues that need to be corrected. Six-monthly Have lifts serviced by a reputable company (when used to transport people). Check the self-closing mechanisms of self-closing doors and the release mechanism of automatic fire doors. Test emergency lighting for one hour. Annually Have fire extinguishers tested and inspected by a competent person - you should get a certificate that shows that this equipment has been checked. A competent person should test and inspect the fire detection and alarm system. Ensure electrical appliances are tested by a competent person. (some appliance need to be tested more frequently.) Heating systems need to be serviced (for gas systems, this must be done by a CORGI registered gas installer competent to work on non domestic systems). Check that exit signs are in the right place and show the correct arrows and symbols. Inspect any grounds and memorial stones, checking that trees and fences are in good condition. Check wooden seating for signs of rotting, woodworm and other problems. Ensure that your Risk Assessments are reviewed and updated as needed, along with all other paperwork such as the Health and Safety Policy. Have your electrical installation tested for electrical safety. (This can be reduced to once every 2 years for installations under five years old). 5-yearly Replace battery packs in fire alarm system controllers, emergency lighting equipment and other standby supplies. It is suggested that you have a survey of the building covering the fabric of the building, structure and other aspects of the building. This is usually part of the Quinquennial inspection carried out by many denominations.

It may not always be possible to do these things as regularly as listed above. It might be acceptable to do them less regularly, but the more often you can do them the better. In addition to this, some pieces of equipment might also need to be serviced, for example an organ.  It is commonly recommended that parts of organs, like the blower and humidifying equipment, should be serviced every six months.  This must be done by a competent person due to the need to maintain the electrical safety of the equipment and this person might suggest a different inspection schedule. The advice of a reputable company should be sought for equipment such as sprinkler systems and fire pumps, air conditioning systems and specialist work equipment (including lifting equipment) Record keeping You should keep a record of what testing and maintenance you do and when. With fire safety equipment, this is known as the "fire log" but this can be combined with other items in a general "safety log" book.  These records are kept to prove that these checks have been made (which is known as "Due Diligence" in Health and Safety). You simply need to make a note of who did what and when. You should also make a note of anything that did not work correctly or needs to be repaired or otherwise made serviceable again. This work should be done as soon as possible, such as the next day for a defective fire detector. The person carrying out this work should sign off the log book once the repair has been completed. Where an external company is called in (such as for the fire extinguishers, a lift or a gas heating system), a certificate or report is usually produced.  This must be checked carefully to make sure that no repair works have been identified.  These documents must be kept in a safe place, with some people preferring to display a copy of certificates in a suitable place. [Home Page] [About Us] [Site Map & Search] [FAQ]