Safe and Sound for the Season: Fire Safety and Compliance Over the Festive Period
As the festive season approaches, many businesses experience significant changes in how their sites are used. Retailers extend trading hours, offices host seasonal events, and industrial sites may close for short periods or operate with reduced staff.
These shifts can increase both fire risk and compliance challenges — making it essential for facilities managers to ensure systems are safe, tested, and fully operational before the holiday period begins.
At UK Facilities Solutions, we work with businesses across the UK to maintain compliance, protect people, and keep operations running safely all year round.
Why Fire Safety Matters More at Christmas
The weeks leading up to Christmas often bring extra electrical loads, temporary decorations, and increased activity in buildings that may already be operating at full capacity.
In retail, stock levels rise and footfall increases. In offices, portable heaters, lights, and appliances may appear in spaces not designed for them. And in warehouses or industrial sites, equipment may be running for longer hours or left idle over the shutdown period.
Each of these factors can elevate fire risk — and with staff rotations or holiday closures, early detection and prevention become even more critical.
Fire Door Inspections: The First Line of Defence
Fire doors are a crucial safety feature designed to contain fire and smoke, giving occupants valuable time to evacuate and emergency services to respond.
However, fire doors only perform as intended when correctly installed, maintained, and inspected.
A comprehensive fire door inspection should check for:
Correct door alignment and closing speed
Intact seals and hinges
Damage or warping to door leafs or frames
Functioning latches and signage
Planned inspections before the Christmas period ensure that, whether your site is fully occupied or closed for a break, passive fire protection remains reliable.
Alarm and Detection Systems: Testing for Peace of Mind
Fire alarms and emergency lighting systems form the backbone of active fire safety.
Regular testing — ideally as part of a planned maintenance programme — confirms that these systems are operational, audible, and compliant with British Standards such as BS 5839-1 and BS 5266-1.
Ahead of the holiday period, facilities managers should ensure:
Alarm sounders and call points are fully functional
Detection coverage is unobstructed by decorations or temporary structures
Emergency lighting is tested and correctly illuminated
System servicing is up to date and records are documented
These steps not only meet compliance requirements but also provide reassurance that, in the event of an incident, the system will respond exactly as intended.
Electrical Safety: Reducing Seasonal Risks
Electrical systems are under increased demand during winter. Extra lighting, heating, and seasonal displays can strain circuits and increase the risk of faults or overloads.
Periodic electrical testing — including EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Reports) — helps identify issues before they lead to power failures or fire hazards.
For multi-site or large estates, scheduling electrical inspections before year-end shutdowns ensures that faults are addressed and certification remains valid into the new year.
Compliance and Record Keeping
Meeting statutory compliance obligations doesn’t just protect your premises — it protects your people and your reputation.
Keeping inspection reports, service logs, and certification up to date ensures you can demonstrate compliance at any time, while helping identify patterns or recurring issues across your portfolio.
Partnering with an experienced FM provider means having confidence that every aspect of your fire and electrical safety — from scheduling to documentation — is proactively managed.
Protecting People, Property, and Peace of Mind
Whether your business is preparing for a busy festive trading period or a winter shutdown, ensuring your premises are fire-safe and compliant is a critical responsibility.
At UK Facilities Solutions, our engineers provide complete support across:
Fire door inspection and maintenance
Fire alarm and emergency lighting servicing
Electrical testing and compliance reporting
Planned and reactive maintenance across HVAC, lighting, and building systems
Our goal is simple — to help businesses stay safe, compliant, and operational, no matter the season.
Get in touch to arrange your fire safety and compliance inspections before the festive period:
01825 598400 | info@ukfsl.co.uk
