Write a risk assessment for Smoking behind the workshop

Smoking behind a workshop should be treated as a fire and health risk activity that requires a documented risk assessment, a designated smoking area only where permitted, and clear controls to prevent ignition of combustibles, flammable vapors, waste, and nearby work processes. The core assessment should identify the task, location, nearby hazards, likelihood of injury or fire, severity of consequences, and required controls before relying on PPE. If smoking is near flammable liquids, combustible waste, hot work, gas cylinders, fuel storage, battery charging, or other ignition-sensitive operations, the risk may be unacceptable and smoking should be prohibited in that area. [1] [9] [8]

Key risk assessment points:

• Identify all ignition sources in and around the rear of the workshop, including smoking, hot work, grinders, welding, heaters, pilot lights, electrical faults, battery charging, and static discharge.
• Identify fuels and combustibles nearby, such as flammable liquids, LPG, solvents, paints, oily rags, timber, cardboard, packaging, dust, waste bins, and stored gas cylinders.
• Assess whether smoking could expose workers to fire, smoke, vehicle movement, poor lighting, weather slip hazards, or second-hand smoke.
• Rate the risk by considering both severity and probability; if the area is near flammable materials or hazardous operations, suspend smoking there and relocate the smoking area.
• Review the assessment whenever the layout changes, new materials are introduced, an incident occurs, or at regular intervals.

[3] [13] [14] A designated smoking area, if allowed by company policy and local law, should be physically separated from workshop operations and from any combustible or flammable materials. It should not be located near fuel stores, solvent cabinets, waste skips, loading areas, battery charging stations, hot work areas, temporary heaters, air intakes, exits needed for evacuation, or places where flammable vapors may accumulate. The area should be clearly defined, kept clean, and equipped with suitable cigarette disposal containers that prevent smoldering waste from igniting nearby materials. [1] [1] [1]

Fire hazard controls and ignition prevention:

• Post and enforce 'No Smoking' or 'No Smoking or Open Flame' signs anywhere flammable or combustible materials are used, stored, or transferred.
• Do not permit smoking at or near hot work, exposed flames, fuel handling, solvent use, paint mixing, LPG storage, or any operation with a fire hazard.
• Keep combustible and flammable materials away from ignition sources and separate smoking areas from hazardous operations.
• Provide suitable fire extinguishers, keep them unobstructed, inspect and maintain them, and train employees in their use.
• Include the smoking area and surrounding rear-yard area in routine fire inspections.

[11] [11] [3] [1] Housekeeping is critical. The area behind a workshop often accumulates pallets, cardboard, bins, oily rags, scrap timber, dust, and discarded packaging, all of which can turn a cigarette ember into a fire. Keep the smoking area free of combustible debris, empty waste containers regularly, clean up flammable liquid spills promptly, and store solvent-contaminated rags in covered metal containers. Cigarette ends should be disposed of only in purpose-designed metal receptacles and never into general waste bins containing combustibles. [1] [11] [3]

Employee safety procedures should cover both fire prevention and health protection. Workers should wash hands after handling hazardous materials and before smoking, and smoking should only occur in a clean area, not in active work areas. Employees should be instructed never to smoke while carrying flammable substances, wearing contaminated gloves or clothing, or standing where vapors, dusts, or vehicle movements create additional risk. Supervisors should communicate the rules, monitor compliance, and include smoking controls in induction and routine safety briefings. [2] [2] [1]

PPE is not the primary control for smoking-related fire risk; elimination, separation, engineering controls, and administrative rules come first. However, a PPE hazard assessment may still be needed for the route to and from the smoking area or for the surrounding workshop hazards. For example, if employees pass through vehicle routes, overhead hazards, or active work zones, they may still need high-visibility clothing, safety footwear, eye protection, or head protection as required by the site assessment. If there is any credible exposure to ignition sources and combustible atmospheres, flame-resistant or fire-resistant clothing may be necessary for the work activity, but this does not make smoking safe near flammables. [4] [2] [5] [6] [7]

Emergency procedures should include:

• Immediate reporting of any smoldering material, bin fire, grass fire, or smoke near the workshop rear area.
• Raising the alarm, calling emergency services where required, and evacuating if fire involves flammable liquids, gas cylinders, or rapidly spreading materials.
• Using the correct extinguisher only if the fire is small, the person is trained, and there is a safe escape route.
• Stopping work and isolating the area if a cigarette causes ignition near hazardous materials.
• Practicing emergency response so employees know what to do in the event of fire, spill, or injury.

[2] [5] [1] For compliance, the employer should document the smoking-area risk assessment, implement controls based on the hierarchy of controls, communicate rules to employees, inspect the area regularly, and maintain evidence of signage, training, extinguisher checks, and housekeeping. A compliant approach also requires reviewing whether workplace health and safety rules, fire safety legislation, landlord/site rules, and any smoke-free workplace laws prohibit smoking in that location altogether. If the area cannot be kept clear of ignition-sensitive hazards, the safest and most defensible control is to prohibit smoking there and designate a safer location away from the workshop. [10] [12] [15] [14]