Fire prevention plan checklist for waste sites

• You accept any amount of combustible waste (for example paper, plastics, wood, textiles, rubber, RDF/SRF, WEEE or mixed waste).
• You have checked your sector against the guidance: waste metals and ELVs, non-hazardous waste and WEEE are in scope; some biowaste, combustion and other sectors may be partly in scope.
• You have checked the exclusions: the guidance does not apply to hazardous waste (other than WEEE), including hazardous waste batteries accepted as a separate waste stream, which are covered by Sector Guidance Note 5.06.
• If you are unsure, or want to propose alternative measures, you have contacted the Environment Agency.

• Your plan shows how you will minimise the likelihood of a fire happening.
• It aims for a fire to be extinguished within 4 hours (or you have agreed an alternative with the EA).
• It shows how you will minimise the spread of fire within the site and to neighbouring sites.

• A scaled site plan showing buildings, waste piles, hazardous and flammable materials, fuel tanks and fixed plant.
• All permanent ignition sources, shown at least 6m from combustible and flammable waste.
• Separation distances, fire walls, pile dimensions and the quarantine area.
• Fire engine access routes, perimeter access points, hydrants and water supplies.
• Drainage runs, drain closure valves and fire water containment.
• Sensitive receptors within 1km, with a compass rose and the prevailing wind direction.

• Arson: security measures such as fencing, intruder alarms and CCTV, including out-of-hours arrangements, with the location of CCTV and alarms described.
• A maintenance and inspection programme for static and mobile plant; vehicles fitted with extinguishers; idle plant kept away from combustible waste.
• Certified electrical installations with written maintenance procedures.
• A no-smoking policy, or designated smoking areas away from combustible waste.
• Hot works controlled (for example a permit to work), with a fire watch afterwards, particularly at the end of the day.
• Regular fire watches during operating hours and at the end of the day for dust on hot exhausts and engine parts.
• Batteries: measures for incorrectly disposed batteries; lithium and Li-ion batteries stored separately; damaged ones quarantined away from buildings in a waterproof container with sand or similar.
• Waste acceptance checks and a written procedure for identifying, isolating, monitoring and cooling hot loads, with a hot-load quarantine area.

Where AI detection fitsCCTV is named as a security measure. The same cameras can run intrusion detection out of hours and watch tipping areas for visible smoke from hot loads.

• A maximum storage time for every material, with stock rotation and records; combustible waste stored for less than 6 months.
• Extra measures, such as temperature monitoring, for waste kept at maximum pile sizes for more than 3 months.
• Temperature triggers and the actions staff take, including detecting and managing hotspots.
• For bales stored over 3 months: a sampling protocol (minimum 10% of bales), core temperature readings and turning.

• Piles within the maximum sizes for each waste type, no higher than 4m and no longer or wider than 20m.
• At least 6m between piles, and between waste and the site perimeter, buildings and other combustibles.
• Fire walls and bays, where used, resist fire for at least 120 minutes with a 1m freeboard.

• A quarantine area within the permitted boundary, large enough for at least 50% of the largest pile, row or block, with 6m around it.
• At least one quarantine area kept clear at all times.
• A procedure for moving waste to it as soon as possible, and at most within 1 hour of a fire starting.

Where AI detection fitsCameras can watch the quarantine area for smoke, flame and people, day and night.

• Procedures to detect a fire in its early stages.
• The plan shows how the detection system raises the alarm both during working hours and when the site is closed.
• The system is proportionate to your activities and risks; it may be automated or manual.
• You have considered appropriate automated systems: smoke and heat detectors (including temperature probes), CCTV visual flame detection systems, and spark, infrared and ultraviolet detection.
• Design, installation and maintenance are covered by an appropriate third-party certification scheme (such as UKAS) or a recognised standard, with evidence in the plan; or you can show you still meet the 3 objectives.

Where AI detection fitsThe EA lists CCTV visual flame detection among the automated options. Woodcock AI watches existing cameras for visible smoke and flame and raises the alarm by push, email or SMS around the clock, with relay outputs on the edge server. Alerts to a monitoring centre (ARC) and phone-call alerts are available as optional add-ons. Check with the EA what certification evidence it needs for your site.

• If you store waste in a building, a proportionate fire suppression system that enables a fire to be extinguished within 4 hours.
• Certification evidence for automated and suppression equipment, and how any manual suppression works when the site is closed.
• The site is designed for active firefighting, with plant, staff, water and finances available at all times.

• Enough water for a reasonable worst case, such as your largest pile, with your calculation and source in the plan (for a 300 cubic metre pile, at least 2,000 litres a minute for 3 hours unless you take other actions).
• Water supplies ideally within 100m of the site access.
• Containment for fire water run-off, sized for a worst-case fire, and no plan to divert fire water to a foul sewer.

Where AI detection fitsThe guidance says you may be able to reduce the water supply requirements if you can demonstrate that "a pile will not become fully involved in a fire due to early detection and action".

• Contingency measures, such as diverting incoming waste and notifying neighbours.
• How you will clear and decontaminate the site before it reopens.

• Staff and contractors are trained on the plan, and the plan says what training covers and how often.
• Regular exercises that test the plan, beyond a simple evacuation drill.
• The plan is reviewed regularly and revised after a fire or near miss, a change of activities or surroundings, or if the EA asks.
• Revised plans are sent to the Environment Agency for approval and implemented.

Where AI detection fitsSaved detection events and clips can feed your near-miss reviews and exercises.