Costs for Recycling Insurance and Waste Insurance have increased dramatically in the last five years, but recent new insurers into this market  have started to create competition for the better managed risks. The key to getting cheap Recycling Insurance is fire risk management and in this brief article we give Recycling businesses some pointers on what they can do to impress Insurers.

Read about our exclusive Recycling Insurance product for well managed firms here

A catastrophic event is a major cause of business failure in the UK, for Recyclers this is most likely to be a Fire Event. 

Here are eight tips that will help you buy cheap Recycling Insurance:

1. Keep stock levels down. Recyclable material tends to be easily combustible and once alight, have a high calorific value producing lots of radiant heat. Small levels of stock are going to result in a small and more easily contained fire. A large stockpile will be difficult to control and could set fire to surrounding property.

2. Stock Control System. Recyclables come with an inherent trace of contamination. Any organic matter mixed within raw of finished stock will start decomposing and produce heat. This can quickly lead to self-combustion and a fire event. Make sure you plan to use stock quickly and have a regular delivery, processing and export system that does not allow old stock to accumulate anywhere in the production lines.

3. Don’t run shredding and granulating plant unattended. These items create a lot of heat, especially high speed versions. There is also natural dust debris from the process and this is a common area of fire. Always make sure running plant has an operative in attendance to prevent uncontrolled fires.

4. Maintain your equipment regularly. A significant cause of fires in machinery is the operation of worn or badly maintained equipment. Ensure all machinery undergoes a structured service & maintenance plan to avoid these risks.

5. Test Electrical Circuits at least every 3 years. The Health & Safety Executive and UK Insurers both recommend regular inspection of the fixed electrical circuits in your premises. Damaged or overloaded circuits are a cause of many fires across the country every year. Wiring in high travel areas or with high power loads need to be inspected a frequently as possible, but the entire system should be checked for faults by a qualified electrician, we recommend for Recycling centres a 3 year minimum interval.

6. Fit fire suppression on mobile plant. Mobile plant combines three elements of high fire risk into one compact unit – A source of Ignition, Heat and Fuel. Because the soruce of fire is from a compact and initially contained area, mobile plant benefits from automatic suppression systems.

7. Clear up waste and dust daily. A good housekeeping routine should include daily dust removal and waste removal. Dust and waste tends to attract organics, oils and damp, three contributing factors to the risk of fire. Organic matter dust can lead to an explosive atmosphere and dust extraction may be warranted in certain production areas.

8. Get a Professional Fire Risk Assessment carried out, it will help you identify hazards you did not see and introduce better controls for all your fire risks. Did you know that business owners have ALREADY BEEN IMPRISONED in the UK for failure to complete an adequate fire risk assessment? Well this is fact and the UK Courts are increasingly using their powers to fine an imprison in an effort to reflect the fact that fires give rise to LOSS OF LIFE as well as property damage. A professional Fire Risk Assessment will start at around £ 400-500 varying dependent on the size of your premises. If you are in any doubt what a professional fire risk assessment should include, our recommended providers Phoenix Fire Safety, regularly produce assessments that run into over 70 pages!

If you would like any help managing your Fire Risk, get in touch with us. We will always be delighted to help! You can call us on 0845 431 0448 or email recycling@butlerevans.co.uk for expert advice.