The Fire Safety Laws
Why you must be on top of Fire Risk
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) stipulates that employers – and/or building owners or occupiers – must carry out a fire safety risk assessment and then ensure it is kept up to date. This shares the same approach as health and safety risk assessments. Fire Risk Assessments can be carried out either as part of an overall risk assessment or as a separate exercise.
It’s the law
From 1st October 2006 The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires the Responsible Person (RP) of any non domestic premises to carry out a fire risk assessment. This is the principal legislation covering fire risk.
Based on the findings of the assessment, employers need to ensure that adequate and appropriate fire safety measures are in place to minimise the risk of injury or loss of life in the event of a fire.
To help prevent fire in the workplace, your risk assessment needs to identify what could cause a fire to start, such as the sources of ignition (ie. the presence of heat and sparks) and substances that burn, and of course the people who may be at risk.
Issues of Non Compliance
If you don’t comply with your fire risk obligations, the Fire authority can issue a number of measures such as “Alterations Notice, Enforcement notices or Prohibition notices” – the results of which vary – significantly.
They can include enforced physical or management changes, right through to closure of your premises.
Further consequence of non-compliance range from minor fines of up to £5,000, however there is also the possibility of much more significant penalties being enforced for breach of the regulations in the workplace, such as “unlimited” fines and also up to 2 years in prison.
The Role of the Responsible Person
If you are an employer or a person having control over premises, you are responsible for the fire safety of everyone who might lawfully be on your premises.
As such, your duties include:
- Undertaking a Fire Risk Assessment
- Being responsible for general fire precautions
- Ensuring the principals of fire prevention are adopted, across your organisation
- Addressing fire safety arrangements, fire safety policy and procedures
- Considering those at risk or particularly vulnerable or who may have disabilities
- Taking responsibility for warning people in the event of a fire
- Guaranteeing that suitable detection systems are in place
- Eliminating or reducing the risk from dangerous substances, chemicals and liquid
- Providing adequate means of escape
- Taking measures for fire fighting equipment
- Providing an evacuation plan and procedures that must be adhered to in the event of a fire
- Maintaining all fire safety systems
- Ensuring those staff that have designated tasks in the event of a fire are appropriately trained
- Regularly reviewing all processes and amending as required
