Fire safety assessments
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 introduced the need for employers, building owners and occupiers to have a greater understanding of fire safety and nominate a ‘responsible person’ to ensure compliance. It requires any person who exercises some level of control in premises to take reasonable steps to reduce the risk from fire and ensure occupants can safely escape if a fire does occur. Under the order the responsible person must carry out a fire safety risk assessment and implement and maintain a fire management plan including:
Carry out or nominate someone to carry out a fire risk assessment
Consider who may be especially at risk
Eliminate or reduce the risk from fire as far as is reasonably practical
Take additional measures to ensure fire safety where flammable/explosive materials are used/stored
Create a plan to deal with any emergency and in most cases document findings
Review the findings as necessary
In such premises achieving fire safety is often a matter of common sense but you will have to ensure that sufficient time is put aside to work through the necessary steps. In more complicated premises or those with a high life risk more expert help may be required. The order applies to virtually all premises and covers nearly every type of building, structure and open space. It excludes purely domestic premises occupied by a single family group.
Jim Slater
FIRE SAFETY AUDITS
