FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT – DO YOU NEED ONE??

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO) is the main piece of legislation governing fire safety in buildings in England and Wales. It places legal duties on anyone in control of these premises (the Responsible Person – usually the owner or landlord) to undertake a fire risk assessment and put in place and maintain general fire precautions.

The FSO applies to all workplaces and the common parts of buildings containing two or more domestic premises. This includes:

• • Offices
  • Shops
  • Factories
  • Schools
  • Hospitals
  • Care homes
  • Multi-storey flats
  • Shopping centres
  • Hotels
  • Restaurants
  • Pubs
  • Nightclubs
  • Any other building where people work or visit

The Responsible Person must carry out a fire risk assessment to identify the fire hazards in their premises and to put in place measures to reduce the risk of fire and to ensure that people can safely escape in the event of a fire.

The fire risk assessment must be carried out by a competent person. This means someone who has the knowledge and experience to identify and assess fire hazards. The Responsible Person can carry out the assessment themselves, or they can appoint a competent person to do it for them.

The fire risk assessment should be recorded and kept up to date. It should be reviewed regularly to make sure that it is still accurate and that the measures in place are still effective.

The Responsible Person must also provide fire safety training to employees and other people who work on or in their premises. This training should cover the following:

• The fire risk assessment
• The fire safety procedures
• How to use fire equipment
• How to evacuate the building in the event of a fire

The Responsible Person must also make sure that fire safety equipment is in good working order and that it is regularly checked and maintained.

The FSO is enforced by the fire and rescue authorities in England and Wales. If the fire and rescue authority finds that the Responsible Person has not complied with the FSO, they can take enforcement action. This could include issuing an improvement notice, a prohibition notice, or a fine.

The FSO is an important piece of legislation that helps to keep people safe from fire. By carrying out a fire risk assessment and putting in place fire safety measures, the Responsible Person can help to prevent fires and to ensure that people can safely escape in the event of a fire.

HSADD Ltd can help by attending your premises and completing a full Fire Risk Assessment and providing a full report together with recommendations for ‘Substantial other findings’, advice and guidance, together with meeting your local fire Officer at the time of an inspection.