Fire Safety
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 comes into effect
from 1st October 2006.
The main effect of the changes will be a move towards greater emphasis on fire
prevention in all non-domestic premises, including the voluntary sector and
self-employed people with premises separate from their homes.
Fire certificates will be abolished and will cease to have legal status.
The Fire Safety Order will apply in England and Wales. (Northern Ireland and
Scotland will have their own laws.) It covers 'general fire precautions' and
other fire safety duties which are needed to protect 'relevant persons' in case
of fire in and around most 'premises'. The Order requires fire precautions to
be put in place "where necessary" and to the extent that it is reasonable
and practicable in the circumstances of the case.
Responsibility for complying with the Fire Safety Order will rest with the 'responsible
person'. In a workplace, this is the employer and any other person who may have
control of any part of the premises, eg the occupier or owner. In all other
premises the person or people in control of the premises will be responsible.
If there is more than one responsible person in any type of premises, all must
take all reasonable steps to work with each other.
If you are the responsible person you will have to carry out a fire risk assessment
which must focus on the safety in case of fire of all 'relevant persons'. It
should pay particular attention to those at special risk, such as the disabled
and those with special needs, and must include consideration of any dangerous
substance likely to be on the premises. Your fire risk assessment will help
you identify risks that can be removed or reduced and to decide the nature and
extent of the general fire precautions you need to take to protect people against
the fire risks that remain.
If you employ five or more people you must record the significant findings of
the assessment.
For further information visit: http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1124877