October 2006
October 1st 2006 - New Fire Safety Law
New legislation regarding Fire Safety Law became effective from the beginning of this month. The new laws potentially affect every business in England, Scotland and Wales.
Under the new legislation, greater emphasis will be placed on fire prevention and fire certificates will be abolished, ceasing their legal status. The "responsible" person for each non-domestic premises will be required to carry out a risk assessment of fire and take steps to reduce or remove risk. Such an assessment will need to undergo regular review and take into account not only your own premises but the effects of fire on anyone around you.
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, e.g. 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.
Further help and information
A series of guides have been produced in order to assist those preparing fire risk assessments; giving detailed information on risk assessments and other issues.
The following is a list of the eleven RRO (Regulatory Reform Order) guides:
- Offices and Shops
- Premises providing Sleeping Accommodation
- Residential Care
- Small and Medium Places of Assembly
- Large Places of Assembly
- Factories and Warehouses (link to the downloadable guide)
- Theatres and Cinemas
- Educational Premises
- Healthcare Premises (responsibility of the Department of Health)
- Transport Premises and Facilities
- Open Air Events
A downloadable five step risk assessment short checklist has been published on the Communities and Local Government web site.
If you require further assistance with regards to the new fire safety laws contact Dr. Richard Whitaker on 01788 538 150/
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