Risk Assessments

Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

This piece of legislation which came into force on October 1st 2006 is a major change in legislation as fire certificates are no longer issued or enforced.

The Order applies to the majority of premises and workplaces in the UK. Broadly it does not apply to dwellings, the underground parts of mines, anything that floats, flies or runs on wheels, offshore installations, building sites or the military.  The government have done away with the previous 70 separate pieces of legislation, and replaced them with a new regime focused on preventing fires happening in the first place.
As an employer, or as someone who has control of a workplace, you must take steps to ensure that you have what is known as a 'suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment' in place; therefore anyone responsible for premises must have carried out a Fire Safety Risk Assessment by 1st October 2006. The Fire and Rescue Service will carry out inspections, and failure to comply could lead to enforcement action or even prosecution.

This new approach to fire safety law represents the most significant change for over 30 years. The new fire regulations have been introduced to simplify matters and make it more straightforward for people to understand what they should do.

A fire risk assessment helps you identify all the fire hazards and risks in your workplace. You can then decide whether they are acceptable or whether you need to do something to reduce or control them.

Who should do the risk assessment?

Someone who has had sufficient training or has good experience or knowledge of fire safety.

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.

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.

However where the competent person is a sub contractor it implies that the contractor should have some form of Third Party Accreditation.

Don’t let it happen to you
Below you will see an example of the action that can be taken if you do not comply with the recommendations and regulations that are now set out. We do aim to make everyone aware of the importance of this new law as it does protect the employers as well as the employees and general public.

'... Fire still remains the single biggest threat to any business. On Wednesday, 21 March 2007 at Andover Magistrates Court, Worldplace Ltd of Winchester Street, Basingstoke, who did not attend court, was found guilty of failing to comply with the requirements of fire safety legislation.
The Magistrates awarded fines totaling £33,000 plus costs against Worldplace Ltd, including the statutory maximum fine per offence in relation to their failure to comply with an enforcement notice served under these Regulations...'
*Fire Statistics (2003)
**Economic Cost of Fires Report 2005