New Fire Reguations Are Now in Force - Do You Comply?

October 2006

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order came into effect on 1 October 2006 in England and Wales. The new fire safety regulations will apply to most commercial premises, including all licensed premises.

Under the existing legislation, employers and managers of commercial buildings need to prepare a fire risk assessment which identifies the risks and sets out precautions and safety measures for those who may be at risk from fire.

On 1 October, any existing fire certificates which have been issued under the previous regulations ceased to have any effect.

Under the new regulations, a “responsible person” must be nominated to carry out that risk assessment. Following the risk assessment, fire precautions which are both adequate and suitable need to be put in place and more importantly, need to be maintained. There may be more than one person carrying out the duties of a responsible person, particularly in a large premises or where there are a number of different areas that would need to be evacuated or supervised. Responsible persons should be assisted by a nominated competent person

There is a much greater onus on the employer, through their responsible person, to prepare their own fire risk assessment and put in place their own suitable measures. For those people lucky enough to have a fire officer who comes out and does a check, and gives a list of steps to be taken, this will soon be a thing of the past.

The fire risk assessment will need to be comprehensive. It will cover a wide variety of things from fire fighting equipment, escape routes, access for emergency services, evacuation of persons within the building including disabled persons and those with mobility difficulties, positioning of fire fighting equipment, suitable signage and a minimisation of fire risks.

For those premises offering regulated entertainment, for example discos and nightclubs, there will be a greater emphasis on fire precautions and safety measures. Schools, churches, meeting halls, cinemas, community centres etc will all need comprehensive risk assessments.

For those wanting assistance with fire risk assessments, please contact us. We can provide advice and can refer you to specialist organisations that can assist you in the preparation and maintenance of your fire risk assessments.

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