Fire Safety and Fire Risk Assessment
Fire Safety Regulations - Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety)
The new "Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety)" Order came into force in October 2006, but a survey conducted by Corus Fire Engineering has shown that almost 50% of businesses that responded are unaware of how to comply with these new regulations. Failure to comply with this new order could lead to heavy fines, and in cases of fire related fatalities, imprisonment. It is therefore important that you understand exactly what is required in order to comply with this new legislation.
There are four main reasons behind this new fire legislation. The main point is to consolidate all the existing fire safety regulations into one piece of legislation. Secondly, the new fire legislation emphasises preventing fires and reducing the risk of fires, rather than concentrating on what to do if a fire does occur (prevention rather than cure). Thirdly, the new set of regulations have eliminated the need for fire certificates. Finally, and possibly most importantly, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order makes YOU responsible for ensuring the safety of everyone on your premises. The order requires that a 'responsible person' is appointed to ensure the safety of others. This person is usually the person who is in control of the premises, be it the owner of the building, or the owner of the business in that building. For example, if there is more than one business in a building, it is likely that the business owner (or whoever is responsible for that area in the building) will be the 'responsible person' as regards the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order.
As the 'responsible person', you have to carry out a fire risk assessment for your premises, or appoint a competent person to carry out the assessment for you. The previous fire certificate is no longer valid, but it can be used as a starting point for your risk assessment.
If you want more information on the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order, who will be affected by them, and how you go about complying, you can click on the Fire Gateway, or contact Lucid to see how we can help you and your business comply with these new regulations.
Fire Safety training Courses
At Lucid, we offer several Fire Safety Training options. These range from 1/2 day fire awareness training sessions for staff, to more in-depth courses including fire warden training and risk assessments. All these can all be tairlored to suit the needs of your business, and we will work with you to provide a practical and workable solution that fits with your internal policies and procedures.
Fire Safety Inspections, Assessments and Audits
We can various fire safety services, including inspections, assessments and audits. Please contact us at Lucid to see how we can assist your business.