09/01/06 - Changes to fire safety law.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has published
on its website information with regard to the changes to fire safety
law to be brought in by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
(RRFSO).
The Order is designed to make the law easier to understand and comply
with, while placing a greater focus on prevention, and will consolidate
the existing fire safety law which is currently found within more than
70 pieces of legislation.
Specifically, the Order will repeal the Fire Precautions Act 1971 and
amend or remove wherever possible the many other provisions dealing
with fire safety contained in other legislation, in the biggest single
reform of fire safety legislation in over 30 years.
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.
Source :BBC
