Health & Safety
SMEs Playing with Fire
Small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are in danger of missing out on new fire prevention laws that make individuals responsible for staff and buildings, according to the Passive Fire Protection Federation (PFPF).
From 1 October 2006, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order (RRO) 2005 states that anyone responsible for premises must carry out a fire safety-risk assessment or face enforcement action or prosecution from the fire and rescue service.
Pretty much all non-domestic premises in England and Wales will be affected and the old fire certificates will no longer be valid.
The small amount of current publicity about the new fire laws may also cause problems in the short-term for SMEs, according to the Federation of Small Businesses. A spokesman commented:
"A survey we carried out in March 2006 showed that 59% of small firms in England and Wales were unaware of the new requirements." - Federation of Small Business Spokesman
Fire Safety Update
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order, made in June 2005, is the biggest overhaul of fire-safety legislation in decades and is designed to avoid legislative duplication by amalgamating the various pieces of fire legislation.
The fire safety order will apply in England and Wales, while Northern Ireland and Scotland will have their own laws. There will also be a series of eleven guides published to assist those preparing fire-risk assessments in various types of fire risks.
The main changes the legislation will bring include:
- Fire certificates will be abolished and will cease to have legal status.
- Responsibility for complying with Fire Safety Order will rest with the 'Responsible Person'.
- If there is more than one responsible person in any type of premises, all must take all reasonable steps to work with each other.
- The fire-risk assessment will help to identify risks that can be removed or reduced and to decide the nature and extent of the general fire precautions needed to take to protect people against the fire risks that remain.
- If businesses employ five or more people they must record the significant findings of the assessment.
The introduction of this new legislation will be significant for many businesses, given the move from a prescriptive to self-compliment risk-based approach.
Fire Safety
The March issue of the Fire Protection Association Journal reported on the results of a survey carried out in England and Wales that attempted to assess changes following the introduction of the Fire Safety (Regulatory reform) Order 2005 (RRFSO). The survey, carried out in January 2007, spoke to fire safety professionals who carry out inspections of non-domestic premises and/or who work in the fire and rescue services. Based on a set of standard question the results were disturbing:
- Flammable or explosive substances stored hazardously - 12%
- Fire doors obstructed - 20%
- Fire doors wedged open - 65%
- Fire closure mechanisms removed or defeated - 20%
- Poor signage of escape routes -30%
It might be too optimistic to have expected anything different. The failings listed above are commonplace.
A series of 11 guides have been published to assist preparing for fire risk assessment.
More information is available at http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1162115
May 2007