NEWS

Fire safety details out

New forms and details on the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order are now available for business. This piece of legislation replaced over 70 pieces of fire safety law and is the biggest single change in the fire safety sector in modern times.

The Order 2005 applies to all non-domestic premises in England and Wales, including the common parts of blocks of flats or houses in multiple occupation (HMOs). The law applies to you if you are:

• responsible for business premises
• an employer or self-employed with business premises
• responsible for a part of a dwelling where that part is solely used for business purposes
• a charity or voluntary organisation
• a contractor with a degree of control over any premises

Under the Order, the responsible person must carry out a fire safety risk assessment and implement and maintain a fire management plan. Further information on what you need to do when carrying out a risk assessment is available in the 5-step fire risk assessment checklist below.

In addition, more detailed advice and guidance on the implementation of a fire risk management plan can be found in the series of guidance documents available below or on the Fire Gateway website (see link below). The more technical guidance documents have been produced with specific types of business premises in mind

If, having completed a fire risk assessment, you need more practical advice or information, your local Fire and Rescue Authority may be able to help or see the links below.