What is the new fire safety legislation?
Fire Safety regulations changed on 1 October 2006 and were subsequently updated by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
This new Order has streamlined and refined the way fire legislation works; in essence, the new Order will require that ALL premises or sites to which employees or the public have access have a fire risk assessment carried out.
Fire certification will no longer be in effect, as the risk assessment will take its place. An emphasis on regular and appropriate safety training is highlighted, along with the penalties for non-compliance, which, in the worst case, could result in large fines and cessation of trading.
The order categorises businesses into two main groups: those with fewer than four employees and those with more than 4 employees (this number includes owners and directors).
If you have four or fewer at your place of work, you still must comply with all provisions of this order, but you are not required to have documented evidence of your risk assessment.
If you have 5 or more employees, then you must not only comply with all the provisions of the order but also have documented evidence of your risk assessment to prove your compliance.
The order holds the person with overall responsibility for the premises 100% responsible for fire safety and refers to them as the “responsible person”. The responsible person is liable for heavy fines and even imprisonment if found to be guilty of contravening the order.
The responsible person may nominate someone else to carry out the company’s fire safety; they would be called the “competent person” This should be an employee if they are suitably qualified, but may be an external company if no one is suitably qualified.
As a responsible person, what are my responsibilities?
You must take all reasonably practicable measures to ensure the safety of all your employees. You must also ensure the safety of any person who is not an employee while they are on your premises.
The responsible person must take “General Fire Precautions”; there are six main categories for this, and they must comply with all of them:
1. Reduce the risk of fires on the premises and prevent the spread of fire.
2. Have a means of escape from the premises
3. Ensure that at all times, escape routes and exits can be used
4. Have the correct firefighting equipment
5. Have a means for detecting and raising the fire alarm
6. Actions to be taken in the event of a fire, including training of staff and measures to reduce the effects of fire
You also need to consider any special requirements your business may have and implement measures to mitigate the risk of contributing to a fire, such as the use of plant machinery and the storage of hazardous materials.
The fire risk assessment is not only a necessity, but when carried out correctly, will ensure your business meets all the criteria of the order. You can download the government fire safety guides from their website:
https://www.gov.uk/workplace-fire-safety-your-responsibilities/fire-safety-advice-documents
These documents contain all the instructions necessary to carry out an excellent fire safety risk assessment.
Is anyone exempt from the new fire safety regulations?
Yes, A few people are exempt from this order, although it doesn’t mean they do not have to have good fire safety; they come under different regulations. The chosen few are:
This order does not apply to:
1. Domestic premises
2. An offshore installation
3. A ship
4. Fields, woods or other land forming part of an agricultural or forestry undertaking
5. Anything with wheels
6. A borehole site
How Often Should Staff Members Attend Fire Safety Training Courses?
Government guidance states that the frequency of fire training is based on the findings of the premises’ fire risk assessment.
Fire training should be conducted during induction and at subsequent refresher sessions at predetermined intervals.
If your business (such as care homes) has a high turnover of staff, we recommend fire training every 6 months.
Fire deaths and the cost of fire
The latest available figures (2010-11) show that in Britain, the Fire and Rescue Service attended a total of 287,000 fires, resulting in 388 fire-related deaths, with the majority (306) occurring in dwelling fires. [1] Although there has been a downward trend in the number of fire deaths in recent years, this trend has now plateaued, and new measures are needed to further decrease fire deaths.
Evidence suggests that certain population groups are at a higher risk of experiencing domestic fires. Research conducted by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has identified groups that are more at risk of fire than the general population. [2] According to this research, the vulnerable groups tend to be towards the lower income end and deprived demographic groups, specifically:
- Single, middle-aged people who drink and smoke at home (aged 40-59 with a male bias)
- Female single parents
- The very elderly (with a slight female bias)
- People with disabilities, and especially those who are mobility impaired
- Young people (16-24) – including students who are living communally, ie sharing living rooms, bathrooms and kitchens.
In 2004, the total economic cost of fires in the UK was estimated at £7.03 billion, equivalent to approximately 0.78% of the gross value added of the economy. [3] Of the £7.03 billion, £2.5 billion can be attributed to the consequential costs of fire, including property damage, lost business, and the economic impact of injuries and deaths. In 2008, the cost of fire was estimated at £8.3 billion, which includes both deliberate and accidental fire[4].
Fires in the UK are estimated to release over two million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year – this is excluding further emissions resulting from constructing replacement buildings and recycling the fire-damaged materials. In the UK, there have been no reported deaths from fire in a domestic dwelling installed with a sprinkler system.
– See more at: http://www.local.gov.uk/fire-and-rescue-services/-/journal_content/56/10180/3794846/ARTICLE#sthash.xR98L2EI.dpuf
What’s not covered by insurance after a fire?
There is a perception that the majority of the cost of a fire is insurable, however there are a number of areas which are not covered by insurance.
Financial surveys undertaken on behalf of insurance companies identify the cost of fires to the British economy, but these statistics only reflect insured costs; many other costs are not insurable.
For every pound spent on insurance, the average non-recoverable costs were approximately 10 times the amount paid, and in some cases, up to 36 times.
The cost of insurance premiums can be likened to the tip of an iceberg, with the majority of the costs hidden below the surface.
Some of the uninsured costs are:
Product and material damage
Plant and building damage
Tool and equipment damage
Legal costs
Expenditure on emergency
Supplies
Clearing site
Production delays
Overtime working and
Temporary labour
Investigation time
Supervisors’ time diverted
Clerical effort
Fines
Loss of expertise/experience
