The Fire Safety Order

Introduction

New fire safety legislation came into force on October 1st, 2006.

To what does it apply?
The FSO applies to all non-domestic premises, including the voluntary sector and self-employed people with premises separate from their homes.

It applies in England and Wales.

Who is responsible?
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, e.g. the occupier or owner. In all other premises the person or persons in control of the premises will be responsible.

What duties does it entail?
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 those with special needs, and must include consideration of any dangerous substance likely to be on the premises.

Your fire risk assessment should
- help you to identify risks that can be removed or reduced and
- help you to decide on the nature and extent of the 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 main findings of the assessment.

Who will enforce it?
Responsibility for enforcement will lie with the local fire and rescue service authority.

Resources:

Rachel Wright of Chubb Fire gave a detailed presentation on the FSO at our CFM Conference. You can open a open of her full presentation as a pdf fiile by clicking on this link: Chubb presentation (This is a 2.2mb pdf file so it will be a bit slow to open.)

She has also provided a one-page summary in a Microsoft Word document: FSO quickguide.doc (600 kb)

Guidance:
The government department responsible for the FSO was the ODPM, which has now been re-named the Department for Communities and Local Government.

They have published guidance documents about the FSO. Here is a link to the web page: www.firesafetylaw.communities.gov.uk