Whether it is a new business starting out or one that’s been established for a while, if there is a need of a quick recap on fire risk assessment responsibilities, One may read on.
The article will be covering: who is responsible for fire risk assessments? the responsibilities associated with ensuring fire risk assessments are carried out, the importance of carrying out fire risk assessments, the consequences of failing to carry out a fire risk assessment, and who is responsible for ensuring fire risk assessments are carried out?
Owners, managers, or business operators must comply with fire safety law, which means that one must abide by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 – this applies to all (owners, managers, or business operators) throughout England and Wales. The Order includes almost all buildings and structures, apart from private homes, however, shared areas in a house or block of flats are also covered by the Order.
The responsibilities
One needs to ensure that their premises meet the required fire safety standards and provide employees with adequate fire safety training. Adequate staff fire safety training typically includes:
- Induction training that covers general fire awareness
- Refresher training after a certain period of time or extra training if fire risks increase due to changes in the business
- Training to support chosen ‘responsible people’ up to date with their fire safety duties
- Training that provides ‘responsible persons’ with the skills they require to do the job, can include practical fire extinguisher training
Fire risk assessments
Fire risk assessments are a legal requirement that not only identifies fire risks and hazards but also ensures that appropriate action is taken to minimize these risks. They also help to put measures in place to tackle or slow down a fire, should a fire still occur. Fire risk assessments are put in place to save buildings, stop the spread of fire, and more importantly, to save lives.
Consequences
Avoiding fire risk assessments can lead to heavy fines or imprisonment.