Updated Fire Safety

The fire safety order of 2005 laws give detailed descriptions of the responsibilities of both employers and others when it comes to a fire and keeping those around you safe. At the present moment there are many fire safety laws that have undergone numerous provisions which in turn make it difficult for people to know what applies to them and their companies in respect of complying with the laws. As part of the government’s commitment to limit the amount of deaths, and injuries caused by fires, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has enforced changes in the fire safety laws. The previous fire safety law will be repealed and substituted with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order of 2005. These changes have since been approved by the Parliamentary and went into effect as of April 2006.

This Regulatory Reform Order is basically a fire risk assessment in which the person who is responsible for the premises are expected to come up with ways to address whatever risks are present, all while meeting the specific fire safety requirements of the location you are in. By taking on a fire risk judgment, the person(s) will need to look at how to prevent fire from happening in the first place. The way that this can be done is by taking away or cutting back on the hazards and risks present in the facility. Also the person in charge should take into account the necessary precautions that will need to be taken in order to ensure the safety of the individuals inside the facility in case a fire breaks out. Nonetheless the main goal of the changes to the law is to head towards fire prevention. This assessment must also include the effects that a fire may have on the people on the premises or surrounding the premises as well as the neighboring facilities. The building fire risk judgment should also be reviewed on a regular basis. 

This Regulatory Reform Order literally applies to all non-domestic properties; these properties include voluntary organizations as well. These dimensions will be subject to monitoring as well as the appropriate enforcement by the Local Authority Fire Service (LAFS) hence something is not up to par with the regulations. In general the Regulatory Reform is in place to be less of a burden and much clearer, so that the person(s) that are obligated to abide by it are able to understand it. All other previous fire laws will be done away with, including The Fire Precautions Act of 1971 as well as the rectified Fire Precaution Regulations of 1997. Also 100 other fire safety laws and legislation will be included in this particular revocation.

Likewise all fire certificated will be abolished and won’t be issued anymore.  Responsible parties, most of the time the facility owner or co-owner will be held accountable for the fire safety of the facility and all individuals associated with the premises; they will basically take on full corporate liability. The responsible party is also has to worry about property safety, fire-fighter safety as well as the safety of the environment.  The RRFSO has now place a lot of emphasis on business continuity and prevention of small fires spreading into larger ones.  Therefore protection and security from fires will be explicitly extended to all occupants in the building, including employees, visitors, passers-by, contractors and any other individuals directly connected with the premises.