Fire Risk Assessment
Fires can cause serious damage to people and places. About half of workplace fires are caused deliberately and about half are caused by things such as electrical faults, careless smokers and the misuse of tools that have naked flames. Fire demands three things: a source of ignition (heat), oxygen and fuel. Take one of these three things away and a fire cannot survive or start.
Under the new Fire Safety legislation the 'responsible person' for each premises will be required to carry out a fire risk assessment and take steps to reduce or remove the risk.
Bravanark can conduct a fire risk assessment of your premises as required by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order. We will identify any hazards that may cause and/or contribute to a fire, we will advise you on how to remove the hazard or minimize the risks involved, and we will identify any training that may be required to equip your workforce to deal with fire and fire evacuations.
As from October 2006 businesses no longer need a fire certificate and fire certificates will no longer be valid, inspections will continue and evidence of assessments will be required. The 'responsible person' is the person/s who owns or controls the business. This is also the owner of the property. If the two are different they must share responsibility and are obliged to co-operate.
The HM Government has produced a 'Five Steps' guide to Fire Safety Risk Assessment.
1. Identify the fire hazard
2. Identify people at risk
3. Evaluate, remove, reduce and protect from risk
4. Record, plan, inform, instruct and train
5. Review
The following guidance will help you to decide what action you should take!
Guidance note Fire Safety in Educational Premises
Guidance note Fire Safety in Residential Care Homes
Guidance note Fire Safety in Animal premises
Guidance note Fire Safety in Factories and Warehouses
Guidance note Fire Safety in Health Care Premises
Guidance note Fire Safety in Large Places of Assembly
Guidance note Fire Safety in Small and Medium Places of Assembly
Guidance note Fire Safety in Theatres and Cinemas
Guidance note Fire Safety in Transport Premises and Facilities
Guidance note Fire Safety in Sleeping Accommodation
Guidance note Fire Safety in Offices and Shops
The guides explain what you might do to comply with fire safety law, help you to carry out and review a fire risk assessment and identify the general fire precautions you need to have in place and keep maintained.
The responsible person, with limited formal training or experience, should be able to carry out a basic fire risk assessment for their premises. If you read the fire safety guide and decide you are unable to apply the guidance then you should seek expert advice from a 'competent person'.
More complex premises and those deemed to be of a certain fire risk will probably need to be assessed by a 'competent person' who has comprehensive training or experience in fire risk assessment.
For further details call 01189541700 or email us at enquiry@bravanark.co.uk
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