Fire Risk Assessments

Our Skills

RES have in-house fire risk assessors supported by highly trained technicians and engineers in their fields of expertise as well as a number of specialist consultants all independently qualified as a ‘competent person’. This places RES in an enviable position of being able to provide practical and cost effective ‘fire safety engineering solutions‘ for our clients.
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The Law

Fire safety law changed in October 2006 with the introduction of The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRFSO) – affecting all non-domestic premises in England and Wales. The RRFSO simplifies over 70 pieces of previous fire safety legislation and repealed Acts such as the the Fire Precautions Act 1971, the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997 (amended 1999). The objective of the new law is to reduce death, injury and damage caused by fire by placing the responsibility for fire safety on the employer or ‘Responsible Person’ for that building or premises. The main effect of the changes is a move towards greater emphasis on fire prevention and accountability.
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Fire Industry Association Guide to Fire Safety Law

http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/fire/pdf/151102.pdf

‘Responsible Person’

Under the Fire Safety Order the ‘Responsible Person’ for each premises is required to carry out a fire risk assessment and take steps to reduce or remove fire risks. Businesses no longer need a fire certificate and fire certificates are no longer be valid, Enforcing Authority Inspections will continue and evidence of the fire risk 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.
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Fire Safety Maintenance Checklist

We have produced an example of a Fire Safety checklist for premises.

Goto the Resources Section for more info
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Government Guidance Notes

HM Government guidance notes covering the following premises are made available to help you prepare for the changes that have come into force:
Guide 1 – Offices and shops 
Guide 2 – Factories and warehouses 
Guide 3 – Sleeping accommodation 
Guide 4 – Residential care premises
Guide 5 – Educational premises 
Guide 6 – Small and medium places of assembly 
Guide 7 – Large places of assembly 
Guide 8 – Theatres and cinemas 
Guide 9 – Outdoor events
Guide 10 – Healthcare premises 
Guide 11 – Transport premises and facilities
Guide 12 – Animal Premises and Stables

A supplemental guide for addressing means of escape for Disabled Persons provides additional information on accessibility and means of escape for disabled people.

The guides explain what you should do to comply with the fire safety order, 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.
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