About the Fire Safety Order
- What is the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order?
- Who does it apply to?
- Who is the 'Responsible Person' and what are their responsibilities?
- What happens if I don't follow the rules?
- Responsible for fire safety in Scotland or Northern Ireland?
To find the answers to these questions read on!
Fire authorities no longer issue fire certificates and those previously in force have no legal status any more.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order (RR(FS)O) replaces most fire safety legislation with one order. It means that any person who has some level of control in premises must take steps to reduce the risk from fire, consider how to contain a fire should one break out and then also make sure people can safely escape if there is a fire.
These fire safety rules affecting all non-domestic premises in England and Wales came into force on 1 October 2006. In England and Wales, under the Order, anyone who has control of premises or anyone who has a degree of control over certain areas or systems may be a ‘Responsible Person’, for example, it could be:
- An employer
- Self-employed with business premises
- A managing agent or owner of shared premises
- A charity or voluntary organisation
- A contractor with a degree of control over any premises
The Order applies to virtually all premises and covers nearly every type of building, structure and open space. For example, it applies to:
- Offices & Shops
- Factories & Warehouses
- Sleeping Accommodation
- Residential Care Premises
- Educational Premises
- Small, Medium and Large places of assembly (including community halls, places of worship and pubs, clubs and restaurants)
- Theatres & Cinemas
- Outdoor Events
- Healthcare Premises
- Transport Premises & Facilities
It does NOT apply to private homes including individual flats in a block or house.
The Responsible Person is responsible for the safety of the employees and relevant persons by effectively managing:
- Fire risk assessments
- Fire safety policy
- Fire procedures
- Fire drills
- Means of escape
- Emergency lighting
- Fire alarms and extinguishers
- Fire doors & compartments
- Fire evacuations
- Signs & notices
The Responsible Person must keep records on risk assessments, the current fire safety policy, procedures, training and drills. The routine maintenance of all fire alarm systems and emergency lighting and extinguishers must also be recorded.
If you are the Responsible Person and you do not comply you could face two years in prison and also a heavy fine of £5,000, as well as carrying the moral burden of not appearing to care about your staff, customers and other visitors. Our news section carries the latest evidence of these penalties.
More information can be gained from the Communities and Local Government's (CLG) website.
Fire Law in Scotland and Northern Ireland
In Scotland and Northern Ireland the fire legislation is slightly different to that of England and Wales.
In Scotland the law is called the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005. In Northern Ireland, the Fire & Rescue Service (NI) Order 2006 and subsequentFire Safety (NI) Regulations 2010 replaced most pre-existing fire safety legislation. Both of these legislation affect all non domestic premises.
The person responsible for fire safety in Scotland is called the 'Duty Holder' and regulations in Northern Ireland refer to the 'Appropriate Person'. Despite different titles, the duties are the same – to ensure the safety of the people in the premises.
For more details on the fire safety requirements in Scotland and Northern Ireland go to the following websites:
Scotland - http://www.firelawscotland.org
Northern Ireland - http://www.nifrs.org/firesafe/introduction.php
Or call the FIA on 020 3166 5002.
