Fire Safety Risk Assessments
Fire safety risk assessments are obligatory for all premises used as workplaces or buildings to which the public have access. The highest priority premises for fire risk assessment include those that provide sleeping accommodation - eg care homes, hotels, guest houses, etc.
The Responsible Person must ensure that a fire risk assessment is undertaken by a competent person. That person must have a good knowledge and understanding of the principles of fire safety, familiarity with the use of the building and any significantly high-fire-risk factors and ability to interpret relevant Government Guides.
Fire safety risk assessment must relate to a relevant standard. Government Guides have been published which provide the minimum standard for fire risk assessment. There are eleven such guidance documents, each relevant to a particular type of premises (eg, sleeping accommodation, places of public assembly, factories and warehouses, etc).
Fire safety risk assessment in accommodation used for paying guests, such as self-catering cottages, B&B, small guest houses, should relate to the adopted industry standard, 'Do you have paying guests?'
Fire risk assessments must be regularly reviewed (eg, annually) or if there are substantive changes to fire-risk factors.
Young persons under the age of 18 may not legally be employed unless a fire safety risk assessment has been completed before that young person starts work.
Dangerous substances (eg, flammables or oxidising agents) may not be stored or used in any workplace unless a related fire risk assessment has been undertaken (irrespective of quantity of dangerous substance). Where the use of any dangerous substance may lead to an explosive atmosphere during process, the fire risk assessment must pay due regard to this potential.
Injury or loss of life from fire can have serious consequences for the Responsible Person if a fire safety risk assessment has not been undertaken. The Fire Brigade may consider legal proceedings if there has not been a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment undertaken. Equally also, insurance indemnity cover could be jeopardised.
Safety Cornwall Ltd can assist you with your fire risk assessments. Professional expertise is locally available from our fire safety adviser and consultant. We can undertake your fire safety risk assessments for you and also help you to develop your emergency action plan and train your staff to implement the procedures effectively and correctly.