Introduction of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order
With the introduction of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2004, responsibility for fire safety will fall on individuals who are intrinsically involved in their businesses or organisations. The fire authorities, or employed fire professionals, will not be a buffer in anyway to the role of insuring an effective fire safety strategy has been employed.
In Part 1 - Meaning of 'responsible person'
Who is responsible?
There is a clear outline of the definition for who is the -responsible person-.
Any employer who in any manner, the work place is under his or her control. Any person who has control of the premises (as occupier or otherwise) who is involved with any form of business or trading from that same premises. The owner, if the person in control of the premises does not have control of the business or given trade.
It seems abundantly clear that any person directly involved in running an organization whether commercial or not, that involves a building that includes staff and visitors, is without doubt responsible for the overall fire safety of the building and occupants.
The Reform Order is clear about the overall duties assigned to this 'responsible' person and I have listed some of them below:-
- Ensuring all measures are taken to reduce the risk of fire
- Ensuring all measures are taken to reduce the possible spread of fire
- Ensuring a clear and effective means of escape
- The correct placement of appropriate fire fighting equipment
- Ensuring effective fire and smoke detection facilities are installed
- Fire drill practice is understood and practiced
- Measures to reduce the effects of fire
- To ensure safe work practice - reducing the risk of fire
This includes use of plant and machinery and the correct storage of dangerous substances
Other duties will include a formal fire safety risk assessment, ensuring that the findings from such a risk assessment are made known and issues dealt with. Communication of fire safety matters to staff are key to the new Reform Order. The responsible person must inform staff on:-
- Risk identified in the risk assessment
- Measures made that are there to prevent and protect against fire
- All dangerous substances must be made known and an effective management procedure installed
In a nutshell the responsible person must provide comprehensible and relevant information on the risks to those employees and the preventive and protective measures taken by the responsible person.
The Reform Order is here to stay. So we all need to examine ourselves in the light of the question 'who is the responsible person?' If we fit into this category then no matter how busy we are we need to educate ourselves on our new responsibilities and in turn train our staff on theirs - because ultimately they are responsible for their own safety. That's because the main ethos of the Reform Order can be summed up in two words - Personal Responsibility - it's your business, it's your life, it's up to you to keep it safe!
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