Fire Safety – Your Site is also a Workplace Premise

Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 all workplace premises are required to have an appointed responsible person who is tasked with ensuring the fire safety of the premises and people who work there. The word “premises” also includes sites, including both site offices and welfare as well as the site itself.

So what is involved:

• There needs to be a full fire risk assessment in place
• A suitable fire evacuation plan needs to be in place
• Staff training needs doing to ensure the plan works
• Everything needs recording
• Suitable firefighting and alarm sounding equipment needs to be on-site

Clearly this is not a 5-minute job, especially with more complex sites, but there is always help and advice available, including from C&D, so if you are looking for some help or guidance please email stuart@demolishdismantle.co.uk.

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

This new regime of fire safety enforcement came into force on 1st October 2006 and affects employers and those who are responsible for, non-domestic, industrial, commercial and residential premises. Self-employed people and the voluntary sector will also be brought within this regime.

The new Order simplifies, rationalises and consolidates existing fire safety legislation. It provides for a risk-based approach to fire safety allowing more efficient and effective enforcement by the fire and rescue service.

At the core of the legislation lies the fire risk assessment. This is an organised appraisal of your work activities and the workplace to enable you to identify potential fire hazards, and to decide who (including employees and visitors) might be in danger in the event of fire, and their location. You will then evaluate the risks arising from the hazards and decide whether the existing fire precautions are adequate, or whether more needs to be done.

The responsible person must carry out, or appoint a competent person to carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment of the risks of fire to their employees and others who may be affected by their work or business. Those who employ five or more employees should keep a formal record of any significant findings and remedial measures which have, or may need to be, taken.

C&D now provide Fire Risk Assessments and training to undertake those assessments in house, as well as Fire Marshal training.

Please contact Harpreet for more information.