A Fire Risk Assessment is a legal requirement for anyone that owns
, manages or operates a business. Every business needs to comply with fire safety regulations, which came into use in the UK in 2006. The Fire Safety Order places its biggest emphasise on reducing the risk of fire and how it can be prevented, here in this article we shall look at come of the key elements of a risk assessment.
People that are responsible for commercial buildings, such as the owner or employer are expected to carry out a mandatory fire risk assessment that will look to identifying the different and risks and hazards that their premises hold. If you have more than five employees at a commercial building then legally this assessment needs to be recorded. The person that is responsible for this must also work out who is most at risk in the building and may need to take extra precautions.
They must eliminate or reduce the risk of fire as far as it is practical and provide those in the building with fire precautions to deal with any risks. They will also need to ensure that additional measures are put into place for areas that may contain or use flammable and explosive materials. Emergency plans also need to be created to deal with any emergency that may occur and to record any findings from these.
Other responsibilities include maintaining all of the fire precautions and facilities that are used by fire fighters. Findings that are found for the risk assessment must also be kept to that they can be reviewed should they ever need to be.
It is important that businesses understand that safety certificates are no longer issued and accepted for fire safety; existing certificates are no longer valid. However recent certificate are a good starting point for a Fire Risk Assessment to be carried out.
If you need any help or advice about Risk Assessments or the Safety Order then there is plenty information available online, safety training courses will be able to help you and your staff greatly reduce the risk of fire at work and keep you all safe should one ever break out. Contacting your local brigade is another good way of finding information about risks, safety and what is required within the law.
Should you ever feel that your employer is not complying with the laws regarding the Fire safety Order then you should communicate through the appropriate channels at work, if this is not resolved then contacting your local services is recommended.