The Responsible Person is becoming ever more critical in the responsibility for keeping up to date with new European regulations
. For fire critical environments, it is vitally important to be aware of all legal requirements.
It is very much advisable to have an expert on hand who is knowledgeable of current fire regulations and who can make suggestions and recommendations of required actions after carrying out a proper building / premises survey.
There are many checks that are easy to spot and can easily be managed by a Responsible Person but a full inspection and risk assessment service is usually required for an in-depth review and analysis of the entire safety environment and concern.
There is a great importance and justification for regular checks and test to all fire safety equipment including fire detection, alarm systems and battery backups. Having a skilled and experienced person carry out these checks will quickly reveal anything that needs attention and in what time interval. They will also make simple identifications such as ascertaining there are enough consumables available to suffice until the next inspection is required.
Even with regular inspections, be aware that having workmen or other people working within your premises can cause unintentional damage to fire detection equipment, sensors or systems. Sensors are very sensitive devices that should not be painted or wallpapered over. Temporary or permanent obstructions can cause failure to vital equipment. Wires and cabling are also at risk if not properly allowed for and guarded.
An expert in this field will obviously be beneficial when dealing with the mountain of fire regulations and safety requirements. They will have the knowledge to make sure everything is within the strict boundaries set up by European regulation. Not to mention being able to spot anything that could be considered dangerous.
An inspection officer will check that escape routes are clearly marked and free from obstruction. They will also make sure there is correct signage and where applicable and will oversee the correct placement of fire extinguishers along with the correct notices and legal requirements for fire safety in evacuation procedures.
Lastly, and often overlooked is the component known as battery backup. This enables power for emergency systems when there is a power issue from the normal source. Batteries have a limited life span due to charging and even the best batteries require checks and test to ensure they are in perfect working order. The tests for these require real emergency situations to determine there correct effectiveness.