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Fire is one of the most destructive and dangerous health and safety issues within the work place. Fire costs businesses and individuals thousands of pounds a year in damages, and more importantly it takes away precious lives. However fire can be one of the easier aspects of workplace safety to prevent and protect employees.
HSES can help your business to work through many aspects of fire safety. Most importantly we can help your business meet the ever changing legislation and regulations regarding fire safety, which can be confusing or misleading.

Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Act

On 1st October 2006 the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Act will come into place, changing the way in which employees and employers a required to manage fire risks. The self-regulatory legislation puts far more onus onto the employer and persons of responsibility in any premises of work (shops, schools etc). These person(s) will be required, by law, to demonstrate that they are taking reasonable steps to minimise fire risk and show that they can provide an escape route for their employees if the worst were to happen.

This system, which will place a great deal of responsibility on the employer or person of responsibility, will involve fire risks assessments to be carried out, looking into the consideration of all employees (particularly the most vulnerable) and taking the correct measures to protect the premises and the people within the premises from fire. An emergency plan will need to be created and reviewed.

Many people are confused by the new laws and many simply do not have the time to conduct risk assessments or are unsure how to. This is where we can help. HSES can provide you with all the help you will need to make sure your premises is ready for the new legislation. We offer advice and information on all aspects of the changes and we can help you conduct fire risk assessments, create an emergency plan and show you ways in which you can make the reasonable steps to lessen fire risk.

Don’t forget that, by law, it is the person of responsibility of the premises who must show that they have complied with the new legislation. Help from outside sources like HSES is recommended to make sure that fire risk assessments are carried out properly and, most importantly, yourself, your business and your employees are protected as best possible from the risk of fire.