IFEDA SURVEY: FIRE RISK ASSESSMENTS

A recent IFEDA Survey of North Buckinghamshire businesses with regards to Fire Risk Assessments and the role of the Responsible Person confirmed and supported an earlier statement from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) that, rather worryingly, over 40% businesses are still failing to comply with fire regulations some three years after the introduction of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order by not carrying out Fire Risk Assessments. Introduced in October 2006 the Fire Safety Order (2005), states that all business owners are obliged to conduct regular risk assessments and maintain a fire management plan that identifies possible fire hazards and advises on safety measures. Businesses are obliged to tell their staff about the plan and train them accordingly.

Business stake holders should be aware that fire authorities are increasingly clamping down on businesses who won’t comply with the law with more than 3,000 enforcement notices issued nationwide in the past year by the fire services. This resulted in some 60 firms being prosecuted - a 40 per cent increase in just twelve months.

Further research by IFEDA revealed typical breaches of fire safety law as blocking fire exits, propping open fire doors (especially with fire extinguishers), failure to keep adequate records, failure to make a written risk assessment with more than 5 employees, failure to test fire safety equipment, failure to have their fire extinguishers serviced annually, failure to nominate a Responsible Person, inadequate signage, fire exit routes compromised with combustible items, inadequate means of escape from sleeping accommodation and a failure to train staff in evacuation procedures.

The IFEDA newsletter, FireTalk, regularly carries examples of enforcement actions and prosecutions by the Fire Service so proving that this problem is not going unnoticed and, as in the recent case of High Street store, New Look can lead to a large and potentially business breaking fine. FireTalk can be found at www.ifeda.org/newsletter.htm

Many IFEDA members offer a Fire Risk Assessment survey and can advise on all aspects of portable fire extinguishers, alarms emergency lighting and educating staff in fire prevention. A list of 3rd party accredited members in your area can be found at www.ifeda.org/regions.htm