On 1st October 2006 the Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order came into force, replacing the Fire Precautions Act 1997, and over 100 other pieces of related legislation. Fire safety checks and certificates aren't conducted and issued by the Fire Brigade any more - instead it is now your responsibility to conduct a fire risk assessment.
Fire is a major risk in most business premises. So much so, that most organisations suffering a large fire go out of business within three years. Thousands of UK businesses are getting this wrong. Here's how not to be one of them...
Competent fire risk assessment requires a special kind of foresight - you need to be able to see the unseen, expect the unexpected, predict the unpredictable. Hopefully, through the instalation of fire alarms, sprinklers, smoke curtains and fire curtains etc most of the hard work is already complete.
However, despite the recent change in the law, many businesses are not taking their fire risks seriously. But, fire is the one of the most likely events that could affect your business and, unless controlled, will spread quickly, creating smoke damage as well as fire damage. Even if contained, the remainder of your premises can still be damaged, either by smoke or water. Without proper risk assessment and management, the outcome would be that your business would not be operational for some time.
Your three key tools for protecting your business from the devastating effects of fire are: a Fire Emergency Plan; a plan of action to improve your risk profile; and a contingency plan to help your business keep trading in the event of a disaster. Only through careful examination of your premises, practices and processes, can you identify relevant risks and take appropriate precautions.
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