This paper looks at the legislation covering the requirement for undertaking Fire Risk Assessments which are a legal requirement for all UK businesses and organisations employing more than one person. The basic requirement is that each organisation must identify and nominate an individual as the ‘responsible person’. That person’s duty is then to ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to eliminate the risk of fire on the premises. The responsibility is for all the individuals that work at the premises AND visitors.

Fire Risk Assessments are now required by law from October 2006. Premises covered by the law include:

• Offices & Shops
• Premises that provide care, including care homes & hospitals
• Pubs, clubs & restaurants
• Educational premises
• Leisure centres
• Community halls & premises
• Places of worship
• Houses of multiple occupancy (HMO)
• Hotels & hostels
• Care homes
• Factories & warehouses
• Industrial units

Everybody entering your business premises: employees/staff; contractors/workers; clients/customers; friends & family or other visitors - has a responsibility to ensure fire safety. It is a legal requirement that all businesses must now have a legally-designated “responsible person” whose duty it is to arrange for a fire risk assessment, identify any possible fire risks and deal with them.

In most cases, it will be obvious who the responsible person should be, although sometimes several people will share responsibility for fire risk assessment - for example in shared premises or larger businesses. The ‘responsible person’ will be someone who has control over premises, or over some areas, departments or systems.

The Papers author will be available on Day 3 and will conduct a Workshop where the theory can be put into practice.