Plans to modernise the Fire and Rescue Services and place more emphasis on promoting fire safety are set out in a new bill published recently. The Fire Safety Bill, said to be the most important piece of new fire legislation in 50 years, has now been published by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. Health and safety consultancy Smart Advice want to alert Bristol companies to this new requirement and are guiding them through the legislative minefield.
The Fire Precautions (Workplace)(Amendment) Regulations 1999 require all premises to undergo a fire risk assessment. Research recently conducted by FIRE magazine revealed that only 5% of companies interviewed meet this criteria.
ìThe Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order is likely to come into force next year,î comments Audrey Smart, director, Smart Advice. ìThis will alter the role of fire officers from an advisory role to one of enforcement. The first thing theyíll want to know when arriving at a fire scene is whether the premises have undergone a thorough fire risk assessment. If not, then theyíre well within their rights not to enter the building.î
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order has implications for companies from a personnel, safety and insurance point of view.
ìOne of the Governmentís key objectives in respect of health and safety is to make it a boardroom issue,î says Audrey. ìRegardless of the size of company, responsibility for health and safety lies with the directors who, if found to be failing in their duties, could be held personally liable. It is the duty of directors, therefore, to ensure everything necessary is done to achieve legal health and safety compliance.î
Smart advice put Bristol companies in the firing line
Plans to modernise the Fire and Rescue Services and place more emphasis on promoting fire safety are set out in a new bill published recently
