Investigations and assessments of fire risks in tower blocks across the country are reporting that in most cases, action to improve the fire safety provision is necessary. In fact, it has been revealed this week that three-quarters of tower blocks in Greater Manchester have failed to meet fire safety standards in inspections carried out after the Grenfell Tower fire. Grenfell was a stark reminder of why employers have strict fire safety requirements for their workplace. The requirements can be extensive, but it is imperative that employers know what they are. Employers, landlords or occupiers of a business, commercial premises, residential building or premises to which the public have access will be the ?responsible person? for fire safety. It may not be obvious, but this definition makes them responsible if they have paying guests, for example if they have a one room bed and breakfast, a small guesthouse or let a single self-catering property. As a responsible person, employers are required to:
Complete a fire risk assessment of the premises and review it regularly
Let staff or their representatives know about any risks they identify
Provide and maintain appropriate fire safety measures, including protected escape routes, fire alarms, emergency lighting and extinguishers
Develop a plan for an emergency
Provide employees with information, fire safety instruction and training and people using the premises with fire safety information.
Where premises are used by more than one business there will be more than one responsible person. They will need to coordinate their fire safety with the landlord so that no one on or around the premises are at risk. The landlord has responsibility for fire safety in common and shared areas. Employers starting point will be to consider the fire hazards and risks and create a fire risk assessment. They should:
Identify the fire hazards, potential sources of ignition and the measures in place for control
Identify people at risk
Evaluate risks and consider how to eliminate or reduce them
Identify how a fire might be identified and the alarm raised
Prepare an emergency fire and evacuation plan
Ensure that employees are trained and fully aware of these arrangements
After carrying out a fire risk assessment it is important to keep a record of it. Employers don?t need have to keep a written record if they employ less than five people however it is best practice. Official guidance says that a small, low risk business should be able to complete and record a fire risk assessment unaided. This guidance can be found at the Gov.uk website. Where the risks are high the assistance of a qualified competent fire risk assessor will be necessary. Below are some examples of high-risk scenarios.
Vulnerable people ? Elderly or young people or people with disabilities
People who are likely to be asleep
Quantities of dangerous substances (flammable, highly flammable, oxidising or explosive)
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.