The LWF Blog
Fire Safety for Facilities Management Personnel – Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 – Part 31
February 3, 2020 2:37 pmLawrence Webster Forrest (LWF) is a specialist fire engineering and fire risk management consultancy whose aim is to give information on best practice in fire safety for facilities management personnel through this blog series. In part 30, LWF discussed firefighting and fire detection as per the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. In part 31, we will look at the managerial requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRFSO) contains within requirements relating to managerial arrangements that should be put into place. In addition to those requirements which relate to summoning the Fire Service and evacuation, which were discussed in the last blog, there are requirements in other operational areas, as follows:
– The production of fire procedures
– Carrying out fire drills as necessary
– Information provision for employees and training of employees
– Providing relevant information to outside services, employers and the self-employed
– Cooperation and coordination with others in premises of multiple occupancy
– Maintenance of fire precautions, and measures required through other legislation to protect firefighters
– Recording of fire safety arrangements where five or more employees exist, or a licence is in force, or an alterations notice, requiring a record to be made of fire safety arrangements is in place. (This means a fire safety manual will be required for the building).
The Fire Safety Order requires that cut off switches for high-voltage signs, such as the type commonly seen outside entertainment venues, is in place and available for firefighters. If a cut off switch in place adheres to the terms of BS 7671, then it is acceptable in respect of the Fire Safety Order. The requirements of the Fire Safety Order do not apply to cinemas which are licensed under the Licensing Act 2003, or to apparatus that complied with the Local Government (Miscellaneous) Provisions Act 1982.
Where the installation of high-voltage lighting to which the Fire Safety Order applies is proposed, the Responsible Person must give notice to the Fire and Rescue Authority at least 42 days before the installation work begins. The plans should show where the cut-off switch is to be placed and how it is to be coloured or marked. The notice period and the content of the notification are designed to ensure that the Fire Service will be able to find and operate the switch in case of a fire.
In part 32, LWF will look at what the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 has to say about dangerous substances. In the meantime, if you have any queries about your own facilities or wish to discuss this blog series, please contact LWF on freephone 0800 410 1130.
Lawrence Webster Forrest is a fire engineering consultancy based in Surrey with over 25 years’ experience, which provides a wide range of consultancy services to professionals involved in the design, development and construction and operation of buildings.
While care has been taken to ensure that information contained in LWF’s publications is true and correct at the time of publication, changes in circumstances after the time of publication may impact on the accuracy of this information.