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Fire Safety for Facilities Management Personnel – Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 – Part 34

February 24, 2020 1:56 pm

Lawrence 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 33, LWF considered the requirements of the order relating to general duties of employees at work and how the fire safety order is enforced. In part 34, we look at those organisations who have responsibility for enforcing the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 in different premises and organisations.

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRFSO) lays out the provisions which should be followed by all relevant organisations, which, as previously established, is most organisations and sites. These provisions are subject to enforcement by the Fire and Rescue Authority, through the operational arm of the Fire and Rescue Service. However, some other types of business or premises are subject to enforcement by different bodies.

In premises solely occupied by the armed forces or visiting forces, the Defence Fire Service (DFS) is responsible for enforcing the RRFSO. The DFS is also responsible for any Defence sites, even if they aren’t occupied by the armed forces.

Where there are sports grounds which need safety certificates under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975 and those grounds with stands, to which the Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act 1987 applies, then the local authority is responsible for enforcing the fire safety order.

The Crown Premises Fire Safety Inspectorate (CPFSI) enforces the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 in government buildings, Parliament and other Crown premises, excluding Ministry of Defence buildings who have their own Inspectorate. They are also responsible for Atomic Energy Authority premises (not to be mistaken for nuclear installations, for which the HSE are the enforcing authority).

In the case of ‘all the rest’ the Fire and Rescue Authority (FRA) carry out periodic inspections on a risk assessment basis. Inspections of high-risk premises are prioritised. Guidance on development of the risk-based inspection programme has been provided to the FRA by central government. A higher-risk premises might be one where sleeping accommodation is provided, where high volumes of visitors are expected, such as large public entertainment premises or larger and more complex industrial premises. It cannot be assumed that if the premises in question are small or simple that they will not be subject to an inspection, however.

In part 35, LWF will take a look at what an inspection by an official inspector under the order might comprise. 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.

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