Business specific Fire Safety Policies and Fire Risk Assessments

For every business Fire Safety has to be top of the agenda. Mismanaged fire safety can cause loss of life, serious injury and damage to property and reputation. This month Simply-Docs has created two new sub-folders devoted to Fire Safety Policies and the related Fire Safety Risk Assessments. We have created a policy and risk assessment tailored to each of the following six business sectors:

• Shops and Offices
• Small businesses with less than 5 employees
• Hotels and Bed and Breakfast establishments
• Residential Care Homes and Nursing Homes
• Small Factories and Workshops
• Warehouses and Storage Facilities

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (the “Fire Safety Order”) is the key piece of legislation that regulates fire safety for businesses. Under the requirements of the Fire Safety Order every organisation and those people who own, rent or manage business or commercial premises (including the common areas of residential blocks of flats) are deemed to be ‘Duty Holders’ and need to consider fire safety. The Duty Holder must take steps to prevent fires occurring, to reduce the risk from fire and to enable any occupants to safely evacuate the premises in the case of a fire.

Whilst the Fire Safety Order specifically requires fire risk assessments to be carried out on all non-domestic premises, businesses also need to put in place suitable and sufficient management systems and associated procedures to deal with fire safety and prevention. Our fire safety policies can form a major part of that management system and are there to help companies of all types in different industry sectors comply with the Fire Safety Order.