Workplace fire safety requirements
The Fire Safety Regulatory Reform Order 2005 (Fire Safety RRO
2005): The order has replaced over 100 separate pieces of
legislation, but in particular the Fire Precautions (Workplace)
Regulations and the Fire Precautions Act.
The order applies to all workplaces and places where people
resort, such as:
- factories
- offices
- shops
- warehouses
- schools and other educational establishments
- places where people sleep (hotels, boarding houses, houses in
multiple occupation, residential care homes, common parts of
residential flats)
- churches
- places of assembly and outdoor events
The main requirements of the Fire Safety Regulatory Reform
Order 2005
- Fire safety hazards in the workplace (such as the use and
storage of highly flammable liquids)
- Identify the persons who may be placed at risk (staff,
visitors, contractors) especially those who may be placed at
additional risk because of disability or infirmity
- The adequacy of structural features (passive protection), for
example, fire doors, fire partitions, fire screens and
fire-stopping
- The adequacy of active systems such as fire alarms, automatic
fire detection, fire sprinklers and emergency lighting
- Provision and maintenance of the means of fighting fire (hose
reels, hand held extinguishers
- Adequacy of the procedural systems in place (fire evacuation
emergency plan / procedure)
- Maintenance of passive and active systems, conducting of fire
drills and the keeping of records
- Regular monitoring, audit and review processes to ensure that
standards are being maintained
The assessment should then go on to assess the adequacy of
existing controls and decide whether additional steps need to be
taken to eliminate or reduce risk. The assessment must be recorded
in writing, or stored electronically and kept retrievable.
Where employers do not have access to the entire building
If the workplace is shared with other persons, they should be
informed of any significant risks identified. The person who has
control, to any extent, has a responsibility to make sure the
regulations are complied with, in the parts they control. This may
require communication and co-operation between all parties to
ensure co-ordination of fire safety provisions, fire-fighting
measures, evacuation procedures.
Advice and information
If further practical advice or information is required following
completion of the Risk Assessment, the Fire Brigade may be able to
assist. Any advice given is usually free of charge and
impartial.
Information regarding managing process risks and highly
flammable materials is available from your local HSE Office
website: http://www.hse.gov.uk/ or via the
following telephone number 020 7556 2100.
Advice on reducing the risk of arson may be obtained from the
Arson Prevention Bureau on 020 7216 7522. General advice on the
regulations can be obtained from the enforcing authority. Contact
the London Fire Brigade Tower Hamlets Fire Safety Team on 020 7587
2945.
For further information, contact:
Corporate Health & Safety and Civil Protection Unit
3rd Floor, Anchorage House
2 Clove Crescent
London, E14 2BE
Tel: 020 7364 4171 (office hours only)
Out of office hours, contact the Tower Hamlets council call centre:
0207 364 7070.