May 14, 2004—Plans to improve fire safety for businesses by simplifying the law and placing greater focus on fire prevention have been laid before the UKs Parliament by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
The new proposals will place the responsibility for fire safety on the employer or ‘responsible person’ for that building or premises. The employer will have to assess the risks of fire and take steps to reduce or remove them.
Employers will also have to meet certain specific requirements such as making sure that there are adequate means of escape and the right sort of fire fighting equipment. The risk assessment would have to be changed as circumstances change.
Once this order becomes law, businesses will no longer need a fire certificate. Fire and rescue authorities will, however, continue to inspect premises and ensure they have adequate fire precautions in place.
The planned reforms repeal the Fire Precautions Act 1971 and amend or remove, wherever possible, the provisions dealing with fire safety contained in other legislation. These will be replaced by a single order applying the risk assessment principles introduced by the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997. The result will be one fire safety regime applying to all workplaces and other non-domestic premises.
If approved by Parliament, the order is expected to come into force next year.
—Elliott Chase
Reprinted with permission; copyright 2004 i-FM
