The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order
As part of the Governments' commitment to reduce death, injury and damage caused by fire, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) is changing fire safety law. The changes are designed to make the law easier to understand and to comply with. These changes, which relate to non domestic premises, will apply across England and Wales.The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order is currently going through the Parliamentary processes to make it law. At the moment ODPM are considering the recommendations of the Regulatory Reform Committee of the House of Commons and Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee of the House of Lords (27th Report). Subject to Parliamentary approval the RRFSO is expected to come into force in 2005.
The proposed 'new' law is not in fact new; it will be a reform of all the current fire safety law which is contained in over 100 separate pieces of legislation. The main emphasis of the changes will be to move towards fire prevention. Fire certificates will be abolished and will cease to have legal status. Under the RRFSO the 'responsible person' for each each premises will be required to carry out an assessment of the risks (risk assessment) of fire and take steps to reduce or remove the risk.
Your risk assessment will need to take into consideration the effect a fire may have on anyone in or around your premises. This will need to be kept under regular review. The new regulations will apply to the voluntary sector and self-employed people with premises separate from their homes.
A series of guides will be produced. These will give detailed information on risk assessments and other issues.
Further information about the reforms is available by visiting:
http://www.odpm.gov.uk/stellent/groups/odpm_fire/documents/page/odpm_fire_030883.hcsp