Summary of Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

The Regulatory Reform Order -
What The New Fire Safety Legislation Means In Practice

If you prefer more detail, you can read the actual text of the Regulatory Reform Order itself by following this link.

The Regulatory Reform Order replaces lots of previous legislation, and applies to the vast majority of UK business premises. The main thrust of the changes is to place responsibility very clearly with the 'Responsible Person' to ensure the safety of the people in the workplace for which they are responsible. The Responsible Person is whoever owns the premises or controls the activities within it. It can be more than one person in shared premises.

Fire Risk Assessment

Fire Risk Assessment is the cornerstone of the Regulatory Reform Order and involves a systematic examination of fire safety arrangements within the workplace. The Fire Risk Assessment should:

Identify fire hazards
Reduce the risk from these hazards to ensure the safety of people using the premises
Record the findings of your assessment (if you employ five or more people)
Provide for a review your Fire Risk Assessment at regular intervals

Means of Escape

You must ensure that your premises have adequate means of escape and that these are available for use at all times. This also includes:

Provision and maintenance of fire exits which open in the direction of escape, (sliding or revolving doors are not acceptable) and the escape routes to these exist must be maintained obstruction free at all times the building is in use
Provision of appropriate safety signs, including Fire Action signs for staff, call point and fire extinguisher location and all fire exit routes and emergency exit doors
Provision of an appropriate fire detection and alarm system. The type of system employed will be dictated by the findings of your Fire Risk Assessment
Provision of emergency lighting so that escape routes and exits are well lit at all times, even during a power cut
Provision and good maintenance of any appropriate fire stopping measures such as fire doors, fire-resisting walls, etc, including appropriate seals and closing devices

Fire Fighting Equipment

You must provide appropriate fire extinguishers and other fire fighting equipment, which may include fire blankets, hose reels or sprinkler systems

All such equipment must be checked regularly and properly maintained by a suitably qualified person

Staff Safety Training

The findings of the Fire Risk Assessment must be passed on to staff and they should be consulted on Fire Safety issues. All employees must receive adequate training in fire safety procedures, including fire drills and action in the event of fire. Some staff may have additional responsibilities as Fire Wardens and require extra training in these duties.

Policies and Procedures

I have already mentioned that you must record the findings of your Fire Risk Assessment if you employ five or more people, and you must also document an Emergency Plan, detailing action in the event of fire or other emergency.

You must have a policy in place to demonstrate what your safety arrangements are, including minimising the risk of fire, maintaining means of escape and controlling the spread of fire.

You must have procedures in place to ensure that:

means of escape are kept free
staff are properly trained and know what to do in an emergency
fire extinguishers are provided and maintained
other people who may be in your premises are controlled and informed in terms of fire safety precautions

As well as recording the findings of your Fire Risk Assessment, you should keep records of the actions you take such as staff training, fire extinguisher maintenance, emergency lighting testing, etc. Further information and Forms you can use to do this can be found HERE. The Fire Authority may ask to see these as proof of your actions.

Enforcement and Penalties

For the vast majority of us, the enforcing authority is your local Fire Authority. Other bodies such as HSE, MOD and local authorities have responsibility in certain cases, such as building sites, shipyards, military establishments, sports grounds, etc.

An officer from the enforcement authority has the right to:

Enter your premises for the purpose of inspection (but not force entry)
Enquire as the details of the scope of the premises and who the Responsible Persons are
View your documents and records and take copies

You can be taken to court if you fail to comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order and could be fined up to Ł5,000 or imprisoned for up to two years.