Fire Risk Assessment Advice
The need for businesses to have a suitable and sufficient Fire Risk Assessment is currently being championed by health and safety specialists, mhl support, who are keen to see that all businesses have the correct assessments in place after the issue was highlighted recently when a Cheshire businessman was fined £130,300 for breaching the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
Cheshire Fire Authority took action against Paul Ashley of P & S Ashley Timberworks, based in Sandbach, after he had been warned by Health and Safety Executive Officers on three separate occasions during 2008 and 2009. Among the eight charges that Ashley admitted to was the lack of a fire risk assessment.
Michael Slade, managing director at mhl, explained: "Cheshire Fire Authority should be applauded for the action they have taken in this case; however, I think Mr. Ashley got off quite lightly. You've only got to consider the New Look retail store fire, in Bond Street back in 2008; they were fined £400,000 plus costs totalling £136,000 for failure to have a suitable and sufficient Fire Risk Assessment, amongst other offences.
The new Fire Safety (Employees' Capabilities) Regulations 2010 is an addition to the Regulatory Reform Order of 2005. It places an emphasis of responsibility on the proprietor to ensure that the person who carries out the assessment is competent to do so.
"But it's no longer enough to have a fire risk assessment in place; the new regulation ensures that the assessments used are pertinent to that business," said Michael. "It also reduces the reliance on downloadable templates from the internet. In future, the contents of the Fire Risk Assessments and the capability of the person who created the documentation are now under the spotlight.
The new competency regulations question the validity of the persons and, quite importantly, the controlling mind instructing the person who is completing the Fire Risk Assessment is capable of doing so.
We understand the complexities of this field which crop up at any time. If any businesses are having problems with the new legislation and fire risk assessment, we'd be happy to provide guidance free of charge if they wish to contact us."
