Everyone has a role to play in protecting ourselves and others from fire as set out in the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Fire Safety (Scotland) regulations 2006.
If you operate your business from non-domestic premises or if you have a house in multiple occupancy which requires a license then there is a requirement for you to carry out a Fire Risk Assessment and ensure it is regularly updated.
The person(s) responsible for this in Scotland are known as The Duty Holder and in a workplace environment this could be the employer as well as any other person who may have control, to any extent, of any part of the premises for example the occupier or owner. Employees also have a duty to co-operate with employers to ensure the safety of others from fire.
A fire risk assessment is a practical exercise aimed at evaluating the risk from fire, how fire can be prevented and how to ensure the safety of premises on, or in the immediate vicinity of the premises in the event of fire. The assessment must be kept under review and updated as necessary and should not be seen as a one off exercise. If you have 5 or more employees, your fire risk assessment must be recorded and kept.
Our fire safety advisors have over 30 years of experience in the industry and carry out assessments on a daily basis. We have a wide and varied customer base such as industrial sites, hotels, factories, HMO properties, shops, offices and workshops and we work alongside them to produce a comprehensive fire risk assessment document with recommendations and suggested timescales. We are on hand to offer the best advice and ease the burden of what can be a very daunting task.
A fire emergency evacuation plan and arrangements to implement it is also an essential part of your fire safety strategy. A written fire emergency plan should be kept on the premises, be available and known by staff and form the basis of the training and instruction provided to your staff. This plan should also be available for inspection by the enforcing authorities.
For more information please call us on 01224 744446.
Fire Risk Assessment Steps
Step 1: Identify People at Risk
Step 2: Identify Fire Hazards
Step 3: Evaluate the risk and decide if existing fire safety measures are adequate
Step 4: Record fire risk assessment information
Step 5: Review of fire safety risk assessment