Fire safety: risk assessment and regulation

Course Overview

If you have responsibility for fire safety in buildings or business premises then you must be aware that the latest fire safety legislation will radically change the way that fire safety is managed.

The new Fire Safety Order repeals the Fire Precautions Act and the Fire Certification process. The Order also amends Regulations made under the Health and Safety at Work Act and removes the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations. Fire safety responsibility for practically all premises will now rest with the owner or occupier on the basis of fire risk assessment and a self-regulatory approach. A fundamental change is that the new order applies in principle to all buildings, except private dwellings, and not just places of work.

This crucial one-day seminar will give you a thorough understanding of the changes from the current prescriptive approach to a more flexible risk-based legislative approach. If you have responsibility for fire safety in your organisation at any level you must take this opportunity to get the latest update on how changes in the law will affect your role.

Audience

• Health and safety managers and supervisors
• Facilities and premises managers
• Anyone responsible for carrying out fire risk assessments
• Managers responsible for the preparation and monitoring of fire plans
• Those presently responsible for maintaining the conditions of Fire Certificates
• Managers who have responsibilities in relation to current fire risk assessments

Skills Gained

This comprehensive one-day seminar will help you:

• Keep abreast of the new legislation
• Understand your new responsibilities under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order
• Manage the transition from a prescriptive to a risk-assessed approach to fire prevention
• Apply the principles of fire risk assessment to all the premises for which you are responsible
• Advise others in your organisation on the impact of the new regime respect of licensed premises

Course Outline

An introduction to fire safety legislation

• The Fire Precautions Act
• The Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations
• Miscellaneous legislation
• Licensed premises
• Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2006 - why the current changes are being made

The building regulations

• Application
• Fire warning
• Internal fire spread (linings)
• Internal fire spread (structure)
• External fire spread
• Fire & Rescue Service facilities

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order

• Duties under this Order
• Application to premises
• Excepted premises
• Compliance with the legislation
• Fire precautions
• Risk assessment
• Offenses and appeals

Practical application

• Enforcing authorities
• Powers of inspectors
• Alteration notices
• Prohibition notices
• Duty to consult employees
• Provisions in respect of licensed premises

Fire protection

• Fire fighting equipment
• Fixed installations
• Fire alarm systems
• Fire detection systems
• Structural fire protection
• Fire fighters access and equipment

Fire risk assessment

• Concepts of risk and hazard
• Ownership
• Competence
• Standards to be applied
• Guidance notes
• Documentation

Carrying out the fire risk assessment

• The premises
• Hazard identification
• Passive fire protection
• Fire safety management
• Consequences to occupants
• Tolerable fire risk
• Assessment and review

Case studies

• Two recent case studies
• The issues involved
• Findings and appropriate action
• Significant findings and their implications
• The implications of self-regulation
• Possible liabilities of the new approach to fire safety

Plenary session

• Discussion on days topics
• Questions from delegates
• Clarifications of issues raised
• Confirmation of learning outcome
• Confirmation of learning outcomes