Fire Safety Advice

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Introduction

Our ambition is to Make West Yorkshire Safer by providing an excellent Fire & Rescue Service working in partnership to reduce death, injury and economic loss and contribute to community well being. One of our strategic priorities is to ensure the Authority’s statutory fire protection duties are discharged efficiently and effectively.

The economy has changed and continues to do so. Much of this change is driven by new information and communication technologies, a more mobile workforce and the consequent trend towards a global economy. These, and other influences, have an extremely wide range of effects relevant to fire safety. We must continue to seek new ways to help businesses through the recession and demonstrate that good management of fire safety is a driver for competitiveness and not something that reduces it.

Current Fire Safety Law

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO) came into effect in October 2006 and replaced over 70 pieces of fire safety law.

This Authority is the enforcing authority for the FSO in the majority of businesses located within West Yorkshire. We have produced a guide for businesses on “What to expect when a Fire Safety Inspector calls”.

The FSO applies to all non-domestic premises in England and Wales, including the common parts of blocks of flats and houses in multiple occupation (HMOs). The law applies to you if you are a ‘responsible person’.

The purpose of the FSO was to simplify fire safety legislation and reduce the number of enforcing authorities that businesses have to deal with. The FSO abolished the requirement for businesses to have a fire certificate and replaced it with a duty on a 'responsible person' to carry out a risk assessment and implement appropriate measures to minimise the risk to life and property from fire; and to keep the assessment up to date.

Below you can download a colour-coded chart listing the titles of all CLG guides and a short ‘5-step fire risk assessment checklist’ is available to help you complete your risk assessment.

In addition, more detailed advice and guidance on the implementation of a fire risk management plan can be found in the following series of CLG guidance documents:

The guides have been designed so that a responsible person, with limited formal training or experience, should be able to carry out a fire risk assessment and know what, if any, additional fire precaution or prevention arrangements need to be in place.

More complex premises will probably need to be assessed by a person who has comprehensive training or experience in fire risk assessment. However these guides will be appropriate for more complex, multi-occupied buildings to address fire safety issues in individual occupancies.

If, having read the guides, you decide are unable to apply the guidance then you should seek expert advice. West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service (click here for contact details) is willing to help; however, we are not able to carry the risk assessment out for you.

If, having completed a fire risk assessment, you need more practical advice or information, you we may be able to help (click here for contact details). You may feel more comfortable employing a fire safety specialist to help you. Companies providing fire safety services are listed in local directories. Details of companies which are members of a registered scheme are available, for example on the Institution of Fire Engineers website: www.ife.org.uk/frr (external link). Alternatively you may be able to ask your insurer for a recommendation.

We hope to be transparent in our role as an enforcement authority and should you require any further information on our Fire Protection Strategy, our Re-inspection Programme or our Enforcement Policy, then please access our Policy website.

Safety Training - We can provide courses to include Awareness, Extingisher and Marshall Training in our Training Centre located at Bradford. Click HERE for more details.

If you cannot find the advice required, please contact your local district Fire Safety Manager - click HERE to view details.

Links to Advice For Responsible Persons

Animal Premises and Stables (Government Guidance)

Business Link - Fire Safety & Risk Assessment

Entry Level Guide - Making Your Premises Safe From Fire

Fire Safety Law & Guidance Document For Your Business

Fire Prevention Association - Guidance On Fire Safety At Work

RRO - Compliance Self Assessment (Online)

Advice Leaflet - Government Links (FS-PAN054)

Advice Leaflets - Responsible Persons

Alcohol And Entertainment - Advice for Applicants (FS-PAN007)

Arson Advice (FS-PAN056)
Artificial Foliage (FS-PAN012)

Arson Prevention for Small Businesses (Arson Prevention Bureau)

Christmas Grottos (FS-PAN018)

Dangerous Substances (Notification & Marking of Sites)(NAMOS) Regulations 1990 (FS-PAN057)

Fire Alarms - Managing Fire Alarm Systems (FS-PAN055)

Fire Alarms - Users Guide to Fire Detection & Fire Alarm Systems (FS-PAN029)

Fire Fighters’ Switches for Luminous Tube Signs (RRO) (FS-PAN058)

Fire Instructions & Drills (FS-PAN031)

Fire Safety - a guide for students (Fire Kills)

Fire Safety - Houses/Flats Used for Childminding (FS-PAN011)

Furniture & Furnishings (FS-PAN035)

Portable Fire Fighting Equipment (FS-PAN038)

Premises, Security Measures & Effect On Means Of Escape (FS-PAN040)

Prevention & Control of Arson in Industrial & Commercial Premises

(Arson Prevention Bureau)

Shop Premises - Signs & Notices For Fire Safety (FS-PAN042)

Shop Premises - Staged Alarms & Evacuation (FS-PAN041)

Smoking Shelters (FS-PAN049)

Stair Lifts & Evacuation Procedures (FS-PAN043)

Way Guidance Systems - Aid To Fire Evacuation (FS-PAN048)

What To Expect When A Health & Safety Inspector Calls (FS-PAN045)

What To Expect When A Fire Safety Inspector Calls (FS-PAN045A)

For Employees

What To Do If A Fire Occurs?

Portable fire extinguishers enable suitably trained people to tackle a fire in its early stages and only if they can do so without putting themselves in danger.

If you have not been trained, get out, stay out and call 999 - do not try tackle fire yourself.

Your Rights & Responsibilities

Most workplaces are covered by the latest Fire Regulations and this puts responsibility on your employer to make sure that you and others are safe in the workplace if there is a fire. However, you have responsibilities too. When you are at work you need to;

Understand and comply with safety policies in your workplace.
Know what you should do if you discover a fire or hear the fire alarm.
Know the arrangements for calling the Fire Brigade.
Familiarise yourself with your workplace's escape routes and fire exit signs.
Know the locations and types of fire extinguisher available, and how to use them.
Keep fire doors closed to stop the spread of fire, heat and smoke.
Do not smoke in the "No Smoking" areas and make sure cigarettes are fully extinguished.
Report (in writing) any ideas for reducing risk of fire in your workplace.
Remind yourself of the fire safety issues affecting your workplace.

Be aware that to comply with the law, your employer is responsible for typical "compliance" areas below;

Locked or blocked Fire Exits - If an escape route is marked as a Fire Exit then it should be available as one.
Combustibles stored in staircases - it is essential, particularly where there is only one staircase in the building, that they are kept free from combustibles.
Fire Doors wedged open, particularly where they are protecting a staircase.
Alarm Testing - Generally the Fire Alarm should be tested on a weekly basis.
Staff Training - evacuation once every six months.
Emergency Lighting - where artificial light is the only light that some form of emergency lighting system should be available.

Advice Leaflets - Employees

Fire Safety for parents and childcarers (Fire Kills)

Reducing risks & educating children
Escape plan

Fire Instructions & Drills (FS-PAN031)

Last updated 17/08/2009