Inputs

The charts below show the resources used to carry out fire protection activity in West Yorkshire.

This graph shows the trend for the total service budget used for fire protection in the last 4 years

This graph shows the trend for the total service workforce carrying out fire protection work in the last 4 years

Activities

Total number of contacts made with non-domestic properties
In 2017/18 we made 1520 contacts with the 81,297 non domestic properties within West Yorkshire. This equates to 3.01% of the rate-paying non-domestic properties within the Service’s area.

These dealings maybe in the form of;
• A formal in-depth audit
• A simpler, quicker inspection
• The provision of advice
• The education of businesses

We use a targeted approach when carrying out fire protection activities and ensure all dealings with properties are relevant and proportionate to the risk we perceive the property presents to the community.

This graph shows the trend for our interactions with properties in the last 4 years

Total number of consultations responded to for rate-paying non-domestic properties

In 2017/18 there were 2,617 consultations responded to.
Fire services respond to certain organisations when they require our expert opinion on fire safety matters. We receive consultation on Building Regulations applications for new buildings or alterations to existing buildings. Additionally, we are also consulted in respect of licensing applications and also occasionally in the case of planning applications.
It should be noted that the quantity of this work is driven by external demand.

This graph shows the trend for the total number of properties that have been involved in consultations in the last 4 years

Outputs

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service uses the national fire safety audit process developed by the Chief Fire Officers Association (CFOA) to complete comprehensive inspections of buildings. This process ensures consistent, auditable and transparent enforcement that can be challenged. This audit system looks at the level of compliance across a range of areas required by the legislation and produces an enforcement option that ranges from verbal advice to the issue of an enforcement notice.

Number of Fire Safety Audits completed and their results

In 2017/18 WYFRS completed 928 fire safety audits.

Accurate targeting of our activity should ensure all premises we visit require some form of informal or formal action. If this is the case then we are making the highest risk properties safer and enabling those premises that are safer, and who comply with the law, to continue with their day to day business.

• If an audit has taken place and the premises is broadly compliant with the requirements then a satisfactory audit is recorded.
• Informal activity means the premises has received a letter informing them of work required to be carried out.
• Formal activity would mean that a ‘notice’ (these can be viewed on the CFOA Enforcement Register) had been issued on the premises. This will include a timescale for completion of work and is issued when the areas of non-compliance are more serious than that required of an informal notification.

Examples of formal activity are:

• Alterations notice; This is issued when it is believed that should an alteration be made to a premises, the occupants may be in danger of a serious risk in case of fire.
• Enforcement notice; This would be issued when it is considered the risk to occupants in case of fire is more serious than can be dealt with by the sending of a letter. An enforcement notice will stipulate a time scale when works must be completed by.
• Prohibition notice; This would be issued when despite our efforts to work with the responsible person for a property to achieve compliance there are still times when, in our professional opinion, the condition of a building and the lack of fire safety provision mean that there is a significant risk of death or serious injury to persons within that building in the case of a fire starting. If this is the case under the fire safety law we have the power, by the serving of a notice, to prohibit or restrict use of or access to part or all of the building until it is made safer
• Prosecutions – as a last resort we can prosecute. This is not an action that we take lightly and each situation is carefully assessed against evidential and public interest factors. There are occasions when we feel that there are no options left to us. If this is the case we will not hesitate to pursue this course of action. WYFRS retains the services of a barrister and local solicitor to provide professional legal advice and assistance when necessary.

Please note: More than one notice can be issued on a single premises, for example an Enforcement Notice stipulating a time scale for work to be completed and additionally a Prohibition Notice, stopping use of a particular area of the building.

Outcomes

Despite the best efforts of our Fire Protection Officers to work with those properties we perceive present the greatest risk to the community, and enforcing the law where necessary, unfortunately fires in non-domestic properties still do happen, and injuries can occur.

Between 2014 and 2018 our fire protection work has contributed towards decreasing non-domestic fires.

The graphs below show the numbers of fires, injuries and deaths that have occurred in non domestic properties over the past 4 years. All fires no matter how small are investigated to ascertain the cause, as this allows us to target community safety activities and to work to prevent similar occurrences in the future. The outcomes of these investigations result in us deciding whether a fire has been started deliberately or started accidentally and these breakdowns are shown below.

We will continue to work hard to maintain these excellent outcomes and strive to protect the communities of West Yorkshire from the risk of death and injury caused by fire.

Impacts

These are the effects of our fire protection activities over a long-term period on the wider community/environment.