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Spring 2021 41 WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR ME? The Bill, the Inquiry and most of the industry news is currently highlighting the risks and responsibilities of high risk buildings, but it’s also clear that the objectives of the Fire Safety Order remain necessary for all premises. The Government is clearly committed to the implementation of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s recommendations, which included proposals to strengthen the Fire Safety Order and improve compliance, increase the quality of fire risk assessments with strong emphasis on the competency of any person undertaking the fire risk assessment, and a requirement for all completed fire risk assessments to be recorded. Further changes in the fire safety sector will be introduced by the Building Safety Bill, which was published in draft on 20th July 2020 and is expected to come into force in the autumn of 2021. The Bill will introduce an enhanced safety framework for high rise residential buildings, taking forward the relevant recommendations from Dame Judith Hackitt’s Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety. It is clear that there is a renewed focus on the protection of lives in the event of a fire within both commercial and domestic premises and, as a building owner or responsible person, you should ensure that you are taking the correct approach to fire safety. DO I NEED A FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT? In short, a suitable and sufficient Fire Risk Assessment is needed for all premises, in order to comply with the Fire Safety Order, and this will not change with the Fire Safety Bill. BusinessGuard is HAE EHA’s helpline for enquiries relating to workplace legislation or health & safety policies. HAE HEA members may use this service at no charge. You can call the BusinessGuard hotline on 0121 380 4612 or email businessguard@hae.org.uk for professional advice on personnel, health & safety, legal matters and much more. Assessments should then be reviewed periodically to ensure it is kept up to date, and the duty holder or responsible person for the premises must ensure that actions are carried out. WHAT ACTIONS SHOULD I TAKE? A thorough Fire Risk Assessment will highlight all necessary actions, and give additional industry-specific advice, and our Compliance and Training departments are on hand to assist with the actions highlighted. The most common causes of fire in the workplace are: • Faulty electrical equipment • Incorrect storage of flammable and combustible materials • Lack of staff training and awareness All business and commercial property owners have a legal responsibility to ensure premises are fully protected from the threat of fire, so you should ask yourself the following: • When were your fire extinguishers last maintained? • When were your electrical appliances last tested, and when was your fixed mains installation last inspected? • When did you last test your fire alarm system or have a full service visit from a competent engineer? • Will your emergency lighting system function in the event of a power outage during a fire? • Do your staff know what to do in the event of a fire?