On
1st October 2006 the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (the Order) was implemented in England and
Wales and the Fire Scotland Act, Part 3 Fire Safety in Scotland . The Order replaces previous fire safety legislation,
which as of 1st October 2006 was repealed. The Order requires that all employers and persons
in control of workplaces and premises undertake a fire risk assessment.
A fire risk assessment is an organised and methodical look at the premises, the activities carried on within the
premises and the likelihood that a fire could start and cause harm to those in and around the premises.
The person deemed to be responsible
for fire safety is required to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks, in order that they can identify the
general fire precautions needed to comply with the legislation.
Through this
risk assessment process the principles of fire prevention which need to be applied are:
Avoidance
of the risk
Evaluation of the risks which cannot be avoided
Combating
risks at source
Adapting to technical progress
Replacing dangerous
with non or less dangerous
Developing an overall prevention policy
Giving
collective measures priority over individual measures
Giving appropriate instructions
