Guidance about the Regulatory Reform (fire safety) order

The government has introduced better regulations, the order replaces various references made to fire safety from different legislations such as the licensing act, the housing act and the fire precautions act and has consolidated them all into one legislation.

Any person who has a level of control over premises are now required to take reasonable steps to reduce the risk from fire and should a fire occur all occupants must be able to escape safely.

The fire safety order is designed to provide a minimum fire safety standard in places where people work, including shared areas, workplace facilities and the means of access to that workplace. The fire safety order reforms the law relating to fire safety in non-domestic premises.

It replaces fire certification under the Fire Precautions Act 1971 with a general duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practical, the safety of employees. In relation to non-employees to take such fire precautions as may reasonably be required in the circumstances to ensure that premises are safe and a duty to carry out a fire risk assessment.

To support the fire safety order, the office of the deputy prime minister (ODPM) will be publishing a suite of eleven guidance documents, they will provide advice on most types of premises where the duty to undertake a fire risk assessment under the fire safety order applies.

The guides are available for the following categories of premises, offices and shops, premises providing sleeping accommodation, residential care premises, small and medium places of assembly, large places of assembly, factories and warehouses, theatres and cinemas, educational premises, healthcare premises, transport interchanges and open air events.