Fire Door Inspections & Fire Risk Assessments.
Inspections That Protect. Prices That Respect.
Fire Door Inspections & Fire Risk Assessments.
Inspections That Protect. Prices That Respect.
In accordance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, a duty has been placed on the responsible person to make sure that a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment is carried out. A guidance on what to look for when deciding on who you will choose will be provided.
What is a fire risk assessor?
A fire risk assessor is the expert you bring in to examine your workplace and identify any potential fire hazards. He/She should check everything from escape routes and fire alarms to electrical systems and the storage of flammable materials. Also, the presence of mobility impaired people will be assessed. The fire risk assessor prevents fires and keep everyone safe. They should not only spot the risks but also give you advice and guidance on how to fix them and make sure your building/premise meets the fire safety regulations. Basically, they’re doing everything possible to protect your business, your employees, and anyone who visits your premises.
Why is having a competent fire risk assessment important?
For very simple premises, the responsible person will be able to do this assessment themselves. But for others, more complex buildings/premise, that wouldn’t be a good idea. Fire risk assessments for more complex premises might require specialist knowledge of things such as fire protection measures, presence of mobility impaired people and means of escape.
And there’s other considerations that need to be made – like the age and construction of the building, its use, occupants, and any substances stored and used which may affect fire safety. This is even more important if there’s members of the public on the premises, or if the premises has sleeping accommodation – higher levels of qualification are recommended.
If the assessment you have conducted isn’t sufficient, or the person doing it on your behalf doesn’t do a thorough enough job, then you’re still responsible for the omissions.
That’s why it’s so important to select a competent fire risk assessor, to help keep your business protected from fire risks and hazards.
We’re here to help you avoid making mistakes that could put in danger the safety of your workers, residents and property, and damage your business’ reputation.
What are the consequences of not hiring a competent fire risk assessor?
If you as a responsible person are not competent enough to assess your fire risk sufficiently and choose not to hire a competent person, you’ll be breaching the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 – the cost of which can be extremely high.
If a fire breaks out in your business and local authorities find that you failed to have your fire safety measures carried out by a competent person, you could be issued with a formal notice that could lead to a prosecution against you.
What do I need to look for when hiring a fire risk assessor?
There are some factors that you need to look out for. They are broken down into:
1. Being third-party approved – This means they are officially approved by fire safety bodies and hold recognised and verified qualifications.
2. Trustworthy – You have to be certain you can trust your competent fire risk assessor to advise you on the steps you need to take to keep your business, premises and, most importantly, people safe. After all, it’s a huge responsibility to bear, so you need to make sure they can do right by you, your employees, and the law.
3. Good knowledge – It’s important their knowledge has derived from reputable sources – whether it’s from university, up-to-date CPD, training school, research, or other competent persons. With valid knowledge, your fire risk assessor will be able to apply their skills to keep your business in a safe and compliant position.
4. Demonstrable experience – It’s essential that your competent fire risk assessor can demonstrate relevant experience. After all, how can you be sure they’re capable of carrying out the job at hand?
If you’re worried your competent fire risk assessor doesn’t hold any of the four points listed above, you might want to search for alternatives and refer to these points when narrowing down your search.
Stay safe with RIS Environmental Ltd
Head over to our Home page to discover more about how we can help protect your business from fire – like supporting with fire risk assessments and acting as your competent fire risk assessor. At RIS Environmental Ltd, we can also support your competent person with a competent advisor.
Contact us today and see how we could support your business. Our Fire Risk consultants are always available to help!
