Workplace Risk Assessments
All employers must conduct a Risk Assessment. Employers with 5 or more employees have to record the significant findings of their risk assessment in writing.
Fire Risk Assessment
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO) came into effect in October 2006 and replaced over 70 pieces of fire safety law.
The FSO firmly places the responsibility for ensuring fire does not put lives at risk with the ‘responsible person’, which in most cases will be the employer. At the same time, it allows the enforcing authority to make sure that the legislation is complied with and sets penalties if it is not.
The FSO applies to all non-domestic premises in England and Wales, including the common parts of blocks of flats and houses in multiple occupation (HMOs).
The law applies to you if you are:
- responsible for business premises
- an employer or self-employed with business premises
- responsible for a part of a dwelling where that part is solely used for business purposes
- a charity or voluntary organisation
- a contractor with a degree of control over any premises
- providing accommodation for paying guests
Under the FSO, the responsible person must carry out a fire safety risk assessment and implement and maintain a fire management plan.
The Order requires the responsible person (or their representative) to carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of their workplace, to remove or reduce fire hazards as far as possible, and to ensure that all facilities relating to fire alarm and detection systems and firefighting are well maintained. The risk assessment should also include evacuation procedures and staff training requirements.
