COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENT News Release (271) issued by COI News Distribution
Service. 18 November 2008
An easy to use
booklet to help small accommodation providers comply with fire
safety rules was launched by Fire Minister Sadiq Khan today.
'Do you have paying guests?' will give the hospitality
industry practical advice; including a five-step action plan for
reducing fire risks in small establishments.
Fire safety regulations introduced in 2006 required those
responsible for small hospitality businesses to carry out a fire
risk assessment for the first time.
The booklet published today addresses the specific difficulties
that B&Bs, guest houses and self catering properties have
faced understanding the new rules and encourages compliance.
There is no 'one size fits all' approach to fire safety
and this guide provides a range of cost effective ways to deliver
an adequate level of protection.
Communities and Local Government have worked in partnership with
the B&B Association, VisitBritain, Farmstay, the Regional
Tourist Boards and the Chief Fire Officers Association, to develop
an easily digestible guide.
It includes a five step action-plan to help carry out a risk assessment:
* think about how a fire could start on your premises and how
quickly it could spread
* think about who is at risk
*
make a plan to keep people safe by removing fire hazards wherever
possible and then putting in place measures to detect a fire and
ensure, if one does start, that everyone can escape safely
*
make a note of your plan and train for the worst
* keep your
plan updated to reflect any changing circumstances or risks
Fire and Rescue Services will also benefit from the information,
allowing them to prioritise fire safety while taking an
appropriate and proportionate approach to enforcement.
Fire Minister Sadiq Khan said:
"It's plain common sense that every business should
have an adequate level of fire safety, especially where people who
may not be familiar with their surroundings are sleeping.
"But we recognise concerns raised by this sector of the
hospitality industry that small B&Bs and others are finding it
harder than big hotels to know what to do, and what may represent
an adequate level of fire safety.
"That's why we've worked closely with the sector
and the Chief Fire Officers Association to develop straightforward
and practical information for owners on how to protect themselves,
their guests and their business."
The guidance, which will be made available primarily through
industry channels, also provides owners with an overview of their
legal responsibilities, a handy checklist of issues to consider as
part of the risk assessment and Q and A.
Notes to editors
1. To read 'Do you have paying guests?' go to http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/fire/payingguests
2. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order was introduced in
October 2006 replaced over 70 separate pieces of fire legislation.
It streamlined the legislation and bought all fire safety
responsibilities together in a single Order. Under the Order, all
those responsibility for non-domestic premises are required to
carry out a fire safety risk assessment and put in place adequate
measures to manage the risk.
3. The Order abolished the requirement for businesses to apply
for a fire certificate and extended the requirement, under the
Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997, as amended, for
businesses with more than 5 employees, to carry out a workplace
fire risk assessment to cover all those with responsibility for
non-domestic premises. Although many businesses had been covered
by the previous legislation the introduction of the Order placed a
new responsibility to carry out a fire risk assessment on the
owners of premises with fewer than 6 bedrooms and 5 employees.
4. The Government believes that those with responsibility for
individual premises are best placed to understand the risks in
their premises and ensure that they are actively managed to
protect lives. The Order is not prescriptive about what fire
safety measures are required. It is for the responsible person to
decide what prevention and protection arrangements are appropriate
and adequate to mitigate the identified risks. The publication of
this booklet seeks to ensure that this specific sector is aware of
its duties to provide a fire safe environment and has some support
to consider what practical fire safety measures may be acceptable.
5. Fire and Rescue Authorities are the primary enforcing
authorities for the Order and are expected to develop appropriate
risk-based inspection regimes with the context of their Integrated
Risk Management Plan (IRMP). Like CLG, CFOA are keen to support
the sector to put in place those fire safety measures which
adequately protect lives and to ensure that, wherever possible,
the cost of implementing improved fire safety is commensurate with
the risk. A key aim of the leaflet is to ensure that fire safety
officers are equipped to take a pragmatic and proportionate
approach to audit and enforcement in these types of premises.
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