Shaun Doyle, of Ivorfire Safety outlines what firms need to do to meet their fire safety obligations
UK fire safety legislation requires that all buildings used in commercial or similar type activities, but not those that are solely domestic, are required to carry out a fire risk assessment for the purpose of life safety protection and keep the fire risk assessment up to date.
It is the responsibility of a designated ‘responsible person or duty holder’ to ensure that a fire risk assessment has been completed and that it is suitable and sufficient for the purpose of protecting the life safety of those relevant persons in or around the building. Normally the responsible person/duty holder will not be an expert in fire safety, and he/she may wish to appoint a ‘competent person’ to undertake this assessment.
Ivorfire Safety Services can help you to meet your obligations for fire safety.
Fire Risk Assessors Certification Scheme (Individuals) (FRACS) has been designed to provide a ‘technical reference’ for the risk assessor; using the international standard for bodies operating certification of persons; BS EN ISO/IEC 17024: 2003. FRACS provides a standardised and nationally recognised certificate of competence.
Fire risk assessors who have completed the comprehensive technical evaluation successfully and achieved certification are considered ‘competent’ to produce risk assessments that are ‘suitable and sufficient’ for the purposes of the relevant UK fire safety legislation.
Therefore, using a FRACS certificated assessor provides a powerful demonstration that a responsible person/duty holder has exercised due diligence in the selection and appointment of a competent fire risk assessor. At Ivorfire you have this service available to you.
It is important that, the person carrying out the fire risk assessment is particularly skilled and ‘competent’, as both criminal and civil liability may arise for the person employing the consultant if the resulting fire risk assessment is so incompetent that it fails to obviate serious risk to occupants from fire.  While the consultant himself may also incur liabilities, the principal duty rests with the person having control of the premises, and it is incumbent on them to ensure that any advice they seek in respect of compliance with their duties is rendered by a competent person.
No matter who carries out the fire risk assessment the duty holder retains the responsibility for ensuring the adequacy of that assessment. If employing a specialist to undertake your fire risk assessment, whilst you are not expected to be an expert in fire safety, you should make reasonable checks to ensure that they are competent to do the job properly.
IVORFIRE Safety Services Ltd can offer excellent services specialising in fire and fire safety services, based on sound practical experience with all assessors being former fire safety, fire service personnel, all with practical fire experience and excellent qualifications and professional accreditation.
Professional body, Third Party, UKAS accredited fire risk assessors at your service from Ivorfire safety Services.
Shaun Doyle   Â
Ivorfire Safety
02920 330885
office@ivorfire.co.uk
Please note: this is a commercial profile
