How to avoid the onset of fire
Protecting you accommodation and the people within it from the danger of fire is of paramount importance. To keep you and your guests safe:
- Fit an alarm to provide early warning in case of a fire;
- Keep escape routes clear of obstructions and keep fire exits unlocked;
- Never wedge open a fire door;
- Enclose staircases with fire resisting construction to ensure all exit routes are safe.
What is a fire risk assessment
A fire risk assessment is a thorough look at your premises and the people who are likely to use them. It considers the risk of a fire breaking out and what measure you need to put in place to prevent one from doing so.
Keeping a record will save you time and money when you come to review and update your assessment.
If you don’t have a fire risk assessment, you and your business may be at greater risk of a fire. It is a legal requirement to keep everyone associated with your business safe from fire.
Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service may inspect your premises as part of our responsibility to enforce the law.
If we feel you need to improve your fire safety procedures, we will provide advice. Failing to heed this advice could result in a formal legal enforcement action and, in serious cases, the closure of your business until it is safe to reopen again.
The short time you invest in carrying out a fire risk assessment and making any improvements could save the lives of guests and keep your business safe, legal and open.
What am I legally obliged to do?
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 states that you are responsible for taking steps to protect the people who are using your premises from the risk of fire.
If necessary, you must improve your fire safety measures and construction to ensure all exit routes are safe.
If you employee five or more people (including any who work part time), you are legally obliged to keep a written record of significant findings.
Remember to follow the five key steps
1. Identify the hazards;
2. Identify people at risk;
3. Remove, reduce and protect from risk;
4. Record, plan, inform instruct and train;
5. Review.