FEATURE FIRE & SECURITY A NEW ERA FOR FIRE REGULATIONS
Peter Lackey, fire manager, Johnson Controls F
ollowing the Grenfell Tower disaster, fire regulations are under close
scrutiny. However, a large number of British companies are not aware of the actual legal requirements they could face. Regulations have been introduced and applied piecemeal over the years, meaning that most companies have developed fire safety protocols organically. If real change is to happen, a top-to-bottom overhaul of fire safety practice is needed.
LATEST REGULATORY CHANGES The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, for example, states that the fire risk assessment must be ‘suitable and sufficient,’ but how many companies assume they may have a fire and actually include business continuity planning as part of that process? The person conducting the assessment
must possess the necessary skills to be competent in assessing the risk under review. Preparation is key if companies are to get ahead of the curve and provide top-level fire safety at an achievable outlay. It is up to individual companies to change the way they approach fire safety and ensure occupants stay as far from danger as possible.
HOW TO PLAN YOUR FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT You need to conduct regular fire risk assessments of the entire building, considering every potential hindrance to give you the best chance of protecting occupants. That leads us into the question of how to select a competent fire risk
assessor. There is not a black and white choice between a satisfactory balance sheet and the safety of employees and the local community. By working with an expert fire risk assessor, businesses can achieve regulatory compliance and desirable safety levels on a workable budget. However, in the rush to avoid repeating past mistakes, there is certainly a risk that some fire safety teams may settle for less well-resourced assessors, or those without the expertise required to effectively and safely discern the conditions of the building, just to make sure that something is done. To avoid this, companies should be looking for professional, product agnostic organisations with a proven track record of successful assessments. Many organisations do not realise that it
is a legal requirement under Article 17 of the FSO to have all building systems maintained. Anything connected to, and which forms part of, the overall fire safety must be maintained competently. The detail should give consideration to those most at risk (disabled persons), fitted systems, avoidance of false alarms, hot works, visitors, training, evacuation planning, fire wardens and marshals, water sources, maintenance, signalling and fire brigade response, right through to recovery and salvage plans if a fire occurs.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? When done properly, a thorough fire risk assessment of your premises can help you manage budgets, and efficiency assist with future planning and change. A good fire risk assessment can be
literally the difference between life and death. In the year ending September 2017, Fire and Rescue services attended over 170,000 fires in the UK, and there were 346 fatalities at home and at work as a result (including 71 in the Grenfell Tower disaster). The better your assessment, the more well-equipped you will be to plan your evacuation procedure, as well as to locate and maintain your detection and suppression systems. A regularly-updated fire risk assessment is the key to understanding the potential pitfalls of your building, whether that is narrow staircases, a small number of exterior exit points or simply a need for more alarm call points. Not only that, but the ability to plan
effectively will help you to look after the bottom line, without sacrificing due diligence. The worry has been voiced that sweeping changes in fire regulations will be costly because they will be too quick – when faced with a whole new raft of purchases and process updates it can feel daunting and expensive. However, by beginning now and making sure you have a comprehensive understanding of your facility’s strengths and weaknesses with regard to fire safety, you will be able to get at least a basic understanding of what is going to need changing, allowing you to plan in any necessary expense and review multiple tenders to get the best price. Change is coming, and companies of all
sizes and shapes need to get ready. Prepare by carrying out a wide-ranging, well-resourced fire risk assessment. Work with the right partner; one that has a proven record of success and access to a broad array of services, and above all, treat fire safety with the respect that it deserves – there is much to be gained, and much to be lost.
www.johnsoncontrols.com
24 MAY 2018 | ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
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