Competency matters
and that the risks of breaching fire regulations are mitigated. The FSO places responsibility for fire risk assessments in non domestic buildings squarely on the shoulders of the responsible person, whose primary duties are to: • carry out a fire risk assessment identifying the risks and hazards in a building, with special consideration for those who may be especially vulnerable, and to review it regularly
•
eliminate or reduce the risk from fire as far as is reasonably practical, paying particular attention to ensuring fire safety in areas where flammable or explosive materials are stored
• put in place and maintain appropriate fire safety measures
• •
create a plan to deal with emergency situations
provide staff with fire safety related information, instructions and training
• document findings and actions taken •
review the findings on a regular basis
This is a role that shouldn’t be undertaken lightly and, to be done thoroughly, it demands specialist knowledge and experience. Nevertheless, the FSO does not prescribe the necessary competencies of those appointed as responsible person. Although this is to some extent logical – in that the nature and complexity of premises varies dramatically – it also leaves the door wide open to people with no knowledge of fire safety being left in charge of this crucial measure.
Grey areas
The competence of the responsible person is therefore one of many ‘grey areas’ that affect the levels of overall fire safety achieved. Where people are aware of the extent of the responsible person’s duties and are honest in recognising that they are not best placed to carry them out, they can of course appoint a third party. However, the same lack of knowledge that
drove them to seek external help in the first place can also hinder their ability to judge the suitability of anyone they consider appointing. To help with this problem, and in response to widespread concerns over the poor quality (and sometimes absence) of proper fire risk assessments, industry bodies are tackling the issue by introducing competency criteria, such as those published by the FRACC (Fire Risk Assessment Competency Council) and the ASFP (Association of Specialist Fire Protection). It’s worth noting that although fire risk assessments are a cornerstone of the FSO, their real value – even when carried out by a fully competent fire risk assessor – depends on an organisation’s actions in response to them, which demands a whole new set of competencies and expertise.
Quality and reliability
Central to fire risk management in any public, commercial or multi occupancy building are effective fire detection and alarm systems.
FOCUS
www.frmjournal.com MARCH 2018
25
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60
