FOCUS
Legislative issues
Life Safety Fire Risk Assessment Scheme Every organisation operating within the scope of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 must conduct a life safety fire risk assessment. Those organisations employing five or more people are required to document this assessment and a ‘competent risk assessor’ may be contracted to complete this on their behalf. It is the specific responsibility of the responsible person (or duty holder in Scotland and Northern Ireland) to ensure the adequacy of the fire risk assessment carried out for their organisation. There are no specific competence criteria
listed as part of this legal requirement. The use of an assessment provider with BAFE/NSI approval is a way of gaining assurance about the quality of assessment to be commissioned. Approval is an endorsement of the technical and quality management capabilities of the provider and the ability of its staff to work in compliance with the Life Safety Fire Risk Assessment Scheme (SP205).
BAFE SP101 Fire Extinguisher Service Scheme This is the scheme for portable fire extinguishers which was recently updated by BAFE, and it ensures that organisations and the technicians that they employ are competent to provide essential fire extinguisher services, which include the following:
38 SEPTEMBER 2018
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• selecting the appropriate fire extinguishers to be installed – according to identified risks
• commissioning – on site checking of fire extinguishers as fit for purpose prior to installation
•
siting – correct positioning and installation of extinguishers
• maintenance and servicing – regular checks that fire extinguishers are in efficient working order and ready for use in the event of fire
Following lengthy, industry wide consultation, which involved NSI and other interested stakeholders, the importance of organisational and also individual technician competence in the delivery of extinguisher services has been recognised. The new BAFE SP101 Fire Extinguisher Service Scheme took effect in October 2017 and, amongst other improvements, requires supplying organisations to ensure in-house competency, as well as not to rely solely on outsourced expert technicians. The extended range of competencies
introduced by the revised scheme requires evidence of technicians’ understanding of possible site based risks, and ability to match appropriate types, ratings and numbers of fire extinguishers to these specific risks. Holding BAFE/NSI approval to the SP101 scheme reflects such competence in fire extinguisher providers.
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