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Recognised by the Institution of Fire Engineers
Ashley Wood (consultant) has been awarded IFE
accreditation and is now a registered fire risk assessor. The IFE offer a third
party accreditation scheme to assess the competency of persons offering to carry
out fire risk assessments, fire audits etc. The 'road' to inclusion on the IFE
register of approved risk assessors can take up to 6 months. |
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During this time the
applicants will be assessed by a panel of their peers, they will be asked to
provide evidence of there fire risk assessments and will be asked to provide
references from past clients. There are currently only 50 registered fire risk
assessors on the IFE register for the whole of the UK, all of them highly
experienced fire engineers in there own right.
Ashley said 'I decided that
whilst there are other third party accreditation schemes operating, the IFE is
recognised as the organisation best associated with the fire profession. By
undertaking to achieve this standard it provides confidence to our customers
that they are dealing with a recognised professional's. |
Information that may affect you!
Information sheet: 001 |
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FIRE SAFETY LAW
New fire safety rules affecting all non-domestic premises in England and Wales will come into force on 1 October 2006. The new law will:
- Emphasize preventing fires and reducing risk
- Make it your responsibility to ensure the safety of everyone who uses
your premises and in the immediate vicinity
- Do away with the need for fire certificates
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order, made in June 2005, was due to come into force in April 2006, but in January the department announced it was deferring to give business and stakeholders more time to prepare. See links for relevant news releases.
How will you know if you will be affected by the law change?
- Are you responsible for business premises?
- Are you an employer?
- Self-employed with business premises?
- A charity or voluntary organisation?
- A contractor with a degree of control over any premises?
If you answered yes to any of the above questions then you will need to act now. If you fail to act you will be prosecuted and may face a fine of up to £20,000 and a custodial sentence.
Information sheet: 002
GUIDANCE FOR BUSINESSES AND ORGANISATIONS
Fire kills. In 2003, there were 3,401 fires in industrial premises resulting in 3 deaths and 153 other casualties*.
Fire also costs money. On average, each fire in industrial premises costs approximately £60,100**.
All employers have a responsibility to ensure the safety of employees and visitors during hours of work and at places of work.
The information provided below relates to general fire safety and regulations. If in doubt, or if you require more specific information, please contact your local Fire and Rescue Service who will be happy to provide you with the information and guidance you need.
*Fire Statistics (2003)
**Economic Cost of Fires Report 2005
Frequently asked questions
What is the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order?
It will be a consolidation of nearly all existing fire safety legislation
Who will it affect?
Primarily employers and building owners but it could be anyone who has some control over premises.
What will I have to do?
Mainly, carry out a fire risk assessment and act on the findings.
I have a fire certificate….. Will that be enough?
No. Fire certificates will no longer be valid. However a fairly recent fire certificate will be a good starting point for your fire risk assessment.
Will fire precautions have to be improved? / Will it cost me anything?
(Answer for both) Yes & No! If you are already fully complying with existing legislation then it should be fairly simple. If you have not kept your fire precautions up to date there may be some additional areas to look at.
Will the Fire & Rescue service still inspect my premises?
In some cases yes, particularly in higher risk premises. But they cannot carry out your fire risk assessment for you.
How can I find out more?
Contact Thermatech Fire Consultants.
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