Health & Safety

What is the Fire Safety Order?

In April 2021, the UK Parliament passed the Fire Safety Act 2021 which set out new regulations for England and Wales. The aim of the legislation is to prevent further tragedies such as the Grenfell Tower fire from occurring.

Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022

Following implementation of the Fire Safety Act 2021, additional measures have been passed for England. The Regulations introduce new responsibilities under the Fire Safety Order and expand upon the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 in England.

  • The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 come into force on 23 January 2023.

What is the Fire Safety Order?

The Fire Safety Order is the fire safety legislation in England and Wales that regulates buildings and sets out responsibilities for individuals subject to the Order.

What does the Fire Safety Order cover?

The Fire Safety Order was introduced in October 2006 and covers the ongoing fire safety management of a building while occupied. It applies to all non-domestic premises in England and Wales such as workplaces and commercial buildings. It includes the non-domestic parts of multi-occupied residential buildings such as the internal areas of blocks of flats as well as houses converted into two flats or into houses in multiple occupations.

What does this mean?

The Fire Safety Order requires a responsible person to undertake, and review regularly, a fire risk assessment of the building and maintain precautions that manage the risk of fire.

Who is a responsible person?

This will depend on the type of property. In residential buildings, someone will likely be the responsible person if they own the building, but only in relation to the non-domestic parts i.e., freeholder or landlord but it could be someone who has control over the building i.e., managing agent, landlord, or letting agent.

What are the responsible persons’ responsibilities?

  • Regularly review the fire risk assessment of their building(s), particularly to take into account the structure, external walls, and flat entrance doors if they have not already done so.
  • Update the first risk assessments to take account of the structure, external walls, and flat entrance doors.
  • Appoint a specialist who will carry out the fire risk assessment, such as a qualified specialist assessor who may consider a more in-depth assessment if there is a potentially high risk of fire.
  • Fill in the Fire Risk Assessment Prioritisation Tool. 
Tags: Health & Safety

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