Infast Know How

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety Order) 2005 made it a legal requirement to provide all staff with adequate fire safety training on induction and at regular intervals thereafter. The Fire Safety Order is enforced by the local Fire Authority. Failure to comply with the Order can lead to a fine or a maximum of two years imprisonment. There is also a risk that you may be liable for damages if staff do not receive fire awareness training and they injure themselves or others in a fire. For example by using a water-based fire extinguisher on electrical fires or blocking escape routes.

If you are an employer, business owner or are in control of premises, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 states that you ‘must ensure that your employees are provided with adequate fire safety training’. This means that it is law to train every member of staff, including any causal staff and ensure that any external companies (i.e. Security Firms) are also trained in Fire Safety.

Yes, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 states that you must have a sufficient number of competent people to perform evacuation duties as well as ensuring that the fire safety systems in your premises are fully functioning.

Fire Safety Training courses start from as little as £250 per session. Up to 6 people can attend. We offer discounts when Fire extinguishers are serviced at the same time.

• Offices and shops
• Premises where care is provided, including care homes and hospitals
• Community halls, places of worship and other community premises
• Communal areas in flats
• Pubs, clubs and restaurants
• Schools and sports centres
• Tents and marquees
• Hotels and hostels
• Factories and warehouses
• Industrial units

Fire Safety Training should be conducted with any new member of staff joining your business. On an ongoing basis you will need to conduct training with all staff if anything changes within your workplace that adds new fire risks. As a general rule, you should then refresh the fire safety training once every 12 months, depending on your business. Sectors like hotels and care homes will need to carry out more regular training for obvious reasons.

Yes. All businesses must have a fire evacuation plan in plan. This will contain the actions that staff members need to take if a fire occurs. The plan should be communicated to all membners of staff and their understanding of it assessed so that you are clear that all staff memebrs know what to do in the event of a fire.

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 states: “The ‘responsible person’ is the person/s who owns or controls the business and/or the owner of the property in the case of multi-occupied buildings and it is their responsibility to ensure that a regular Fire Risk Assessment is carried out.”

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 stipulates that you must keep a written record of your fire risk assessment if your business has 5 or more people. But even if you have only 4 employees you still need a fire risk assessment, it’s just that there is no legal requirement for the findings to be recorded. We advise our customers that it’s good practice to record, in writing, any findings of a fire risk assessment in these circumstances. Written records are easier for people to follow. It also acts as a document of proof that you are taking your fire safety responsibilities seriously.

Yes. A Fire Risk Assessment is a legal requirement for all business premises and every block of flats. The penalty for not having a Fire Risk Assessment and, more importantly not having implemented the correct fire safety precautions in a business premises or block of flats can be prosecution. This can result in heavy fines and, in cases where there has been extreme negligence, prison sentences.

Internally, the responsible person is expected to review and update, if needed, Fire Risk Assessments regularly. Externally, the Fire Brigade can ask to see and check Fire Risk Assessments. Their duties include inspecting premises to keep people safe from fire. If they find your premises are not safe  or you have not completed a Fire Risk Assessment they can issue you with a fine. If they believe people are in immediate risk they also have the power to close your premises completely. You’ll then not be able to re-open until such time as the premises have been made safe for employees and/or members of the public.

Fire extinguisher servicing should be carried out once a year to the standard laid down under BS 5306-3:2009. Our enginners undertake a number of steps when checking and maintaining your fire extinguishers. These include:

• Carrying out a visual inspection to ensure there is no corrosion or damage.
• Checking the extinguisher has not been used or tampered with by checking that the safety pin and tamper seals are in place.
• Taking a pressure gauge reading.
• Removing the discharge hose to check for blockages or corrosion.
• Weighing and cleaning the extinguisher. More than 10% weight loss warrants investigation.
• Ensuring wall mountings are secure.
• Checking that fiore extinguishers are still in the correct location according to your fire risk assessment.

You must have your fire extinguishers serviced, every 12 months  and needs to be done in accordance with BS 5036-6. This service is best done by a third party accredited fire extinguisher company, like Infast Fire Protection, with the correct tools, training and experience.

With two offices in Barnstaple and newbury we cover; Berkshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall and all along the South.