"Oh no, not more legislation", I hear you cry. Well before you bury your head in the proverbial sand, hear me out. As a contractor, while it does mean you are responsible it can also be seen as a business opportunity. Electrical contractors are in the perfect position to advise employers on their obligations and to specify, install and commission fire safety equipment.
As with other health and safety related directives, the onus is being placed on the employer to do something about it. The new watchword is 'self-assessment', employers have to carry out a survey of the fire risk and decide where the hazards lie, and what, within the regulations, they can do about them.
This is all part of a general move towards placing responsibility with the employer, and trying to remove the attitude of 'it's up to them to catch me, not me to do something about it' which has led to tragedies in the past.
The local fire authority and its premises inspector is charged with policing compliance. They will call and check that premises have in place 'general fire precautions...in relation to the risk to safety of employees in case of fire in the workplace'.
These new regulations exempt premises which already hold a fire certificate or have one pending under the 1971 Act: eg under Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act 1987 – sports grounds; the UK Atomic Energy Authority; sub-surface railway stations, ships, aircraft, construction sites and others, which each have their own regulations applying to them.
The self-employed are also exempt, but the small employer who, previously, was not required to hold a fire certificate is now within the scope of the regulations.
It is this type of business that will need advice and help with the installation of a system. The self assessment directive means that small employers have to be able to supply details to the fire authority inspector on demand. These include provisions such as a formal record of any significant findings and measures proposed to deal with them.
Penalties for not complying include a substantial fine and/or imprisonment for up to two years, if the employer is found guilty of intentionally or recklessly failing to comply with any part of the regulations and so puts employees at serious risk. In practice, the fire authority is required to give written notice of what the employer has to do to avoid an enforcement notice being served, unless the offence is so serious that the notice is served immediately.
The Home Office has produced a six point check list to help the employer:
The employer has to be able to demonstrate that it has covered each point, eg by having fire extinguishers checked, showing regular alarm checks, keeping a record of fire drills and having the emergency routes properly signed.
Fire detectors and alarms are specifically mentioned in the 1997 Directive – 'Firefighting and detection 4 -(1) (a)' – and they are given equal prominence with fire extinguishers.
There are many fire detection products suited to the smaller office environment which can be fitted by the electrical contractor. And, smaller businesses may not have either the know-how or money to assess fire risks within their premises and install an adequate system.
Contractors, on the other hand, who are experienced in this type of installation have the expertise and the contacts to be able to give advice and source competitively-priced detection and alarm systems and fit them.
Be responsible, make sure that your premises are up to scratch. Be business-minded make sure that you are positioned to take advantage of a new avenue of work – installing fire protection equipment to business premises.
Be an exhibitionist
If you fancy going to an exhibition and you are into fire and security you could do a lot worse than get along to the NEC on 10-13 May. Miller Freeman has put together a portfolio of four shows – IFSEC, International Fire Expo, Health & Safety Expo and Security Solutions. The show names pretty much give away what you’ll be able to see: IFSEC is two shows for fire and security installers and specifiers; International Fire Expo incorporates an indoor exhibition, outdoor demonstrations and a conference; Health & Safety Expo showcases public and workplace issues, directives and products and Security Solutions displays products and techniques for the end user. Registering for all four shows couldn’t be simpler, one phone call or website hit gets you signed up for all four exhibitions, for free. So register now because if you turn up on the day unregistered entry will cost you £15. To register call the ticket line on 01203 426480 or go on-line to www.fire-expo.co.uk.Source
Electrical and Mechanical Contractor
Postscript
Jeremy Harris is marketing communications manager, Newey & Eyre.
