Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order

1
Fire Safety Order 2005 Guidance Documents
2
Paul Dryden

• Initial Drafting Team

3
Fire Safety Order 2005Guidance Documents
The Government always recognised that the
extension of risk based legislation would only
work if adequate guidance was available for the
responsible person
4
The Project

• Scope of the project in Sept 2002 agreed by-
• Ministers,
• Fire Policy Division,
• HMFSI and
• the Fire Safety Advisory Board
• A team of 3 was seconded from Fire Rescue
  Authorities to draft the guidance

5
The Brief

• Several separate guides
• Premises use specific
• Guides not regulations
• Focus on prevention
• Baseline of Approved Document B?
• Targeted consultation

6
The Brief

• Written for the responsible person
• Suitable for small/medium businesses
• Also for Enforcers
• Provide practical examples
• Consolidate ALL existing guidance

7
Scrutiny Concerns

• We consider that guidance is essential to the
  proper implementation
• For the judgement of the Inspecting Officer
  Responsible person
• Where necessary?
• Plain English user friendly

8
Stakeholder views

• Confederation of British Industry
• Closely follow format of Employers Guide
• Provide workable examples of practical
  alternatives

9
Stakeholder views

• Federation of small businesses
• Looking for short (10-12) page advice booklet

CFOA in partnership with ODPM have drafted short
booklet to assist small businesses
10
A change of tack

• Acknowledgement that stakeholder agreement was
  necessary
• BRE tenders to finish guides
• Small group of primary stakeholders brought
  together by CFOA to seek consensus (October-
  December 2004)

11
How the Guides should be used
Guide divided into two main parts with an
emphasis on risk reduction/ prevention in the
first instance
PART 1 A simple, straightforward guide to
complying with the law carrying out a fire risk
assessment (5 step approach)
12
How the Guides should be used

• PART 2 Further detailed information on premises
  specific advice, risk reduction and general fire
  precautions (can be dipped into)
• APPENDICES

MORE OF A FUNCTIONAL APPROACH PROVIDING GUIDANCE
APPROPRIATE TO A RANGE OF RISKS USES
13
Risk reduction?
14
Risk Reduction?
15
Suitable fire detection and warning

• Where necessary?
• A shouted warning or manual system may be OK
• In most premises an electrical system is needed

16
Fire Extinguishers

• Are they needed?
• They help to reduce risk to others in the
  premises
• In almost all circumstances some extinguishers
  will be required

17
Escape routes

• This section presented more issues than any other
• New build standards vs. existing provisions
• Reconciling previous guidance documents
• Making the section accessible to the responsible
  person
• Many diagrams showing generally acceptable
  arrangements

18
Escape routes

• Simple approach to means of escape - for the
  responsible person
• Not a Fire Safety Officers technical guide
• If beyond their capability or scope of the
  guidance - advice should be sought

19
Escape routes
20
Escape routes
Typical diagram format
21
Escape routes
Provides Typical Building examples
22
Management

• Clear that good management is key
• Detailed guidance on
• Record keeping
• Planning
• Informing
• Instruction
• Training

23
Management?
24
Changes?

• AFD in dead-ends
• Part suppression systems
• Use of lifts for disabled escape, (with caveats)
• Extinguishers
• Specifically recommends AFD in sleeping risks
• Relaxation for small mezzanines

25
Summary

• The guides proved a mammoth undertaking
• Plotting a route through all other guidance
• They provide practical advice in lay terms
• Purists may pick holes
• There are one or two mistakes
• They support the new direction of fire safety
  legislation