Everyone knows that fires are dangerous. They can be unpredictable, spread quickly and are a real threat to the safety of people and properties. This is why having good fire safety is so important. Knowing how to protect people and businesses against fire can seem daunting but it is quite simple. Fire safety starts with being proactive. Therefore, preventing fires from starting and knowing how to keep people safe is the key to tackling the challenges fire might create. The first step to taking control of fire protection is knowing who is responsible for your fire safety. Of course, this can vary depending on whether a location is domestic (like a home) or is a property for business (such as a factory). This blog will focus on the latter.  

There are lots of different parts that go into the role of being responsible for fire safety. This may seem daunting but don’t worry. No one is expected to become a firefighter overnight! Instead, there are fire safety rules and steps already laid out for businesses to follow. Remember these rules are incredibly important. Following them means it will save lives and protect properties. If that isn’t convincing enough, those who are found to have not followed the rules can end up in prison. To avoid trouble from fire (and the law!) keep reading.  

Why Is Fire Safety Important In The Workplace? 

Workplaces are a valuable part of businesses. They are also a place where fire can thrive. With hot machinery, flammable liquids and gases being handled and combustible materials being used, having good fire safety is a must. Workers also must be able to rely on the fire safety provided to them by the business. No one wants to work in an unsafe location. But how do you know if you are responsible for other people’s fire safety?  

In the UK the person responsible for fire safety is aptly called the ‘Responsible Person’. Simple to remember, right? This name can also change depending on location. For example, in Northern Ireland, the ‘Responsible Person’ is instead referred to as the ‘Appropriate Person’. In Scotland, this changes again to the ‘Duty Holder’. No matter the title, the role stays the same. If you are the ‘Responsible Person’ it is your responsibility to look out for worker’s fire safety.  

Who Is Responsible For Fire Safety?  

It might be a little confusing working out if you oversee fire safety. However, not knowing or checking can make things dangerous. Therefore, only one person is allocated as the ‘Responsible Person’. This role is performed by someone who has already established power over a venue. The role is not chosen at random.  

The person responsible for fire safety changes depending on the workspace. However, generally, you will be accountable for safety if you are: 

• The building owner 

• A landlord 

• A business owner  

• An occupier 

• An employer  

• Anyone who has control over the space. This means a building manager or risk assessor. 

Now that you know who would be the ‘Responsible Person’ it is time to look at what that role means and what exactly you must do to upkeep it.  

The Role Of The Responsible Person 

To put it simply, the Responsible Person is responsible for ensuring a workspace is safe. It is their job to protect the workers and the building from any potential danger. This includes the duty of keeping workers protected from fire danger.  

There are several jobs the Responsible Person must do. The main being to perform fire risk assessments for a space. After they have identified any potential risks, they can then put into place any action needed to be taken to prevent danger.  

Under the Fire Safety Act, anyone is legally allowed to perform a risk assessment. However, not everyone will feel comfortable taking on this job. Don’t worry. There are professionally trained risk assessors available to perform the assessment themselves. The two main things to note when completing a risk assessment are: 

1. Be unbiased. It might be tempting to ignore some of the risks to avoid costs. However, this can lead to terrible consequences – including further costs to rebuild spaces from fire damage and the irreversible cost to lives.  

1. Take immediate action to fix fire risks. Once a risk is discovered you must fix it. Risk assessments are designed to find issues ahead of time so that in an actual emergency these things won’t cause further damage. If you do not fix the risks that are discovered the risk assessment is pointless.  

The second role of the Responsible Person is to create a fire safety plan.

What Is A Fire Safety Plan? 

A fire safety plan breaks down all the parts of fire safety so the Responsible Person and workers can work together to create a space of total fire safety.  

How To Create A Fire Safety Plan  

1. Have the right fire safety equipment installed to detect fire threats. There is a lot of fire safety equipment available to overcome the many challenges fire can create. It is important to understand the different devices and why they are important. This ensures that workers are protected fully with the right equipment.  

1. Make sure the equipment is tested and serviced regularly. Servicing is an important practice to have for all equipment. It is a way of making sure fire safety equipment will work when it is needed the most.  

1. Make sure the equipment is in the right place.  

1. Make sure workers can escape safely and quickly in an emergency. This can be fixed by ensuring there are enough escape routes available. Also remember, everyone is different. Some people may require additional support. Make sure fire safety is accessible for everyone.   

1. Provide workers with up-to-date fire safety information. This includes good fire safety training and keeping a maintenance record. Communication between the Responsible Person and the workers is important. This will prevent confusion, stress and allow a relationship of trust to be formed.  

1. Mark escape routes. Fires can cause panic. Help workers to evacuate safely and calmly by keeping the escape routes clear.  

• For extra information go here.  

Who Is Responsible For Enforcing Fire Safety Legislation? 

There are two authorities which can enforce the role of a Responsible person. They are - 

1. The local fire and rescue authority, and 

1. Your local council Private Sector Housing Team  

Learning about your role as the Responsible Person is a great way to make sure you are providing the best fire safety protection you can. However, choosing not to follow your duties can mean consequences. If either of these authorities find that the Responsible person of the workplace is not fully performing their role a few things will happen. 

First, either of the two authorities will inform the Responsible Person of how to fix the risks. Everyone makes mistakes and sometimes things can get overlooked. This is partly a warning but more so a clear point in the right direction to fix the outstanding issues. If these risks are not fixed the authorities will fine the Responsible Person £5000. This fine is only given out for minor offences. This means if the issues are more severe the Responsible Person can have an unlimited fine and be sentenced for up to 2 years in prison.  

What Are The Key Acts And Regulations For The Responsible Person?  

• The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 

• Fire Safety Regulations 2022 Amended  

• Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022