New fire safety guidance for small premises
Few things spell disaster like a fire. It affects everything, big or small, leaving destruction, injury and loss in its path.
The UK experienced no fire-related fatalities in large, 10-plus-storey buildings for the year ending March 2022. This was, however, not the case in medium and low-rise buildings, which saw the death of 30 people in 1,907 and 4,656 fires respectively. Another 115 deaths occurred in fires in single-occupancy dwellings for the same period.
These tragedies prompted the review of present fire-prevention legislation to curb these incidences and loss of life. Parliament is presently evaluating the proposed new guidance for fire safety legal provision under Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022.
When will the new fire guidance come into effect?
The new guidance will take effect on 1st October 2023 and will apply to all structures under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. It’s Phase 3 of the Home Office’s programme and aims to beef up fire safety in all regulated premises.
How Phase 3 boosts fire safety in small premises
As stated, the UK government constantly seeks to improve the ways that it can legally address the gaps in fire safety. These Phase 3 regulations will:
- Improve collaboration between responsible persons (PRs).
- Make recording and sharing relevant information a requirement.
- Give authorities a leg-up to take action when parties don’t comply with the act and regulations.
- Ensure that residents in complex buildings can access fire safety information at any time.
Additionally, three new fire safety guides replace the old, short guide on fire safety for small premises. These include small:
- Industrial and commercial locations.
- Blocks of flats.
- Sleeping accommodation facilities.
To help PRs with fresh risk assessments in line with these guides, the government published an updated risk assessment checklist. This document also helps with a better understanding of the new requirements.
At present, PRs are not obliged to appoint a competent person to conduct fire risk assessments. Authorities are, however, working on a strong rollout plan that addresses this and other issues and will inform relevant parties accordingly in months to come.
How do I ensure that my premises are ready for the new changes?
Fire safety for a small premises is just as important as that for large facilities such as warehouses. It’s your responsibility to review the new guidance.
Make sure that you understand it and take the necessary measures to meet the 1st October 2023 compliance deadline. Luckily, our experts covered everything you need for the fire safety of your small premises.
Here, you’ll find the CO2, foam and water fire extinguishers required for the types of possible fire dangers in your location. We even have fire safety bundle kits to fully prepare you for the unthinkable. This gear includes:
- A fire document cabinet and logbook that helps you keep track of fire extinguisher inspections.
- Signage that contains essential information and notifies you when equipment is missing or needs to be replaced.
- Both water and CO2 extinguishers for most common fire types.
Seton’s kitchen fire safety bundle kit is ideal for your small kitchen and includes the fire extinguisher needed for fat and flammable-liquid fires. Also, our fire extinguisher storage and accessories are perfect for space-critical areas.
You can also enhance the fire safety of your small premises by installing a fire alarm and fire door accessories, such as fire door retainers. Don’t forget signage. Even a small space needs fire safety signs to comply with legal requirements.
Our all-inclusive range will get your location fire safety ready.