There are a number of fire safety duties that need to be complied with by law. Listed below are those that are important for all types of building.
- One or more person, who has enough training, experience and knowledge in fire safety and how to implement an exit strategy should be appointed to undertake any preventative and protective measures.
- All employees should have the relevant information required on how to identify any risks and any measures that need to be undertaken if a fire breaks out. Therefore it is important that these nominated people can carry out any of the roles connected with the fire safety proposal.
- Non-employees, such as temporary or contract workers, also need to be informed of the fire safety precautions for the building and any of the relevant risks to them, including who the nominated persons are.
- Consider the presence of any dangerous substances and the risk this presents as a potential fire hazard. Establish a means of contacting the emergency services and be able to provide them with all the relevant information about what they are and their potential subsequent dangers.
- Appropriate information, instruction and training to your employees, must be provided during normal working hours, about the fire precautions in their workplace, this should be done when they start working for you, and from time to time throughout their employment.
- Ensure that the premises and any equipment provided in connection with firefighting, fire detection and warning, or emergency routes and exits are covered by a suitable system of maintenance. This maintenance should be done by a competent person, good repair and working order of all of these things is paramount to the safety of everyone in the building.