Fire Safety Order 2005
The Fire Safety Order (FSO) 2005 became law on the 1st October 2006, replacing 118 pieces of legislation, repealing the Fire Precautions Act 1971 and revoking The Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations. At a stroke, all fire certificates and plans have ceased to be valid and the highly prescriptive standards set by the Fire Service have been replaced by a system of risk-based assessment, whereby accountability lies squarely and firmly with ‘the responsible person’ in any business.
No longer is it the fire service’s duty to make sure the workplace is safe. That duty lies with ‘the responsible person’ and they will be held accountable under the new legislation.
Fire Protection Officers will audit the fire risk assessments and associated documentation relating to any premises and at the end of the premises’ audit, the ‘responsible person’ will be informed of their compliance level. If there are matters of concern, then the FPO may use their powers of enforcement.
These powers vary from educating and informing (discussing action plans), notification of defects to be rectified, an alterations notice, an enforcement notice, a prohibition notice and possible prosecution.
Full details of the legislation can be found here