General Fire PrecautionsRequired by the Legislation

The fire safety measures required by the legislation are described by Article 4 of the Fire Safety Order. These measures are:

(a) Measures to reduce the risk of-

(i) Fire on the premises; and

(ii) The risk of the spread of fire on the premises;

(b) Measures in relation to the means of escape from the premises;

(c) measures for securing that, at all material times, the means of escape can be safely and effectively used;

(d) measures in relation to the means for fighting fires on the premises:

(e) measures in relation to the means for-

(i) detecting fires on the premises; and

(ii) giving warning in case of fire on the premises;

(f) measures in relation to the arrangements for action to be taken in the event of a fire in on the premises (including measures relating to the instruction and training of employees and for mitigation of the effects of fire).

It should be noted that (b), (c), (d) and (e) were simply the requirements for certification under the Fire Precautions Act. They were equally necessary for compliance with the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations. The measures specified in (f) were normally required by certificates issued under the Fire Precautions Act, and were previously required by the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations.

The measures specified in (a) are, as discussed later in these notes, inherent to the principles of fire risk assessment. Thus, they were implicit in the requirements previously imposed in respect of fire risk assessment by the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations.

Clearly, any fire risk assessment carried out for the purpose of the new legislative regime must address the above matters.