The answer is – you are, if you are the owner, employer, landlord or occupier of a workplace, or if you are the manager or risk assessor for a business. So the net is drawn pretty widely. If you have any of these roles – and you may have more than one, for instance as both employer and occupier – then you are what is called the “responsible person”.
There may be more than one responsible person and if so, you are expected to work together to ensure that your fire safety responsibilities are discharged correctly.
Factories, shops and other workplaces – fire risk assessments
From factories to hotels to shops, you must carry out a fire risk assessment and make sure it is reviewed regularly. If you find this somewhat daunting – and many business owners do – the best thing is to contact http://keloscape.co.uk/fire-risk-assessment/, an expert company who can carry out a fire risk assessment in Gloucester.
B and Bs, guesthouses, Air BnB
Lots of people who are just letting out a spare room to holidaymakers or doing Air BnB at weekends don’t think fire precautions apply to them. But they do. If someone is paying you, you are the responsible person under the law. That means filling out a fire risk assessment, to show that you have thought about the risks and what to do in the event of a fire.
If you have altered the premises or house
When you alter a workplace or a building that is rented out to the public, you need to make sure that the fire safety element has been designed in to the new refurbishment. This is where fire safety regulations begin to get complicated. There is information on the government’s Planning Portal.
However you may find that reading this induces a strong desire to lie down in a darkened room – it is very complicated. It’s a lot easier to hire in the expertise for a fire risk assessment in Gloucester via a company like Keloscape, who specialise in businesses in this area.
Other responsibilities
You have to tell your staff about the risks and about fire safety, giving them appropriate training. Also remember that you must put fire protection measures in place and have an emergency plan.
