The Law
This course is designed for the nominated ‘responsible person’ as required by the Regulatory Reform (fire safety) Order 2005 which came into force on the 1st October 2006. The ‘responsible person’ is defined in the Order as either:

• In relation to a workplace, the employer, if the workplace is to any extent under his control;
• In relation to any other premises.

The owner, where the person in control of the premises does not have control in connection with the carrying on by that person of a trade, business or other undertaking.

The Regulatory Reform Order also states

Duty to take general fire precautions

  8. The responsible person must—
    (a) ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety of any of his employees; and
    (b) in relation to relevant persons who are not his employees, take such general fire precautions as may reasonably be required in the circumstances of the case to ensure that the premises are safe.

Risk Assessment

  9.(1) The responsible person must make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to which relevant persons are exposed for the purpose of identifying the general fire precautions he needs to take to comply with the requirements and prohibitions imposed on him by or under this Order.

Fire safety arrangements

  10.(1) The responsible person must make and give effect to such arrangements as are appropriate, having regard to the size of his undertaking and the nature of its activities, for the effective planning, organisation, control, monitoring and review of the preventive and protective measures.
  (2) The responsible person must record the arrangements referred to in paragraph (1) where—
    (a) he employs five or more employees;
    (b) a licence under an enactment is in force in relation to the premises; or
    (c) an alterations notice requiring a record to be made of those arrangements is in force in relation to the premises.

Course Overview
The sections above identify just a few of the ‘responsible person’ duties and form the base of the course syllabus. The course is designed to offer the nominated person an overview of all the relevant sections of the Order, their expected role and responsibilities, the legal implications and how they can find help from ’competent persons.

The course is an open forum for discussion and is offered on an easy to understand common sense approach basis. The new guidance documents are covered along with other pieces of technical standards and the considered way in which the Order will be policed and the type of legal procedures adopted by The Fire and Rescue Services.

Continued...