New fire safety legislation came into effect on 1 October 2023. Many businesses and building owners will need to check if and how this affects them and ensure compliance with the regulations.
The main changes are:
- All businesses now need to record a fire risk assessment and fire safety arrangements in full. This applies regardless of the number of employees, and size or type of business.
- Increased requirements for cooperation and coordination between Responsible Persons. This applies to multi-occupied buildings and buildings where the occupier and owner are not the same person.
- Residents in residential buildings with two or more domestic premises must be provided with information on the risks from fire. They must also be provided with details of the fire safety measures in place to keep them safe.
The government has published three new fire safety guides. These cover small non-domestic premises, small blocks of flats, and small sleeping accommodation. The three new guides replace the short old guide to making your premises safe from fire.
Additionally, the government has published a useful 5-step checklist. This has been designed help people responsible for the simplest premises to complete a fire safety risk assessment. It’s easy to follow and available as a PDF download or accessible web page.