Posted By srd Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order, who would be our 'responsible person' out of the H&S manager, the MD, the Works Engineer (responsible for the buildings), or someone else? I read that it is supposed to be an 'employee who has control of the premises', or 'the owner of the premises', but as the role involves risk asessments wouldn't the H&S manager, as the one who already has these skills, be the favourite for this role? Are all of you here all assuming the role in your workplaces, or is it going to someone else? Stephen.

Posted By Martin Monaghan According to the the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (does it still exist?): "Responsibility for complying with the Fire Safety Order will rest with the 'responsible person'. In a workplace, this is the employer and any other person who may have control of any part of the premises, eg the occupier or owner. In all other premises the person or people in control of the premises will be responsible. If there is more than one responsible person in any type of premises, all must take all reasonable steps to work with each other." My interpretation of this for my workplace is that the MD is the "Responsible Person" and he has appointed me as a competent person to carry out the Risk Assessment and implement any control measures. This is the same arrangement we have had for some time under the current legislation. Martin.

Posted By Bob Shillabeer Hi All, Kate is correct when she says a person can be a company. The term used by the RR(FS)O is quite simple. The 'responsible person' is the employer or where there is no employer the person (or company) having control in connection with the carrying on by him of a trade, business or other undertaking or the owner when the person in control does not have control in connection with the carrying on by him of a trade, business or other undertaking. This definition is because the RRo applies to all types of premises except domestic dwellings and offshore installations, ships, farming and forestry land away from buildings, transportation and mines other than surface buildings. In short anyone who has control of the premises is responsible for complying with the RRO. There still seems to be a myth about the RRO's requirements. The requirements have existed for some years in the form of the Fire Precautions (Work Place) Regulations 1997 and simply extends the principle of fire risk assessment to all premises. The existance of fire certificates was very limited mainly due to the failure of Government over the years to make orders under the Fire Precuations Act 1971 and is therefore mainly a tidying up exercise. If you have previously done fire risk asesments under the 1997 Regulations you need only check the risk assesments remain accurate and adequate, if not you need to undertake the risk assesments by October this year. As to who does the assessments a competent person is required and there are numurous training suppliers touting for business. The responsible person is only responsible for ensuring the risk assessments are completed by a competent person so must appoint one to do the work and the RP must then ensure the control measures (the fire safety arrangements) are properly implemented. It's as simple as that (??)

Posted By Stupendous Man ODPM = Department for Communities & Local Government (DCLG). They have yet to change some of their branding i.e. web-page addresses still make refrerence to ODPM. Interesting that the Deputy Prime Minister loses his 'Office', but keeps the houses and cars!! (but I digress) DCLG consists in the main of all the old ODPM functions, but with a few extra ones added in.