Stephanie Before the technical answers start on this is my view. It depends on who controls the purse strings, which controls the manpower, who controls the budgets for the area. The HS Advisor cannot be that person. Engineers and managers spend money but do not necessarily decide everything it is spent on. The more senior managers that the engineers and managers work for are responsible for,as they are the one that are responsible for ensuring that the resources are spent appropriately. They have sufficient authority. They are the responsible person Steve

"Responsible Person" has a specific meaning under Article 3 (a) of the FSO. In a workplace RP = employer, so it is actually most likely to be the body corporate not an individual. The person who you appoint to be responsible for carrying out the requirements of the FSO is not necessarily the RP in law.

Thanks to you all. You have confirmed my understanding. Much appreciated, Stephanie

Responsible person duties and responsibilities cannot be passed on by delegation. The RP is still the person who owns the premises or business, or the employer.

Sorry if this matter has been well discussed before but I remain concerned that many who post here do not understand the concept of a “legal person”. Heather touches on it in her post above but has everyone got their heads around it? When the fire safety legislation refers to a person it means a “legal person”. This can be a single individual but in most cases it is going to be the company or organisation which employs staff and/or which occupies the premises. The law allows these corporate entities to act as though they were single individuals or persons but let’s not forgot that actually they are not – it is just a legal convenience. So when the fire safety legislation places duties and responsibilities on the responsible person you do not have to go looking around to find an individual on the staff who is going to take on this role. The company which employs you is already that person in the sense that it is a “legal person”. So whenever legislation refers to a person you need to ask yourself if, in your particular circumstances, it does mean a single individual or does it mean the corporate entity – i.e. the company which employs you. Almost all of the posts which are suggesting that the responsible person needs to be a single individual (e.g. the Managing Director) appear to have missed this very important point.