Hi Guys,

I am currently compiling a report for my director, detailing the current state of the fire safety arrangements for my organisation. My company has multiple contracts, and at the present time, is reliant at local level, for these contracts to devise and implement safety arrangements, this is reliant on the advice of the given local safety adviser.

I am proposing that there should be corporate arrangements, in order to give a more uniformed approach to fire safety within the organisation. I am also recommending, that a separate policy is devised, that outlines the organisations approach and commitment to fire safety.

My questions to the forum users are:

1) Does anyone have any similar experiences?
2) Do the forum users agree that a separate policy should be devised, away from the current health and safety policy?

I have been told to quite down about the fire safety policy, as it seems some of my peers think this is unnecessary. My personnel thoughts are that this is required as a driving force for a large organisation to ingrain its beliefs and management strategy, thus providing direction of fire safety throughout the organisation.

Thoughts please?

Many thanks in advance.

Fire safety and arrangements for are a requirement of the rrfso and that is different to other health and safety regulation.

The rrfso requires a fire risk assessment to be undertaken of each workplace/premises and that is separate to all other risk assessments.

Persons (employees) who are tasked with the above are required to be competent in accordance with The Fire Safety (Employees’ Capabilities) (England) Regulations 2010.

Having said all that you must realise that fire safety must be a separate matter for all employers therefore I suggest, where your company is concerned, that it is treated that way.

You say your “company has multiple contracts, and at the present time, is reliant at local level, for these contracts to devise and implement safety arrangements, this is reliant on the advice of the given local safety adviser”.

If those contracts are in premises under the control of others you should seek out the fire risk assessment for assurance that there is one, if under your company’s control then you need to ensure a fra is carried out.

“Corporate arrangements, in order to give a more uniformed approach to fire safety within the organisation. I am also recommending that a separate policy is devised, that outlines the organisations approach and commitment to fire safety”. I agree with this point as fire safety should be controlled from the top.

You have been told to “quiet down about the fire safety policy, as it seems some of your peers think this is unnecessary”.

I suggest your peers need some updated fire safety training to bring them up to speed on current requirements.

Your “personnel thoughts that this is required as a driving force for a large organisation to ingrain its beliefs and management strategy, thus providing direction of fire safety throughout the organisation” are thoughts that I would agree with and suggest you keep up your quest for greater emphasis on fire safety within your organisation.

I note you are in the construction sector, so am I. Are your employees sub contracted to Principal Contractors?

I have experience of Principal Contractors not treating fire safety as seriously as they should, this due mainly to their ignorance of the rrfso requirements.

You are right to throw this question at your Director as it will probably be his ultimate responsibility and he/she needs to be aware.

Good luck.

Thanks guys,

you have just confirmed my thoughts. Considering my company is U.K wide, I feel this is must, for the very reasons Messyshaw has described. Both comments have been extremely useful. I have always been "the advisor" on previous companies, who has had to deal with the overall fire safety arrangements but, because it was my Director questioning this advice, it has made me question myself. I think this highlights that, sometimes, these people in these high flying positions are not always right :-)