Managing fire safety

What are the new fire laws in Northern Ireland and how will they affect me?

Current fire safety legislation in Northern Ireland is due to be replaced by the Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 and associated regulations. Until the new legislation comes into force (expected in October 2010 - check this website for updates), people who own shops, offices or factories and employ more than 20 people (or more than 10 people working other than on the ground floor) are still required to apply to the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service for a fire certificate. Employers also have a legal duty under the current legislation to carry out a fire risk assessment and to report the findings to their employees.

Under the new legislation workplaces will no longer need a fire certificate but must have a 'suitable and sufficient' risk assessment in place that includes all matters relating to fire safety.

What are my responsibilities?

If you are an employer or you own premises, you have a legal duty to make sure that your workplace or premises and the people who work or vist there are kept safe from fire and its effects.

How can I manage fire safety in my workplace?

You can manage fire safety in your workplace by:

Carrying out a fire safety risk assessment;
Using the risk assessment to find out who might be especially at risk if there was a fire;
Providing and maintaining the necessary fire precautions to protect the people who use your workplace; and
Providing information, instructions and training to your employees about the fire precautions in your workplace

What is a fire safety risk assessment?

Carrying out a fire risk assessment simply means looking at your work activities and workplace and deciding whether there is the potential for fire to occur and cause harm to people in and around the premises, then deciding whether you have taken enough precautions or need to do more to prevent the harm.

How do I carry out a fire safety risk assessment?

There are five simple steps to carrying out a fire safety risk assessment:

Step 1 Identify possible fire hazards in your workplace

Step 2 Decide who might be harmed and how

Step 3 Evaluate the risks and decide on the precautions

Step 4 Record what you find, tell your employees and make the necessary improvements

Step 5 Review your risk assessment and update it if necessary

Do I need to record my fire safety risk assessment?

If you have less than five employees the results of your fire safety risk assessment do not have to be in writing, but it is useful to do this so that you can review the risk assessment at a later date or if something changes.

What information should I give to my employees and others?

You should provide clear, appropriate information and instruction (and training where necessary) to your employees and anyone else working on your premises in relation to any risks identified and precautions or safety measures provided.

Is there any guidance to help me carry out a fire safety risk assessment?

Managing fire safety in the workplace (3.18MB) pub 03/10

This booklet explains how employers can reduce the risk of fire in the workplace and keep within the law. It provides a step-by-step guide to carrying out a fire safety risk assessment and includes a number of useful fire safety templates.