Contribution by: Derek Housley

Comment by: Derek Housley

Focus area: Fire safety regulation

Regulator concerned: Fire safety (Fire Authority)

Comment:
All occupied building, “with relevant persons” should have a fire risk assessment. However in terms Fire Risk Assessments, for very small buildings / low risk buildings, that are occupied just a few minutes a day / week. i.e. a building which is used as a open sided bandstand, car park kiosk, greenhouse, rest / workroom, small changing room is there scope for an exception arrangement. In that the fire risk is considered so low, it would not require a FRA?

Similarly there are in Houses in Multiple Occupation / flats very small common areas i.e, between just two flats should there not be an exemption arrangement? In this way more time would be freed up, to concentrate on the higher risk premises.

Our local Fire Authority is taking a pragmatic approach to this issue, but it is in my opinion, an area for the review to look at.

To summarize, for fire risks at the bottom end of the risk scale, can there be scope for greater exceptions from the RR(FS)O?