With the exception of a very few specialised sites and specific risks, the majority of non- domestic premises and sites throughout England & Wales must now conform with the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (the Fire Safety Order). The Fire Safety Order does not apply to private homes (including individual flats in a block or house) though it does apply to common areas in blocks of flats, shared means of escape and facilities provided to assist the fire and rescue service, such as dry risers. You should bear this in mind if you own or manage such premises.
Ultimately it is everyone’s responsibility to keep premises safe, but there will be one or more people who have overall legal responsibility. The Fire Safety Order states that every premises has a responsible person, but there can be more than one person who has responsibility, e.g. the building owner, a manager, supervisor or team leader. As the responsible person, you are responsible for carrying out a fire risk assessment and complying with the Fire Safety Order. Guidance on carrying out a fire risk assessment can be found in Part 2 of this log book (Fire Safety Guidance).
- There is no statutory requirement to maintain a fire safety log book, but the Fire Safety Order requires the responsible person to ensure that:
- All fire safety facilities, equipment and devices are maintained in efficient working order and good repair;
- Employees are provided with adequate safety training;
- Keep a written record of tests, maintenance and safety training which can be produced during an audit, to demonstrate that they are being carried out.
The most effective way of demonstrating compliance with fire safety legislation is to keep records, and a log book is one way of doing that.
We can supply log books, these come in the following formats;
