Fire safety in business premises

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 became law on 1 October 2006.   

You are probably the responsible person, as defined by the act, for fire safety in a business or other non-domestic premises, if you are:

• Responsible for business premises
• An employer or self-employed with business premises
• A charity, voluntary organisation or a contractor with a degree of control over any premises

Visit GOV.UK for further information on fire safety in the workplace. 

How a business or organisation can meet the Order

If you are the responsible person, you must make sure you carry out a fire risk assessment although you can pass this task to a competent fire risk assessor. However, you will still be responsible in law for meeting the order.

Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service cannot carry out a risk assessment for a business or organisation. We must remain impartial because we enforce the regulations.

Guidance 

• Follow fire risk assessment guidance specific to your type of premises
• Visit the National Fire Chiefs Council website for assessment guidance including how to find a fire risk assessor

Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service tools

• How to undertake a risk assessment (PDF) [57KB]
• Fire risk assessment form  (PDF) [51KB]
• Fire log book  (PDF) [361KB]

How Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service enforces the Fire Safety Order

Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service is the main delegated enforcing authority for the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 in non-domestic premises in Norfolk.  

Our key objective is to reduce the risk to all people in Norfolk from fire and its effects.

To achieve this, our fire safety enforcement policy is:

• To audit and inspect premises identified as being most at risk
• To audit and inspect premises following a fire

Where breaches of the Fire Safety Order occur, Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service will provide practical advice or, where the risk is serious, formal notices.

Except in the most serious cases, the fire authority will work in partnership with the responsible person in order to achieve a satisfactory level of fire safety.

Where there is a very serious life risk, the fire authority is able to issue a notice preventing the premises from being used for certain things. For example, sleeping, or prohibiting all or part of the premises from being used at all.

Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service principles and standards. (PDF) [95KB]