Guidance published by the Government this week explains what the Responsible Person(s) need to do as a result of changes made to the Fire Safety Order through the Building Safety Act 2022. The new requirements apply to all non-domestic premises, such as where people work, visit or stay, including workplaces, and the non-domestic parts of multi-occupied residential buildings (e.g. communal corridors, stairways, plant rooms).
- Record their completed fire risk assessment in full
- Record the identity of the individual (their name), and/or if applicable, their organisation (name) engaged by them to undertake/review any or all of the fire risk assessment
- Record their fire safety arrangements (demonstrate how fire safety is managed in their premises)
- Record (and as necessary update) their contact information, including a UK based address, and share this with other Responsible Persons and residents of multi-occupied residential premises where applicable
- Take reasonably practicable steps to ascertain the existence of other Responsible Persons who share or have duties in respect of the same premises, and of Accountable Persons (which are a new legal entity made under the Building Safety Act in the case of higher-risk residential buildings) in relation to the premises - they must then identify themselves to said persons
- Share all ‘relevant fire safety information’ with incoming Responsible Persons if they are departing from their position
- Provide residents with relevant fire safety information in a format that is easily understood by them (for buildings containing two or more sets of domestic premises)
- Increase the level of fines for some offences
- Strengthen the status of statutory guidance issued under Article 50 of the Fire Safety Order
In addition, the Regulations require Responsible Persons to provide information on fire doors including that they should be kept shut when not in use, that residents should not tamper with self-closing devices and that residents should report any faults with doors immediately.
To read the Government's guidance in full, click here.
