Contents
Protection
It is our statutory duty to enforce The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (as amended by the new Fire Safety Act) and promote fire safety. We will support responsible persons, duty holders, business and communities to fulfil their legal duties in maintaining the safety of relevant persons who may be present on their premises.
We have invested in our Fire Protection Team which allows us to assign the correct resources to the areas which are most at risk. We make sure inspecting officers have the capacity to deal with new and emerging risks within our service area. Our Risk Based Inspection Programme (RBIP) uses data and intelligence to direct our resources towards those premises which present the greatest risk to occupants should a fire occur.
What are the risks
Across our region we have a wide mix of commercial premises, ranging from small businesses to large industrial COMAH sites. We have a number of historical buildings within our service area, which require a unique approach from a protection viewpoint.
Those premises in which people sleep present the greatest risk to occupants, for example care homes, hotels and hostels, hospitals etc.
Tall buildings, whether residential, commercial, or mixed-use, are designed and built to resist fire and prevent smoke spread. Although the risk of a fire starting is not increased, the unique challenges posed by tall buildings can amplify hazards. Factors such as layout, occupancy type, and environmental conditions can affect evacuation and firefighting efforts. We collaborate with partners to make sure compliance with fire regulations. High-rise buildings, defined as those 18 metres or taller, require additional fire safety measures, including rising mains and protected lobbies.
Other types of premises particularly manufacturing, waste and recycling facilities present higher levels of risk and challenges in the event of an incident. Fires in these buildings can draw on significant resources and impact local communities and the environment.
What we currently do
- Our RBIP prioritises those premises where a fire is more likely or would pose the greatest risk to life. Inspections carried out under this programme are carried out by experienced and qualified Protection Inspectors.
- Hold regular visits and exercises with business to help maintain our staff’s knowledge and build relationships with our business community.
- We are statutory consultees regarding the Building Regulations via either the Local Authority or an Approved Inspector. Through effective consultation with these building control bodies, we aim to make sure that buildings are safe for their intended occupiers on completion.
- We use the powers of legal enforcement and prosecution available to us where this is appropriate, to ensure public safety in a fair, equitable and consistent manner in line with the Enforcement Concordat. We support other regulatory bodies in maintaining the safety of persons through licensing, event safety, housing, public health and caring in the community plus many other areas.
- We support smaller, local businesses to meet their fire safety duties individually and through the engagement visits carried out by our operational crews. We also support those responsible for buildings with a significant heritage impact, such as listed buildings and those of historical importance. Further information is available in our business safety area of our website.
- We will carry out appropriate post fire activity in commercial premises to identify trends and reduce risk.
- We apply a risk-based approach to fire safety concerns raised by members of the public; Concerns are assigned to officers with the appropriate level of competence and authority in relation to the nature of the concern, and the type of premises. Our work to reduce unwanted false alarms has resulted in a significant decline in numbers over the last six years.
What we plan to do
- We will continue to evaluate our RBIP annually to make sure we are targeting our inspection activity at the right premises.
- We will invest in the training and development of our Protection teams to make sure they gain and maintain the highest level of competence. This will be backed up by a robust internal quality assurance framework to monitor the activity delivered.
- We will continue to provide accredited training for our operational staff to make sure our biggest resource is able to engage effectively with our business communities.
- We will continue to support the Building Safety Regulator as more of our buildings come into their scope of inspection. We will make sure we carry out the recommendations from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 report, working in collaboration with our partners to make sure our communities are safe. Linked to this will be our continued support for NFCC emerging issues to drive local and national improvement.