As part of its ongoing commitment to “Safer Communities, Safer Firefighters”, Humberside Fire and Rescue Service will visit, engage, and inspect a wide range of premises to which the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies.
Part of this work is identified through a Risk Based Inspection Programme that is produced by collecting premises data from a variety of sources which is then weighted based on the risk score from each data set.
The resulting prioritised list of premises is used to direct our specialist Fire Protection Inspectors towards higher risk premises to undertake fire safety Inspections, and our Response Crews towards the remaining premises to carry out business fire safety engagements.
Business Safety Inspections
During an inspection, we want to find out whether you’re prepared in case of fire. We will ask you some questions and may ask you to provide evidence to support your answers. We will have a look around the premises and check your escape routes. We may also wish to talk to employees to confirm their level of fire safety awareness.
We have the power to enter any premises at any reasonable time if an inspector believes it's necessary.
During our inspection we will be considering:
- what you are doing to reduce the risk of fire?
- what you are doing to reduce the risk of the spread of fire?
- are there enough escape routes (corridors, stairs and doors) for people in case of fire?
- what are you doing to make sure that escape routes (corridors, stairs and doors) are safe to use when needed?
- what are you doing to detect fire and raise an alarm?
- do people (staff/visitors) understand what to do if fire breaks out?
- what would you do to fight an outbreak of fire?
- what are you doing to ensure that the effects of a fire are as small as possible?
- how are you maintaining your fire safety measures?
We will review the fire safety standards in all or parts of the premises. We will also consider the fire safety measures currently provided against recognised standards.
Documents we may need to see
We may want to see a copy of your:
- fire risk assessment
- premises plan
- emergency evacuation plan
- testing and maintenance certificates/records
- staff training plan.
If your business is registered with a Primary Authority for fire safety, please tell us at the earliest opportunity.
After an inspection
We will inform you of the outcome of the inspection.
If improvements are needed
If we feel that you are not keeping people safe in case of fire, we will tell you what you need to do to improve safety. We will take enforcement action that is necessary and proportionate.
We may:
- give you an informal notice detailing the areas that you need to improve
- work with your Primary Authority partner, if you have one
- where serious deficiencies have been identified or a previous informal notice has not been acted on, an Enforcement notice will be issued detailing the corrective action needed and a timescale in which you must complete the work.
In all cases, you will have the opportunity to discuss different solutions with us and the timescale required.
If there is a serious risk to life
If there is a serious and imminent risk to life, we can issue a Prohibition notice. Parts of, or the entire premises, may be restricted or prohibited until improvements are made.
An Alterations notice may be served on the responsible person if the Fire and Rescue Authority is of the opinion that any alterations being made to the premises will constitute a serious risk to relevant persons (whether due to features of the premises, their use, and any hazard present or any other circumstances).
An Alterations notice does not mean you have failed to meet your fire safety duties.
The National Enforcement Register on the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) website is a public register of statutory notices which have been served. See the register.
Business Safety Engagements
If you own or manage a small to medium sized premises, we may visit you regarding a Business Safety Engagement.
We believe that prevention is better than cure and our officers will actively work with you to advise and assist with meeting the required standard of fire safety compliance. This is not a fire safety Inspection.
Areas which will be discussed include, fire risk assessment, method of raising the alarm, escape routes, fire hazards, fire spread, fire extinguishers, emergency plan, staff training, and business continuity.
Depending on your existing fire safety arrangements, we may need to provide some free business fire safety risk reduction advice during the visit, or we may need to refer your premises to a specialist Fire Protection Inspector.
The Regulators Code
Humberside Fire and Rescue Authority (the Service) (and its officers) will exercise its regulatory functions in accordance with the principles of better regulation and will comply with all relevant laws. Business should have a mainly positive experience of being regulated by the Service.
The Regulators Code is a statutory code of practice for regulators and makes six broad requirements:
• To carry out their activities in a way that supports those they regulate to comply and grow;
• To provide simple and straightforward ways to engage with those they regulate and to hear their views;
• To base their regulatory activity on risk;
• To share information about compliance and risk;
• To ensure clear information, guidance and advice is available to help those they regulate meet their responsibilities to comply; and
• To ensure their approach to regulatory activity is transparent.