The Law for Fire Safety at Work
The latest fire safety regulation for non-domestic premises in
Scotland was introduced on 1st October 2006.
In general, fire safety legislation seeks to ensure the safety,
in the event of fire, of people (whether they are employees,
residents, visitors or others) by setting out the rights and
responsibilities of people in respect of fire safety.
Basically anyone who has control to any extent of the premises
will have some responsibilities for ensuring that those occupying
the premises are safe from harm caused by fire.
The legislation places a duty on those responsible for fire safety
within relevant premises to carry out a fire risk assessment. These
people are defined in the Act as dutyholders.
For the majority of premises, Strathclyde Fire & Rescue is, on
behalf of Strathclyde Fire Board, the authority responsible for
enforcing this legislation within its geographical area. The Fire
and Rescue Service may visit certain premises to ascertain whether
the fire precautions are being maintained to a satisfactory
standard and that the requirements of the legislation are being
met.
To find out more, follow this link to download the Strategic
Enforcement Guide.
Does the fire safety legislation apply to you?
Part 3 of the Fire Scotland Act 2005 applies to virtually all
premises and covers nearly every type of building and structure.
For example:
- Offices and shops
- Premises that provide care
- Community halls and other public buildings
- Houses in multiple occupation
- Pubs, clubs and restaurants
- Schools
- Tents and marquees
- Hotels and hostels
- Factories and warehouses
This is not an exhaustive list, however purely domestic premises
occupied by a single family group are excluded.
The Scottish Government has undertaken a public awareness
campaign to educate the business community and other affected
organisations about the legislative change. To support this
campaign, a comprehensive website is active and contains a wide
range of information regarding the legislative change.
The website can be found at www.firelawscotland.org
Further Information
