To improve fire safety across England and Wales, the Fire Safety Bill was passed through Parliament to become The Fire Safety Act 2021 in April of this year.
Fire safety regulations were put under scrutiny after the Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017 causing fierce debate over their adequacy to protect the public.
It can be difficult to find straightforward and trustworthy information about fire safety regulations, which is why we’ve put all the key facts about The Fire Safety Act 2021 into one handy guide.
The Act has been designed to improve the fire safety of people in their homes and to ensure that a catastrophe such as the one at Grenfell Tower never happens again.
It aims to provide clarity as to who is accountable for reducing the risk of fires for buildings containing more than one home (multi-occupied or residential buildings).
The new Act delivers significant regulatory changes and applies to England and Wales only. It prevents the costs and responsibilities of fire safety from being passed from freeholders to tenants and provides clearer accountability and stronger duties on those responsible for high-rise buildings. The Act states that the duty-holder or building owner must manage the risk of fire for:
The remit of what must be considered as part of a fire risk assessment is now significantly extended and it is imperative that responsible persons familiarise themselves with the Government’s risk-based guidance to fully understand what is required of them and demonstrate compliance with the law.
The changes also provide transparency, enabling prospective and current renters, leaseholders and owners to check the fire safety status of a home through a public register.
As a responsible person, if you fail to follow this guidance you may face enforcement action and in the worst-case scenario, this could include a criminal prosecution.
Alongside the Act, the Government is also taking other measures to improve building and fire safety including the announcement of a new Building Safety Regulator, the relaunch of the Fire Kills Campaign and a £1billion Building Safety Fund to tackle unsafe cladding.
As health and safety experts and a leading provider of fire risk assessments, we can provide you with information and guidance to ensure your compliance with The Fire Safety Act 2021. Our fire safety consultancy services include:
Want to know more about how the Fire Safety Bill may affect you? Get in touch with our experienced team today on 01179 866397 or info@frsafetysolutions.co.uk.
At FRS Health & Safety Consultancy, we act as your company’s external health and safety department, offering advice, training and consultancy to protect you, your employees and your business.
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