Focus on Fire Safety

GEZE UK's Simon Bowden reviews the responsibilities and risks for building owners as the new Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order comes into force....

As the responsibility for fire safety enters the domain of building owners and managing directors, many questions are being raised about how companies can be sure that they are getting the best advice to ensure that they have the right hardware in place to meet the requirements of the law.

With a duty of care to employees, visitors and the need to minimise risk, finding the right advice will be essential. Even once the most appropriate systems have been selected and installed, ongoing maintenance is critical to ensure that the integrity of the hardware is preserved.

The new regulations cover all public buildings, from offices and factories to leisure centres, in fact anywhere that has five or more employees. Fire certificates, which were required under the Fire Precautions Act 1971, have been abolished. In its place, the Order identifies the 'responsible person' as the employer or building owner and states that they provide an adequate risk assessment to comply with the law, as well as making it essential for insurance purposes.

Importantly, the Order also confers responsibility to contractors carrying out work that may compromise fire safety, during repairs, refurbishments or maintenance. Penalties for not complying with the RRO include fines, closure orders and even imprisonment.

Due to the diligent consultations by the fire service in previous years, companies already have many systems in place to manage this risk. As the fire service role changes, assessments must now be sought from independent advisors and trained specialists.

A Specialist Requirement

With pressure on companies to ensure all members of staff have sufficient emergency egress and effective fire doors, the complexities of finding compatible products to form a compliant system cannot be underestimated. While most major brands ensure their products undergo rigorous testing, the challenge starts when they are in situ.

Assessors may have a good overview of fire safety requirements, but can they understand the detailed advantages and disadvantages of every element that makes up a compliant system?

This is where specialists are essential. At GEZE UK, our experience in door openers and closers ensures customers can rely on the team's extensive knowledge of products across the market. In the midst of the confusion surrounding RRO, we acknowledge the need for specialist advice for any company concerned about their current door hardware.

In direct response to this demand, GEZE UK offers free, unbiased assessment service to help owners and facilities managers tackle the RRO head on.

A Question of Maintenance

And this doesn't just apply to new builds or new emergency egress points. Existing equipment needs to be checked and maintained to ensure it continues to provide an adequate solution to managing the risk of fire.

When a door or its hardware is damaged, it can quickly compromise fire integrity as well as disrupting operations within the premises. Doors that are difficult to open or close, or stick are all too often the result of common door hardware problems that could be avoided. Even small changes to doors or surrounding areas can affect the credibility of the whole system in the face of fire.

The RRO has helped to raise the debate about responsibility and accountability for fire safety at all stages in the product and installation chain. As the fire service turn their attention to enforcing regulations, the focus falls on all manufacturers to produce evidence of the integrity of their products. In this litigious climate, the pressure for companies to prove their expertise, competence and adherence to best practice has never been more intense.

The question for the industry is whether the new RRO will raise the standard of fire safety by emphasising individual responsibility and enforcing the law, or whether the sheer range of specialists required to correctly assess the integrity of the building will lead to shortcuts and a lowering of the standards currently enjoyed throughout the UK.

Simon Bowden is GEZE UK's technical director. He has 25 years' experience in the automatic door, window and gate industry.