In a press release, BAFE stated that ‘with recent developments in the approach out of lockdown’, FRSs across the UK ‘have been publishing useful advice and guidance for commercial/non-domestic buildings’, including West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s fire safety leaflet on returning to work post lockdown. This consisted of ‘important fire safety measures that should continue to be followed to adhere to legislation’.
BAFE had ‘observed that many essential shops that remain open, and other buildings such as schools and care homes, have implemented new safety measures in reaction’ to the pandemic, and the FRS advice stresses that ‘fire safety legislation is still very much in force and should be properly review considering new virus safety arrangements being employed’. One example is one way systems in shops ‘blocking access to particular directions’.
This ‘affects multiple fire safety measures’ such as means of escape and ‘access to fire safety provisions’ such as manual call points and fire extinguishers, and therefore should be ‘appropriately reflected’ in an updated fire risk assessment (FRA). Life safety systems such as fire detection and emergency lighting ‘should also be tested and maintained to ensure early detection of fire to raise the alarm and aid a safe evacuation’.
The organisation also referenced warnings from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, specifically station manager and protection department officer Bill Shepherd, who stated: ‘As government guidance changes and lockdown restrictions are eased, more and more people will be returning to work but we understand that businesses are still not operating at what they would deem to be “normal”.
‘Coronavirus is not an excuse for disregarding your [fire safety] responsibilities and businesses must ensure that they have an adequate amount of competent people to help in the implementation of both preventative and protective fire safety measures.’
Additionally, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service commented that ‘fire safety legislation is still being enforced [and] we have measures in place to enforce this’, noting in turn that ‘the responsible person still has responsibilities’ under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, ‘and any changes need to be included within your [FRA] looking to see if any additional measures may need to be put into place to ensure fire safety is met’.
From BAFE’s perspective, using ‘competent fire safety providers’ helps to ‘meet your fire safety requirements’, as those who are ‘evidentially competent’ via UKAS accredited third party certification can provide ‘independent evidence [that they] can deliver specific services’. Referencing its “Don’t Just Specify, Verify!” campaign, BAFE noted that the ‘verification stage is sometimes overlooked but remains vital’.
By checking that a chosen provider ‘holds the appropriate’ third party certification ‘for the specific service you require enables you to be confident you have acted with full due diligence’. Multiple registers of certified providers ‘exist for fire safety services’, it noted. BAFE concluded by referencing the fire at the Law Society in London earlier this year, and comments made by London Fire Brigade’s (LFB’s) head of corporate real estate Tom Booton.
Mr Booton stated that LFB ‘has a priority to preserve life, then the building, then contents’, and that if you have ‘plans, and know your building, you’ll save lives, time and you’ll probably save more of your building and its contents. Never think it won’t happen to you’. BAFE reiterated this advice and said that the ‘last thing [it] would like to see is any business fall victim to fire, especially under the current circumstances’.
It finished by warning: ‘Don’t be complacent or disregard your fire safety as the focus remains on coronavirus safety measures. All factors of safety must be acknowledged for people’s wellbeing’.