Introduction to Fire Safety Management

Fire safety foundations
29
the company had fully complied with the requirements 
of the fi re authority and the HSE within six weeks was 
put as mitigation by the solicitor for the defence. Even 
with a plea of ‘poverty’ on behalf of the company did 
not deter the bench from imposing substantial and sig-
nifi cant fi nes.
1.9
Example NEBOSH questions for 
Chapter 1
1. 
Outline
the main responsible person’s duties 
under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) 
Order 
2005 
(8)
2. 
Describe
the options open to a responsible 
person should they feel an enforcement notice 
issued by the enforcing authority is unjustifi ed? 
(8)
3. 
Explain
the meaning, status and roles of:
(a) Health and safety regulations 
(3)
(b) HSC Approved Codes of Practice 
(3)
(c) 
HSE 
guidance. 
(2)
4. (a)
Explain
, giving an example in EACH case, 
the circumstances under which a fi re safety 
enforcer may serve:
(i) A prohibition notice 
(2)
(ii) 
An 
enforcement 
notice. 
(2)
(b) 
State
the effect on EACH type of 
enforcement notice of appealing against it. 
(4)
5. (a)
Outline
the three standard conditions that 
must be met for an injured employee to 
prove a case of negligence against their
employer
(b) following an accident at work. 
(c) 
State
the circumstances in which an 
employer may be held 
(6)
(d) 
vicariously liable for the negligence of an 
employee. 
(2)
6. 
Outline
reasons for maintaining good standards 
of health and safety within an organisation. 
(8)

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30
Regardless of the type of organisation, its activities 
and the specifi c management issues that it faces, clear 
unequivocal policies relating to general health and safety 
matters as well as fi re safety matters are needed in order 
to establish effective organisational control of its activ-
ities. Management policies that organisations implement 
are likely to include those for: quality, environmental, 
safety, equality and fairness. Many of these policies are 
required to enable an organisation to comply with the law.
A policy is the basis of an organisation’s management 
strategy; providing direction, enabling it to organise, plan, 
set targets and implement its organisational objectives. 
However, a policy in itself cannot be effective unless the 
words are turned into actions.
When managing fi 
re safety (in common with 
managing all health and safety issues) it is vital that a 
clear and effective management system is developed 
and implemented. The model provided by the HSE in the 
guidance document HSG65 – Effective Health and Safety 
Management – recommends that the fi rst step to effective 
management is to have effective policy, a policy that sets 
the aspirations and direction for an organisation.