Introduction to Fire Safety Management

Employee
– this has a broad defi nition and may 
include subcontractors, self-employed and casual 
workers.
Competent person
– anyone appointed by the 
responsible person and could be a company employee, 
fi re safety manager, fi re warden, etc. or an external 
consultant. But must be someone who has enough 
training and experience or knowledge and other qualities 
to undertake their role.
Inspector
– person appointed by the enforcing 
authority (normally a fi re offi cer from the local Fire and 
Rescue Service).
Enforcing authority
– normally the Fire and Rescue 
Service but may be the HSE, MOD or local authority.
Enforcement
– failing to comply with articles 8 
through 21 and 38 may result in the serving of a variety 
of notices or on successful prosecution a fi ne or up to 
two years in jail.
Articles 8 through 21 cover all the main provisions 
of the RRFSO, from carrying out risk assessments to 
maintenance and training.
Fire risk assessment
– the cornerstone of the 
RRFSO is the risk assessment. This must be reviewed 
regularly and if necessary amended. The risk assess-
ment must be formally recorded if the responsible 
person employs fi ve or more people, the premises are 
licensed or an alterations notice requires it.
Maintenance
– all equipment provided for the 
purpose of fi re safety or for the use or protection of fi re 
fi ghters must be maintained and kept in good order.
Note:
Reference to the ‘Articles’ of the RRFSO are made 
in the following paragraphs by the use of brackets, 
e.g. [4.1(b)].
15.27.2 Application
The RRFSO applies to the vast majority of workplaces 
and premises in the UK. There are notably very few 
exceptions. Workplaces and premises vary considerably 
in size and risk and as a consequence the RRFSO con-
tains fewer concise words such as ‘adequate’, ‘appro-
priate’ and ‘reasonable’. The following summarises the 
RRFSO in the context of a typical organisation for which 
you are responsible, or own the premises, business or 
operation, i.e. the responsible person.