Latest News
Solutions wins at Project Management read more
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order Seminars read more
Solutions offer fire safety advice to IOSH delegates read more
The Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order - how will it affect you? read more
Why Reform? read more
Solutions Fire Safety awarded Investors in People read more
A STEP in the right direction read more
Solutions wins at Project Management
Solutions Fire Safety was again pleased to offer a Shell Technology Enterprise Programme (STEP) placement to undergraduate Gemma Hynes during the summer of 2006.
Gemma worked alongside the Marketing department where she ran a number of her own marketing projects. She was able to immerse herself in the new fire safety legislation and provide a valuable resource to the company.
Gemma thoroughly enjoyed her time at Solutions: “I have improved my determination and confidence with working in a ‘real-life’ work situation, whilst gaining the experience to benefit my CV and hopefully my future career.”
Gemma’s enjoyment of her placement concluded with her walking away as the winner of the ‘Project Management’ category and a rather large cheque for £200!
Solutions Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order Seminars
Solutions Fire Safety are a leading UK fire safety consultancy, formed in 1999, to provide help and support with the complications of current and proposed fire safety legislations such as the Regulatory Reform Order.
Helen Dillon, Senior Fire Safety Consultant, says “At the beginning the focus of our work was the communication of fire safety. We have received more and more cries for help, especially with the Reform Order coming into effect in October. Solutions has evolved into the consultancy we are today, with our vast knowledge and experience we advise and support clients with all of their fire safety issues.”
Although they are a small fire safety consultancy, the staff are greatly motivated and experienced. “Our team of highly skilled and knowledgeable fire safety consultants have all worked in fire safety for a number of years. Significantly, each consultant brings their own knowledge of individual industries and markets, enabling the team to provide a service tailored to specific market and industry needs,” says Helen.
Solutions’ clients span a range of councils in many areas, large logistics organisations, SMEs, central government organisations, hospitals, universities, colleges, schools and various businesses throughout the UK.
Apart from undertaking fire risk assessments and training, Solutions has recently conducted several seminars with specific reference to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order2005 which was approved by Parliament on 7 June 2005, and which will become law on 1 October 2006.
There are three speakers; each covered a specific area of the reform order: Helen Dillon spoke of the Reform Order itself, Malcolm Wotherspoon guided the attendees through signing legislation and Richard Earl discussed the importance of fire safety training. The seminar isn’t tailored to the individual needs of the attendees’ with regards to their own fire risk assessments, but it is a chance to understand what is required, how to go about starting and complying with the new legislation.
There were various questions asked “Who is the responsible person?”, “Who are the competent persons?”, “Who will enforce the order and how?”, “What is necessary and what is best practice?” Malcolm Wotherspoon General Manager believes “with such a vital piece of legislation going through and a hazy awareness campaign to inform people of it, it isn’t surprising that our seminars are in great demand and the available spaces were soon snapped up.”
Solutions Fire Safety were able to answer many of the questions asked and they made the task of understanding the piece of legislation much clearer. Not only was it very educational, but all the attendees requested more information for the rest of their departments and companies, confident in their comprehension of what is needed to comply.
Below are some comments made on the day of the seminar:
“Excellent and informative, staff very friendly and approachable.” Area Manager, Essex County Council.
“The jokes were really, really, really bad!!” Fire Officer, Durham.
“Good speakers, confirms what we are doing is along the right track.” Health and Safety Advisor, Nottingham City Council.
“A much more interesting seminar than I anticipated. I expected to be bored but was pleasantly surprised.” Health and Safety Officer, Nottingham County Council
“This was a tremendous opportunity for the university’s health and safety liaison officers to come to terms with the reform order.” Health and Safety Advisor, City University.
As ‘responsible persons’, you will need to work together with the fire service and fire safety specialists like Solutions to help prevent fires. Not only saving people on your premises but your business as well, thus achieving compliance to the Regulatory Reform Order.
For any more information or if you would like to be informed about future seminars please email sales@solutionsfiresafety.co.uk
Solutions offer fire safety advice to IOSH delegates
Solutions were proud to exhibit at this year's IOSH conference& exhibition at the ExCel Centre in London. Thank you to everyone who visited our stand for some fire safety advice. The two day event was a great success and we thoroughly enjoyed getting to see some of our customers and meet some new faces concerned with meeting fire safety legislation.
The Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order - how will it affect you?
The new law which came into force in October 2006 consolidates existing fire legislation.
Fire certificates will no longer be issued and the 'responsible person' will be required to carry out a fire risk assessment of the premises and take steps to remove or reduce the risk. This risk assessment will have to take into consideration the effect a fire in your premises may have on anyone in or around your premises and must be kept under regular review.
We have produced a number of fact sheets on the new reform, which you can download for free by clicking these links: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4.
The reform is bringing legislation and enforcement together. For example, one company currently could have seven different enforcers. There will be only one enforcer for most premises and it will usually be the Fire and Rescue Service.
Changes
The main change is the emphasis on prevention and fire safety management. It also now covers people in the vicinity of the premises and places a greater emphasis on the maintenance of equipment, including equipment provided for fire service use, e.g. dry risers.
Responsible Person
The responsible person is the employer (where there is one), occupiers, owners and, significantly, can be a contractor where they have control over safety issues. For example, where someone has employed a contractor to install a fire alarm, the contractor could be deemed to be the responsible person with regards to the fire alarm. Having more than one responsible person allows the enforcers to look at whoever is responsible for whatever went wrong.
Guidance
Eleven guides are to be produced for different types of premises, designed for use by the lay man as well as enforcers and will help with fire safety strategy and planning. They use case studies and include information on fire risk assessment and fire precautions as well as technical information on standards.
Timescale
The consultation process involved in producing these guidance documents has raised some concerns, which has delayed their publication. In turn, the implementation of the Regulatory Reform Order has also been delayed to allow businesses more time to conform to the new legislation.
Communication
The ODPM and various associations and institutions are actively involved in spreading the word about the Regulatory Reform Order by running seminars and producing leaflets. They will also be running press campaigns so, although the Regulatory Reform Order has been delayed until October at least when it comes into effect, all business should be aware of it.
If you are unclear of the demands of the new reform on your business please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have at sales@solutionsfiresafety.co.uk
Solutions Fire Safety awarded Investors in People
Solutions Fire Safety's commitment to growing and developing its staff has been recognised by the award of the Investors in People standard.
The Investors in People standard gives organisations the opportunity to review themselves against a recognised benchmark, a strong framework for planning and a structured way to improve the effectiveness of development activities to deliver business results, aims and objectives.
Since the standard was launched, independent research amongst recognised organisations across a range of sizes and sectors has consistently demonstrated real business benefits.
The IIP award was presented to Sales and Marketing Manager Helen Dillon and General Manager Malcolm Wotherspoon (right).
Solutions Fire Safety was pleased to offer a Shell Technology Enterprise Programme (STEP) placement to undergraduate Kathryn Sitch during the summer of 2004.
Kathryn worked in the marketing department, gaining valuable insight into the business and providing much need additional support to the marketing team.
She is pictured (centre) with Solutions Fire Safety's Sales and Marketing Manager Helen Dillon and General Manager Malcolm Wotherspoon.
STEP offers companies the opportunity to employ bright and motivated undergraduates to work on a specific business-related project for an eight-week period, offering proven benefits students and businesses alike.
