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BS 5588-12 Factsheet 1

Fire precautions in the design,

construction and use of buildings Part 12: Managing fire safety

Introduction This standard is designed to help mange fire safety for the entire lifecycle of your building. It will be useful for: § Building Designers § Fire Safety Managers § Delegated Representatives § Building Owners Not applicable to buildings under construction. This standard helps by giving guidance on when to carry out maintenance and the appropriate fire equipment for your building. The standard also gives recommendations on what should be included in your fire safety manual. Fire Safety Fire safety systems should always be effective and appropriate for the building and its occupants. Protection of employees will be your initial concern but the longevity of your business may also depend on the protection of your machinery, software and facilities. But the standard does cost £148.00. At Solutions we understand not every company will be able or willingly to pay for this Standard. So we have tried to pull out the most relevant and useful points to be used as guidance and recommendations. This first factsheet is concerned with the role of the fire safety manager. Fire Safety Manager A fire safety manager needs to be appointed and it is recommended that the role be delegated to a single individual who has overall control.

This means the role is less likely to become undefined and issues neglected. Fire Safety Managers need to: § Have sufficient resources to maintain

systems § Be empowered to enforce requirements § Have stated authority & powers of sanction § Have appropriate funds In small companies the role may be assigned to the general manager. Duty Safety Officer The fire safety manager should appoint a “duty safety officer” to respond to a fire incident, who should be present at all times. They should be able to meet the fire service and provide the necessary information to the attending officer. Organisation & Structure The manager may have his or her role combined with other safety, security, or health functions. To result in overlapping of responsibilities the fire safety manager should be integrated into the management functions. It is important to define clear areas of responsibility. Responsibilities The fire safety manger has a number of responsibilities: (BS5588-12 9.3) q Be aware of all fire safety features q Be aware of any particular risk located on

the premises q Liase with fire authority q Powers to deal with a breakdown in safety

standards q Ensure control of public areas (where

necessary) q Ensure delegation of duties q Ensure the communication of fire prevention

is clear

More factsheets to come – watch this space!

For further information regarding Fire Safety Management for your buildingsimply call us on 0845 601 2632 or email sales@solutionsfiresafety.co.uk