Business support from Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service

Once upon a time, fire safety was simple. That was the case for businesses 15-20 years ago.

A fire safety officer would mark in red on a plan of your premises what was required in terms of fire separation, alarms, etc., and as long as you followed it you got your fire certificate. As long as the premises matched the plans, you were complying.

However, businesses wanted to choose their own strategies to make their premises safe from fire. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 arrived, and the responsibility for fire safety passed to the owner or employer. Fire safety officers still ‘policed’ the legislation, but mainly when things went wrong or in response to complaints.

Overall, self-regulation works well, but has the pendulum swung too far from the Fire Service-led approach? Do businesses need more support and guidance, particularly smaller enterprises with limited resources? Many would say ‘yes’.

So LFRS has appointed four Business Safety Advisors, covering the county from bases in Chorley, Blackpool, Lancaster and Burnley. We can advise on fire safety and business continuity, to encourage compliance and build resilience in businesses across Lancashire.

The cornerstone of good fire safety is a good fire risk assessment, and while we cannot do it for you, we can provide guidance on fire risk assessment for smaller premises and for more complex premises we can advise on finding a reputable professional.

We can also advise on day-to-day matters, such as how changes in your premises may impact on fire safety, i.e. layout, occupancy, processes. Remember, the onus is on you to know the law and protect your staff, customers and neighbours from fire, but we are here to help you, and together we can create a secure and fair environment for businesses in Lancashire.