Frequently asked questions

Yes — the Fire Safety Order states that the ‘responsible person’ must provide a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment. Once the assessment has been completed, it should be recorded and reviewed on a regular basis. The fire risk assessment should be conducted by a competent person and can be outsourced to a third-party accredited individual or company.

Talk to one of our fire safety professionals today for advice and support for you and your business. We provide comprehensive fire risk assessments to ensure your surroundings are evaluated before an emergency has a chance to develop.

The ‘responsible person’ is accountable for fire safety in a place of work. Depending on the type of premises, the ‘responsible person’ may be the employer, owner, landlord, occupier, or anyone else with control of the building. For all premises that fall within the scope of the Fire Safety Order, there will always be a ‘responsible person’.

Yes — the ‘responsible person’ has many duties outlined in the Fire Safety Order. Complying with fire safety regulations and guidance involves many moving components. An overview of their responsibilities:

• Provide a fire risk assessment
• Notify staff or their representatives about the identified risks
• Provide staff with information, fire safety instructions, and training
• Provide and maintain appropriate fire safety measures
• Plan and prepare for emergencies

Talk to one of our fire safety professionals today for advice and support for you and your business. We provide comprehensive fire risk assessments to ensure your surroundings are evaluated before an emergency has a chance to develop.

Yes — the Fire Safety Order states that portable fire extinguishers (fire-fighting equipment) must be provided by a ‘competent person’ in your workplace and subjected to a suitable maintenance schedule. The British Standard offers additional guidance about fire extinguishers and their servicing requirements.

Talk to one of our fire safety professionals today for advice and support for you and your business. We provide comprehensive sales and service of portable fire extinguishers, including expert commissioning, seamless installation, and reliable annual maintenance.

Portable fire extinguishers should be serviced once every year (12 months).

The Fire Safety Order states that portable fire extinguishers (fire-fighting equipment) must be provided in your workplace and subjected to a suitable maintenance schedule. The British Standard offers additional guidance about fire extinguishers and their servicing requirements.

Talk to one of our fire safety professionals today for advice and support for you and your business. We provide comprehensive sales and service of portable fire extinguishers, including expert commissioning, seamless installation, and reliable annual maintenance.

The class of fire is determined by the material or substance burning. To be effectively extinguished, the fire should be tackled by a competent person using an appropriate portable fire extinguisher.

To effectively extinguish any given fire, a portable fire extinguisher should be selected that corresponds to the specific class of fire.

A ‘competent person’ or competency can be summarised by SKATE, an acronym standing for:

• Skill
• Knowledge
• Attitude
• Training
• Experience

The combination of these criteria determines the standard of competency of a service provider. Competency is fundamental, as it ensures that the work you employ someone to do meets the correct standards.

The best way to measure competency is through third-party accreditation. This serves as an assurance of competency by ensuring individuals and companies meet benchmarks in their respective fields through thorough evaluation against established standards. Third-party accreditation also demonstrates:

1. Commitment to quality & value: third-party certification is voluntary, so an organisation’s own time and money are used to demonstrate their commitment to quality.
2. Independent & unbiased assessment of competency: all BAFE registered organisations are independently and regularly assessed by a UKAS accredited certification body.
3. Recommended by Government and Fire and Rescue Services across the UK: third-party certificated organisations offer a level of quality, reliability and safety that non-certificated products and services may lack.

Compass Fire Safety has been working with BAFE for over a decade to deliver excellence in the sales and service of portable fire extinguishers. To verify an individual or company is third-party accredited for portable fire extinguishers, search for them on the BAFE Register.

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Compass Fire Safety provide their services throughout London, the Home Counties, and the South of England. Talk to one of our fire safety professionals today for advice and support for you and your business.

Compass Fire Safety are delighted to be recognised by ISO 9001:2015, BAFE SP101, SafeContractor, IFSM, IFE, and the FIA.

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 is the primary law surrounding fire safety in England and Wales. The Fire Safety Order provides a framework for regulating fire safety in all non-domestic premises including workplaces, and the common areas of multi-occupied residential buildings.

Online versions are available to view and download at legislation.gov.uk. Talk to one of our fire safety professionals today for advice and support for you and your business.

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The Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) is the leading industry body for fire risk assessments.

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BAFE are the leading industry body for portable fire extinguishers amongst many other fire safety services.

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