Since the introduction of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 the fire brigade have stopped visiting sites to issue fire certificates. The emphasis has now been passed over to the 'responsible person' (owner or occupier) of any non-domestic premises to ensure the safety of all staff and visitors. If your council has a non-domestic premises (village hall or office) you are responsible for its fire safety.

If you are the responsible person, a good place to start is by carrying out a fire risk assessment and if you have 5 of more staff the fire risk assessment must be documented. By identifying fire risks and people at risk you can devise a plan to reduce or remove these risks. This risk assessment will highlight what your premises needs to do to be compliant. A fire risk assessment should be carried out regularly as buildings, contents, usage and regulations are constantly changing.

Things to consider when carrying out an assessment are:- emergency routes and exits fire detection and warning systems, fire fighting equipment, the removal or safe storage of dangerous substances, an emergency fire evacuation plan, the needs of vulnerable people (elderly, young children or those with disabilities), providing information to employees and other people on the premises and staff fire safety training.

Your building should have fire extinguishers to cover all relevant risks. If your building is open to members of the public it should also have a fire alarm and emergency lights. Once you have these in place it is important to have them serviced regularly to ensure compliance with the relevant British Standards. Fire alarms should be serviced every six months. Extinguishers and emergency lights should be tested once a year.

Portable electrical appliances (anything with a plug) should also be tested annually to safegaurd users.