Responsible person for fire safety - Find a freedom of information request

RO1: To identify the building management stakeholders responsible for ensuring fire safety of local authority buildings

With regard to Fire Safety:

1. (a)In your local Authority which role is identified as the 'Responsible Person'?

1 (b) Which criteria set out by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, shown below, aligns with the role stated above? More than one may apply.

Were they appointed as 'Responsible Person' because they are the senior

employer in relation to a workplace? (Please indicate Yes/No)

Or/and because they have control of the premises (as occupier or otherwise) in connection with the carrying on of a trade, business, or other undertaking (for profitor not)? (Please indicate Yes/No)

Or/and they are the owner, where the person in control of the premises does not have control in connection with the carrying on by that person of a trade, business,

or other undertaking? (Please indicate Yes/No)

1 (c) Do you have more than one role identified as the 'Responsible Person' if so, please state what roles they are and which building type they cover?

1 (d) Which building types does your 'Responsible Person' have duties under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, to take general fire precautions for? Please ✔ for all those that apply

Schools Residential Care Facilities

Civic Offices Theatres/Art Centres

Council Managed Tenanted Premises Multi-storey car parks

Public Toilets Community Centres

Social Housing High Risk Residential Buildings

Other please state:

1. (e) How does your local authority record who is responsible for fire safety in your organisation?

The designated roles are stated in our Fire Safety Policy

The designated roles are stated in our Health and Safety Policy

The designated roles are stated in our Safety Management System The designated roles are shown elsewhere (Please state)

The designated roles are not shared across the local authority.

Roles do not appear to be designated. Please state below

RO2: To examine the level of clarity that responsible persons of local authority building management understand of their duties, relating to fire doors, as required by fire safety legislation including: The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the Fire Safety Act 2021, the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022.

2. (a) What role/s has the 'responsible person' appointed to assist them in their undertaking of preventative and protective measures with regard to fire safety at each building type above?

To determine which roles should be provided, name the role which is responsible for ensuring fire safety on behalf of the 'responsible officer' at each building type indicated above. Example answers could include Schools = Headteachers, Schools = Fire safety officer, Council Offices = Facilities Manager, Social Housing = Health and Safety Officer etc. Please state below.

2 (b) Which role undertakes fire door inspections across the local authority portfolio?

In house maintenance team

In house designated role to undertake fire door inspection

External contractor - non fire specialist

External contractor - Fire Door Inspection service provider such as a member of the Fire Door Inspection Scheme (FDIS) Please state below.

2 (c) Which role installs new fire door sets for your local authority properties?

In house maintenance team

In house specialist carpenter

External building services/facilities management provider

External fire door specialist provider

External fire door specialist provider audited by a third-party Please state below.

2 (d) Who maintains, and repairs fire door sets and their components at your local authority properties?

In house maintenance team

In house specialist carpenter

External building services/facilities management provider

External fire door specialist provider

External fire door specialist provider audited by a third-party Please state below.

2 (e) Which roles in your local authority lead, on procuring services relating to fire doors? (These are roles other than Procurement services, such as those who determine the contract specification, evaluate tenders, and award the contracts.) Please state below.

2 (f) On your latest procurement of new fire door installation how were they specified? If they were specified to be installed as a fire door set with all components tested, as part of that set, and third party certified, please confirm this.

2 (g) Did the latest procurement of new fire door installation include within the specification, detailed drawings of the new fire doors set, to ensure their correct installation, or is that responsibility part of the contracted works?

2 (h) On your latest procurement of replacement fire doors, how were they specified? If they were specified to be installed as a fire door set with all components tested, as part of that set, and third party certified, please confirm this.

2 (i) Did the latest procurement of replacement fire doors, include within the specification, detailed drawings of the new fire doors set, to ensure their correct installation, or is that responsibility part of the contracted works?

RO3: To investigate the differences between the perceived competencies of the fire door operational management and maintenance stakeholders and the requirements of fire safety legislation and industry good practice.

3 (a) What fire-safety training has your "Responsible Person" undertaken, in order to enable them to fulfil the role?

3 (b) Relating to Question 2(a) What training do officers or staff receive, to ensure they are competent to manage fire safety at their building?

3 (c) Relating to Fire door inspection what training/certification/accreditation does your local authority require of the role (whichever applies at Q2 (b)) to ensure competency to undertake Fire door inspections?

3 (d) Relating to Fire door installation what training/certification/accreditation does your local authority require of the role (whichever applies at Q2 (c)) to ensure competency to undertake Fire door installation?

3 (e) Relating to Fire door maintenance what training/certification/accreditation does your local authority require of the role (whichever applies at Q2 (d)) to ensure competency to undertake Fire door maintenance

3 (f) What competencies training/certification/accreditation do you require for the role of Fire Risk Assessor in your local authority? Please state those that apply to inhouse roles and those that relate to external providers.

RO4: To recommend how the current regulations and industry practice should be improved to clearly define the responsibilities and competencies of the building management stakeholders

4 (a) Please tick which region of England your local Authority is within.

London North-East North-West

Yorkshire East-Midlands West-Midlands

South-East East of England South-West

Please can you consider providing the remaining information outside the scope of that of the FOI 2000 scheme. My aim is to identify and suggest help that supports compliance with Fire Safety legislation and your opinions would be valuable to aid this research study.

4. (b) Which, if any, of the following would help your local authority to ensure that any person responsible for the safety and integrity of fire doors would be competent to do so.

Please tick all that apply - but chose either statutory or non-statutory. Statutory training would mean that local authorities would be mandated to undertake training based on fire-safety legislation.

Accredited statutory training for the Local Authority Responsible Person.

Accredited non-statutory training for the Local Authority Responsible Person.

Other - please state:

Accredited statutory training for the Local Authority building manager appointed to assist the responsible person.

Accredited non-statutory training for the Local Authority building manager appointed to assist the responsible person.

Other - please state:

Accredited statutory training, for Local Authority fire door inspection.

Accredited non-statutory training, for Local Authority fire door inspection

Other - please state:

Accredited statutory training, for Local Authority fire door repair and maintenance.

Accredited non-statutory training, for Local Authority fire door repair and maintenance

Other - please state:

Please tick one only

Accredited statutory training, for Local Authority fire door installation

Accredited non-statutory training, for Local Authority fire door installation

Legislation to determine that only third-party accredited installers are to install fire door sets.

Other - please state:

4 (c) Do you think that the following would help your local authority to ensure that any person appointed externally to undertake a Fire Risk Assessment on their behalf, is competent to do so.

Legislation to determine that all Fire Risk Assessors are held on a central register determining their competency level*:

Level 1 - Capable of completing fire risk assessments on simple/less complex buildings. Entry level assessors.

Level 2 - Competent to carry out fire risk assessments on buildings that range from simple/less complex to those that are of medium complexity and normal risk. Examination to determine competency and could be specialists in their building type.

Level 3 - Competent to carry out Fire Risk Assessments on high risk and complex buildings. Experience and competency have been examined by an independent third-party accreditation / certification scheme.

Please indicate Yes or No

*Definitions based on the Institute of Fire Safety Managers' Tiered Fire Risk Assessors Register (TFRAR)

Please see attached for your response.

Should you require the attachments mentioned above please contact customerinformationservice@lincolnshire.gov.uk with the below reference number and this can be provided.