Fire Authority

Smoke-ventilation systems must be regularly tested, since failure in an emergency cannot be allowed. The system must be fully tested in accordance with the manufacturer s instmctions at intervals of not more than 1 month or as agreed with the fire authorities. Any faults found must be rectified immediately. 

Fire authorities may stipulate pressurization of certain areas such as stairways and may require smoke-extract systems to be brought into operation automatically in the event of a fire. They should be consulted at an early stage of the design. 

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 gives the relevant fire authority the power to designate a place of work as premises requiring a fire certificate. This certificate will indicate the measures to be taken with respect to means of escape in the event of a fire when the structural design of... 

SPILL CLEAN-UP use water spray to cool and disperse vapors stop flow of gas if possible if source of leak cannot be stopped, release to disperse gas with cryogenic liquids, evacuate area and notify air and fire authority remove all sources of ignition. 

With the power off, there was no way of regaining control through the bitek processors. Every platform would have to be reactivated manually. Which was exactly what Kiera had done. Spacecraft had rendezvoused with the platforms and taken out Rubra s bitek management processors, replacing them with electronic processors and new fire authority codes. 

A fire alarm installation may be linked to the local fire brigade s control room by the telecommunication network, if the permission of the fire authority and local telecommunication office is obtained. 

Fire Authority — fire prevention, means of escape and issue of Fire Certificates. However where the fire risk is in the process, enforcement is by the HSE. 

Fire Prevention Officers report through the Fire Authority to the Home Office but work closely with the HSE on industrial matters. 

Suitable fire safety signs to be posted to meet requirements of a Fire Certificate or the recommendations of a Fire Authority (additional signs may be necessary on the recommendations of fire insurers). Any signs provided must be kept maintained and in place. 

Exemptions can be granted at the discretion of the Fire Authority if the premises are ... 

Premises are inspected by Fire Authority who will either ... 

Fire Authority can make a charge for issuing a Fire Certificate. 

Once the Fire Certificate has been issued to the occupier it is to be kept on the premises. Any proposed building alterations that affect the certificate must be notified to Fire Authority before work commences. 

Appeals against any decision of the Fire Authority are taken to a Magistrate s Court. 

Non-combustible Incapable of being ignited and burned in air fire-resistance preferred to incombustible by fire authorities. 

It also liaises with local authority and fire authority organisations to whom it has delegated (s. 18) some of its duties. 

The enforcement of the Act (s. 18), with some exceptions in respect of noxious and offensive emissions (s. 5), is the responsibility of the HSE through its constituent inspectorates with certain premises delegated to local authorities and for certain fire matters to the Fire Authority . 

Houses occupied as single private dwellings are exempt, but the fire authority have powers to make it compulsory for some dwellings to be covered by a fire certificate. 

Applications for fire certificates must be made on the prescribed form and the fire authority must be satisfied that the means of escape in case of fire, means of fire fighting and means of giving persons in the premises warning in case of fire are all adequate. Every fire certificate issued shall specify particular use or uses of the premises, its means of escape, details of the means of fire fighting and of fire warning and, in the case of factories, particulars of any explosive or highly flammable materials which may be... 

Stored or used on the premises. The certificate may impose such restrictions as the fire authority considers appropriate and may cover the instruction or training of persons in what to do in case of fire or it may limit the number of persons who may be in the premises at any one time. In certain circumstances the fire authority may grant exemption from the requirements to have a fire certificate, otherwise a copy of the fire certificate is sent to the occupier and it must be kept on the premises. The owner of the building is also sent a copy of the certificate. 

So long as a certificate is in force, the fire authority may inspect the premises to ascertain whether there has been a change in conditions. Any proposed structural alterations or extensions to the premises, major changes in the layout of furniture or equipment or, in factories, to begin to use or store or increase the extent of explosive or flammable material shall, before the proposals are begun, be notified to the fire authority. 

The coming into effect of The Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act 1987 amended but did not replace the FPA and gave the Fire Authority much wider powers. These include the power to charge a reasonable fee for the initial issue, or the amendment or the issue of a new fire certificate (s. 8B). Even though premises may be exempt from the requirements for a fire certificate there are duties to provide both means of escape and means of fighting fire (s. 9A). In order to assist occupiers to meet these duties the Secretary of State may issue Approved Codes of Practice and the fire authority may serve Improvement Notices if they think a code is not being met (ss. 9A-9F). 

Should the fire authority be of the opinion that, in the event of fire, the use of premises involves or will involve so serious a risk to persons on the premises that continuing use ought to be prohibited or restricted, the authority may serve a Prohibition Notice on the occupier. There are rights of appeal against these notices (ss. 10-1 OB). 

Most premises at which persons are at work require a fire certificate which is issued by the Fire Authority under the Fire Precautions Act. FHowever, for some premises, usually because of the quantities of hazardous substances being stored or used, the fire certificate will be issued by the Health and Safety Executive. 

Enforcement of health and safety laws in particular areas of employment is undertaken by specialist inspectorates such as the Nuclear, Mines and Quarries, Railway, Agricultural and Explosives Inspectorates as well as Environmental Health Officers and Department of Energy Inspectors of Offshore Installations. Responsibility for the enforcement of fire matters is delegated to the Fire Authority and for offices and shops to the Local Authorities. 

Like all areas of occupational activities, fire has its legal requirements, both of a detailed and a general nature. The Fire Services Act 1947 places on the local authority the duty to create and maintain an efficient fire fighting force and outlines the fire fighting procedures, the powers of firemen and fire authorities and other matters necessary to ensure an efficient and speedy fire service. It also created Fire Prevention Officers. 

Only premises in parts (a) and (f) must have a fire certificate before they can be brought into use and, except for one group in class (f), the local fire authority is responsible for the issue of a fire certificate. The issue of a fire certificate for places of work with high fire risk is the responsibility of the Health and Safety Executive . The issue of a fire certificate is conditional on the premises having a specified standard of fire safety. 

This has to be made on Form FPl (Rev) to the local fire authority. It is an offence to use premises not covered by a fire certificate except where an application has been made though the certificate may not have been issued nor refused. Before issuing a certificate the fire authority may inspect the building, ask for more information or plans and ask for remedial work to be carried out. 

A number of Orders were made under the FPA which rationalised the requirements of section 6, contents of a fire certificate. Three of these were the Fire Precautions (Factories, Offices, Shops and Railway Premises) Order 1976 which applied to medium and large factories, offices and shops, the Fire Precautions (Hotels and Boarding Houses) Order 1972 ° and the Fire Precautions (Non-certificated Factory, Office, Shop and Railway Premises) Order 1976 which removed the requirement for a fire certificate from smaller industrial premises/offices. In a Regulation made under the HSW Act, the Fire Certificates (Special Premises) Regulations 1976 , the responsibility for the issue of a fire certificate for certain high risk premises was transferred from the fire authority to the HSE. 

The 87 Act further extended the power of the Fire Authorities to enable them to enforce statutory obligations by the issue of Improvement and Prohibition Notices and by prosecution. The procedures regarding notices... 

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