Fire Precautions Act

A whole range of precautions may be based on the principles summarized earlier. However, general precautions, applicable to the majority of work situations, are listed in Table 5.13, many of which are included in legal requirements. For example, in the UK The Fire Precautions Act 1971 specifies requirements for fire resistance of surfaces and building structure, assessment of risk, means of escape, means for giving warning, firefighting equipment, and fire instruction and drills. 

This section summarizes the main requirements of the Fire Precautions Act 1971 as amended by various legislation including the Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act 1987. The Act requires that premises that meet certain criteria must have a Fire Certificate. The premises involved include ... 

Part IV is a miscellaneous and general part amending the Radiological Protection Act 1970, Fire Precautions Act 1971, Companies Act 1967 and stating such matters as the extent and application of the HSW Act. 

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. 

No specific requirements in respect of fire, fire prevention, or fire precautions are contained in the HSW Act although under section 78 the Fire Precautions Act 1971 was extended to include places of work. This Act took over the fire clauses of the Factories Act, and Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act, and introduced the requirement for a fire certificate rather than a means-of-escape certificate. 

Home Office, Guides to the Fire Precautions Act 1971, HMSO, London (1977) ... 

Fire Safety Main provisions of the Fire Precautions Act 1971. Responsibilities of Fire Authorities. Fire Certificates. Responsibilities concerning fire hazards which remain with HSE (Fire Certificates (Special Premises) Regulations 1976). Fire prevention legislation. (See also Module D, Safety Technology Fire)... 

Since the introduction of the Fire Services Act of 1947, the fire authorities have had the responsibility for fighting fires in all types of premises. In 1971, the Fire Precautions Act gave the fire authorities control over certain fire procedures, means of escape and basic fire protection equipment through the drawing up and issuing of Fire Certificates in certain categories of building. The Fire Certification was mainly introduced to combat a number of serious industrial fires that had occurred. 

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRFSO) SIN. 1541 was made on 7 June 2005. This chapter has been written on the assumption that the Order will be in force in October 2006. A summary of the Order has been included in Chapter 20. The Fire Precautions Act 1971 is repealed and The Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997 are revoked by the Order. The Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996 are to be taken within the revised CDM regulations in April 2007. The five regulations in CHSW are likely to be removed. 

Fire certificates under the Fire Precautions Act 1971 are abolished by the Order and will cease to have legal status. It replaces fire certification with a general duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety of employees. 

This Order, made under the Regulatory Reform Act 2001, reforms the law relating to fire safety in nondomestic premises. It replaces fire certification under the Fire Precautions Act 1971 (which it repeals) with a general duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety of employees a general duty, in relation to non-employees, to take such fire precautions as may reasonably be required in the circumstances to ensure that premises are safe and a duty to carry out a risk assessment. 

General fire precautions should be dealt with under a Fire Precautions Act. 

The Environment and Safety Information Act 1988 - all references to the Fire Precautions Act 1971 The Smoke Detectors Act 1991... 

Fire Certificate (Special Premises) Regulations 1976 690 Fire Precautions Act 1971 58,199, 690 Fire Precautions (Loans) Act 1973 690 Fire Precautions (Special Premises) Regulations 1996 690 Fire Precautions (Sub-surface Railway Stations) Regulations 1989 (as amended) 690... 

Factories Act 1961 Failure mode and effect analysis Fire Precautions Act 1971 Fault tree analysis... 

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