Fire Safety Adviser
There is now a requirement for all high occupancy workplaces (businesses with 30 or more staff) to have a Fire Safety Advisor. This is considered similar to the role of a Workplace Health and Safety Officer. The Fire Safety Advisor requires significant training. You can train a team member or sub-contract the role. The role of the Fire Safety Advisor is to advise the business operator. With appropriate training and skill, Fire Safety Advisors could conduct fire safety risk assessments, write and review the Fire and Evacuation Plan, review evacuation exercises, train staff, etc. Sub-contracting this role could be a better option as this person does not need to be based on site and could conduct regular visits for reviews, training and exercises. A sub-contractor would provide greater experience, knowledge and techniques than a trained member of staff.
Ultimate responsibility and liability still rests with the occupier. However liability of the Fire Safety Advisor, Evacuation Co-ordinators and Responsible Persons is not completely clear. This regulation has not stipulated any exclusion to liability for persons assuming co-ordination and advisory roles. One would expect that under the current situation liability may exist in the event of damage, injury or death. This question has been forwarded to the appropriate body for their comment however at the time of writing no decisive answer has been received.
