Scope
This policy applies to all premises and activities falling, to any extent, under the University’s control.
Introduction
In workplaces, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 - (FSO) is the principal legislation concerned with assuring life safety.
The Fire Safety Act (FSA) 2022, and the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, have amended the FSO and introduced new duties in relation to the management of multi-occupied residential buildings.
The Building Safety Act (BSA) 2022, and its subordinate regulations place duties on the owners and maintainers of high-risk residential accommodation.
Process fire safety risks chiefly fall within the scope of the Management of Health and Safety at Work and Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres regulations and the detailed University arrangements for these issues are covered in other Fire Safety Standards and guidance.
Key legal definitions are provided in appendix 1 of this policy.
Policy statement
The University of Bath is committed to providing and maintaining a safe and healthy workplace and to protect its employees, students, contractors and visitors against fire and the effects of fire.
The University will deliver this policy commitment by:
- clearly defining roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities with regards to fire safety in premises owned or occupied or managed by the university
- developing and implementing appropriate fire safety procedures and arrangements to safeguard all members of the campus community against the risks and consequences of fire and to enable them to reach, so far as is reasonably practicable, a place of reasonable or total safety in the event of an emergency
- appointing one or more competent persons to provide competent fire safety advice
- assessing fire risks to life safety and that suitable and sufficient control measures are implemented, in accordance with the relevant “principles of control”, to reduce these risks to a tolerable level
- maintaining those parts of our premises (including any external parts of our buildings), and any plant or equipment, provided to meet the requirements of the FSO or any other fire safety legislation, in an efficient and fit state, in efficient working order and in good repair in accordance with fire risk assessments
- ensuring that at all inspection, and associated maintenance and repairs of premises, plant and equipment, are undertaken by competent persons
- ensuring, as a minimum, that University buildings and facilities are designed and constructed in accordance with relevant fire safety standards
- providing employees and anyone else (including Avon Fire and Rescue Service and residents of university accommodation) affected with appropriate fire safety information, instruction, and training
- cooperating and communicating with any other duty holders including any “Responsible Persons” or “Accountable persons”, as necessary, to ensure compliance with relevant fire safety legislation
Responsibilities
Vice-Chancellor
The Vice-Chancellor (VC) has been delegated overall responsibility for fire safety by Council. The VC has overall responsibility for ensuring:
- compliance with any applicable legal duties imposed by the RRO, FSA and BSA, and their subordinate regulations
- fire safety risks are assessed, and that appropriate control measures are identified and are implemented
- fire safety arrangements are in place to secure life safety as a minimum
- appropriate resources are made available to enable the University to fulfil its legal duties under applicable legislation
The VC delegates day to day responsibility for undertaking these duties through line management and identified roles.
The following people are identified as having responsibility for fire safety issues in those areas, and for those relevant persons, that fall under their control:
Director of Campus Infrastructure
The Director of Campus Infrastructure is responsible for ensuring that:
- the significant findings of fire risk assessments relating to building fabric and structure are properly addressed and control measures are implemented in accordance with the “principles of control”
- any plant, equipment and features of premises provided for the purposes of fire safety remains in good working order and is subject to a suitable system of maintenance by a competent person
- all new and refurbished areas are so designed as to ensure compliance with this policy and any relevant fire-safety and building legislation
- all relevant activities and processes are assessed for fire safety and suitable control measures implemented in accordance with University Fire Safety standards
- appropriate liaison and co-operation with other responsible persons (e.g. tenants / contractors), to ensure that they are aware of the University’s fire safety policy and procedures and to identify any risks arising from their activities which could impact upon the University or members of the campus community
- higher-risk buildings are registered with the appropriate regulator
- Safety cases and Safety case reports are provided to the regulator as required
- required works, identified in Safety cases / Safety case reports, are undertaken
- an assurance report on fire safety matters is prepared and presented to UHSC on at least an annual basis
- appropriate fire safety and general health and safety information is made available to the Fire and Rescue Service
Director of Campus Services
The Director of Campus Services is responsible for ensuring that:
- adequate resources are allocated for ensuring residential accommodation fire safety arrangements are maintained
- cooperating with the Director of Campus infrastructure to ensure that works identified in Safety Cases, or Safety case reports, are carried out
- residents of University accommodation are provided with a fire safety induction on taking up residence. This information must include specific information on the importance of fire doors in preventing risk of fire spread
Deans, Heads of Department and Directors of Service
Deans, Heads of Department and Directors of Service are responsible for ensuring that:
- the significant findings of fire risk assessments that fall within their area of responsibility are addressed within agreed timeframes
- bringing to the attention of the University’s Fire Safety Advisor any significant findings of fire risk assessments that are unable to be completed within agreed timeframes
- all relevant activities and processes are assessed for fire safety and suitable control measures implemented in accordance with University Fire Safety standards
- all staff under their control have completed the university’s online fire safety training module within three months of commencing work at the University
- members of staff receive appropriate additional fire safety training on induction or on being exposed to new or increased risk and periodically thereafter
- suitable departmental fire safety arrangements are established. This could include ensuring a suitable number of fire wardens are appointed, identified, and trained
- regular fire safety checks are carried out and that significant findings are reported to the relevant body (such as the Departmental Health & Safety Committee or Area/Departmental Safety Co-ordinator or Estates) so that appropriate remedial works to be carried out
- appropriate arrangements are put in place (for example, Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans) to secure the safety of all relevant persons
- all relevant persons comply with the requirements of the fire safety policy
- no works are carried out on building fabric or services or Estates provided/maintained plant and equipment without the prior agreement of Estates
Supervisors and Managers
Supervisors/Managers (including Academic Supervisors of Research and Teaching activities) are responsible for ensuring that:
- all activities and processes are assessed for fire safety and suitable control measures implemented in accordance with the University’s Fire Safety Standards (i.e., included in the risk assessments for research activities and any appropriate information provided in connection with practical teaching activities)
- all relevant persons are given training and instruction in fire safety matters commensurate with their activities
- all “relevant persons” comply with the requirements of the fire safety policy
Head of University Safety, Health & Employee Wellbeing (SHEW) Service
The Head of SHEW is responsible for ensuring that:
- fire risk assessments of building fabric and services are undertaken and that the significant findings of these assessments are reported to the relevant duty holders
- competent fire safety advice is available to ensure that the University understands and can comply with their duties under this policy, fire safety legislation and any applicable University fire safety standards
- fire safety incidents are investigated, and relevant improvements identified. Where significant issues are identified these will be brought to the attention of the relevant duty holders for action
- the Fire Safety Policy and statutory requirements are monitored and reviewed, and that fire safety performance is reported to the University’s Health & Safety Committee and Council
- Supporting the Directors of Campus Infrastructure and Campus Services to meet their duties under this policy
- appropriate guidance and standards are available to enable the University to meet its duties under fire safety legislation and this policy to be properly implemented
- appropriate fire safety information, instruction and training is made available to all members of the campus community as required. This will include specific fire safety training for appointed Fire Wardens
Head of Security Service
The Head of Security Service is responsible for:
- providing a monitoring and first response service for all main campus and city campus buildings
- taking reasonable steps to investigate the cause of all alarms to determine whether the incident can be adequately dealt with by the University or if it requires the attendance of the Fire & Rescue Service
- providing necessary support to the Fire & Rescue Service when they attend an emergency at the main or city campus.
- assisting relevant persons to evacuate to a temporary or permanent place of safety
- reporting relevant incidents to SHEW and, where necessary, escalating issues to Senior Management in accordance with the University’s Emergency Management Plan
Employees and Students
Employees and Students are required to:
- cooperate with the University by complying with the fire safety policy, associated standards and any relevant fire safety training and arrangements
- not put themselves or others at undue risk
In addition, staff and students are encouraged to disclose any health issues or disabilities to their Line Manager or Academic Supervisor or to Human Resources or the Student Disability Service if they require assistance to evacuate a building during a fire alarm activation and to participate in any necessary Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) process.
Contractors
Contractors are required to:
- assess the fire safety risks arising from their works / activities and implement control measures in accordance with the “principles of control”
- co-operate with the University on all matters of fire safety and comply with all reasonable instructions relating to fire safety given by authorised members of the University
- ensure that they, and all staff falling under their control, have received appropriate information, instruction and training to enable them to comply with this policy and the University’s emergency arrangements
University Health and Safety Committee (UHSC)
UHSC is responsible for monitoring and reviewing this policy. Reviews will be carried out at least every two years from date of approval. Reviews will be carried out more quickly in the event of significant changes in legislation or where there is evidence to suggest that policy aims are not being achieved.
Further information and resources
Fire safety in the workplace (Gov.uk)
Fire Safety Act Guides (Gov.uk)
Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022
Building Safety Act (Gov.uk)
Avon Fire and Rescue Service
Appendix 1 - Key definitions
The following key definitions are taken directly from the relevant legislation:
Accountable Person
An Accountable Person is a duty holder for residential high-rise buildings (HRBs). This will be the organisation or person who owns or has responsibility for the building. It may also be an organisation or person who is responsible for maintaining the common parts of a building, for example corridors or lobbies.
The AP will usually be an organisation or business but could also be an individual.
High Rise Accommodation
This means a building with two or more dwellings which is more than seven storeys high, or which is over 18 metres tall. N.B., some duties posed by the Fire Safety (England) Regulations apply to buildings over 11metres tall.
Responsible Person
This means:
(a) in relation to a workplace, the employer, if the workplace is to any extent under their control;
(b) in relation to any premises not falling within paragraph (a);
(i) the person who has control of the premises (as occupier or otherwise) in connection with the carrying on by him of a trade, business, or other undertaking (for profit or not); or
(ii) 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.
At the University of Bath, Council is the employer/building owner and as such is the Responsible Person. The University as a corporate body is the Accountable Person. Council delegates responsibility for fire safety matters (i.e., the duties of the Responsible person and accountable person) to the Vice-Chancellor as the most senior employee of the university. The Vice-Chancellor delegates tasks associated with the duties of the Responsible Person and Accountable Person through established line management chains as described in this policy.
Relevant Persons
Means “any person who is or may be lawfully on the premises and any person in the immediate vicinity of the premises who is at risk from a fire on the premises”.
Principles of Control (General)
The RRFSO defines the principles of control, in order of preference, as being:
(a) avoiding risks;
(b) evaluating the risks which cannot be avoided;
(c) combating the risks at source;
(d) adapting to technical progress;
(e) replacing the dangerous by the non-dangerous or less dangerous;
(f) developing a coherent overall prevention policy which covers technology, organisation of work and the influence of factors relating to the working environment;
(g) giving collective protective measures priority over individual protective measures;
(h) giving appropriate instructions to employees
Place of Reasonable Safety
A place within a building or structure where, for a limited period of time, people will have some protection from the effects of fire and smoke. This place, usually a corridor or stairway, will normally have a minimum of 30 minutes fire resistance and allow people to continue their escape to a place of total safety.
Place of Total Safety
In relation to premises, means a safe area beyond the premises.