Written Question · S4W-15033 · Session 4
What the conclusions were of its consultation, A Consultation on the Revision of the Scottish Government Practical Fire Safety Guidance for…
The question
To ask the Scottish Government what the conclusions were of its consultation, A Consultation on the Revision of the Scottish Government Practical Fire Safety Guidance for Care Homes and the Quality Assurance of Persons Who Offer Risk Assessment Services, and when they will be published.
The answer
The conclusions of the consultation on the revision of care home guidance and fire risk assessment quality assurance was published in October 2012 and is available on the Scottish Government (SG) website at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/0040/00404351.pdf. The revised version of the care home guidance is due to be published this summer.
The existing sector specific guidance for care homes is currently available on the SGFirelaw web pages along with general fire safety guidance/advice at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/public-safety/Fire-Rescue/FireLaw.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) also provide advice to care home duty-holders, on request, on: how to prevent fires; restrict spread; and the means of escape in the event of fire. However, it is also proactive in carrying out fire safety audits in care homes.
To help duty-holders to consider the competence of fire risk assessors (individuals or companies), the SGFirelaw web pages provide a link to guidance issued by the Fire Risk Assessment Competency Council (FRACC) (hosted on the Fire Sector Federation (FSF) website). Information is also given about the benefit of third party certification of fire protection services. There are no plans to make it compulsory for fire risk assessors to be registered or certificated under fire safety law or to require assessors to provide evidence of their competence to care home duty-holders, but SGFirelaw guidance recommends that duty-holders check their competence. Registration schemes do exist for companies/persons carrying out fire risk assessments and details of such schemes are featured in the FRACC guidance. The SG has not had any formal or detailed discussions with the SFRS, since it was formed on 1 April 2013, about reviewing the competency of fire risk assessors.
The SG does not plan to compel fire risk assessors to provide a certificate, or report the issuing of one to the SFRS. The fact that a risk assessment has been carried out is not a confirmation that the level of fire safety in a premises is adequate.
Care home duty-holders have a legal obligation to record the significant findings and certain other information relating to the assessment of risk in the premises. This record could be provided, in whole or in part, by an external assessor under contract. However, duty-holders must be able to make risk assessment information available for the inspection of the SFRS as the “enforcing authority”. The SG has no plans to require records to be otherwise displayed, permanently, on the premises.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/0040/00404351.pdf. The revised version of the care home guidance is due to be published this summer.
The existing sector specific guidance for care homes is currently available on the SGFirelaw web pages along with general fire safety guidance/advice at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/public-safety/Fire-Rescue/FireLaw.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) also provide advice to care home duty-holders, on request, on: how to prevent fires; restrict spread; and the means of escape in the event of fire. However, it is also proactive in carrying out fire safety audits in care homes.
To help duty-holders to consider the competence of fire risk assessors (individuals or companies), the SGFirelaw web pages provide a link to guidance issued by the Fire Risk Assessment Competency Council (FRACC) (hosted on the Fire Sector Federation (FSF) website). Information is also given about the benefit of third party certification of fire protection services. There are no plans to make it compulsory for fire risk assessors to be registered or certificated under fire safety law or to require assessors to provide evidence of their competence to care home duty-holders, but SGFirelaw guidance recommends that duty-holders check their competence. Registration schemes do exist for companies/persons carrying out fire risk assessments and details of such schemes are featured in the FRACC guidance. The SG has not had any formal or detailed discussions with the SFRS, since it was formed on 1 April 2013, about reviewing the competency of fire risk assessors.
The SG does not plan to compel fire risk assessors to provide a certificate, or report the issuing of one to the SFRS. The fact that a risk assessment has been carried out is not a confirmation that the level of fire safety in a premises is adequate.
Care home duty-holders have a legal obligation to record the significant findings and certain other information relating to the assessment of risk in the premises. This record could be provided, in whole or in part, by an external assessor under contract. However, duty-holders must be able to make risk assessment information available for the inspection of the SFRS as the “enforcing authority”. The SG has no plans to require records to be otherwise displayed, permanently, on the premises.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S4W-15033 by reference.