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Fire Safety Law
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 means that owners of self-catering holiday properties must carry out a Fire Risk Assessment. This can be done either by the cottage owner or an experienced Fire Risk Assessor.
The government introduced a number of industry specific guides to help owners of businesses to comply with the new law. For holiday lets it is entitled ‘A guide to making your small paying guest accommodation safe from fire’.
This fire safety law doesn’t just apply to holiday accommodation owners. It requires employers, managers, occupiers and owners of premises (where the main use is as an office, shop or other business) to carry out and maintain a fire risk assessment.
Its purpose is to prevent fires, reduce risk, and to ensure the safety of everyone who uses the premises or who is in the immediate vicinity.
For further advice about keeping your guests safe, see the below helpful guide produced by Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service
DS2018-2554 Self-catering Holiday Lets Booklet Dec 2019 What is a Fire Risk Assessment?
A fire risk assessment is an organised and methodical look at your premises. It involves considering the activities that are likely to be carried out, recognising the likelihood that a fire could start, spread and cause harm to those in and around the premises.
A fire risk assessment document demonstrates compliance of the fire safety law with the legal obligation to identify risks and to ensure that appropriate precautions are in place.
The 5 Key Fire Risk Assessment Steps
Hazard Identification
How could a fire start in your holiday accommodation? What could catch fire and how quickly would fire spread?
Who is at Risk?
You, your cleaner, your holiday guests, workmen and even the people who live near your property.
Keeping People Safe
What will you do in the event of a fire? How will a fire be detected and what other measures can you put into place? How will you ensure people can escape in an emergency?
Record and Document
Keep a written record of all your findings and plans and keep it in a safe place as well as providing a copy for your guests,
Maintain and Review
Review and update your document regularly. Things change over time and you ned to highlight new or changed risks with plans.
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Ignite South West
Fire Risk Assessments for Holiday Cottages in the South West
Hilltop View
Charmouth Road
Axminster
EX13 5SZ
