The new fire regulations say that there must be a named person responsibe for the fire safety in your premises. In a small charity, were the trustees are in effect the management. and trustees responsibility is joint and several,does this mean all the trustees are in effect the named person!
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The advice I received was that it is the Chairman, or Secretary, failing that a trustee is nominated to take the responsibility under the new fire regulations
22 Apr 2007 — Kathy Burges CTN
Hello Kenneth
You could try phoning the Governance Hub's helpline
0800 652 4886 for general information, open 9-6 every day.
Kathy
Hello Kenneth,
The new regulation you refer to is the "Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005" which came into effect from 1st October 2006. The Order imposes a responsibility with the 'building controller/occupier' to provide a Fire Risk Assessment of the premises. (Fire Certificates are no longer provided).
The advice that you have that this will need to be a named person, is in my view correct, but exactly who it is will depend on your organisations exact circumstances. (Almost certainly the person who manages asbestos in your premises).
There are further details available from the Fire Gateway website at www.fire.gov.uk/Workplace+safety/WhatTheLawRequires. This has an online assessment which should help you in the right direction.
Details on the (very similar) responsibility for 'named person' etc under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 (which impose a duty to manage asbestos in non-domestic buildings through an asbestos log and management plan) from the Health & Safety Executive on 0845 345 0055, or online at www.hse.gov.uk.