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The Chamber team was delighted to welcome Matt Prentice, Legislative Fire Safety Officer, into our offices last week. Matt visited to inform us and our members that the Gloucestershire Fire & Rescue Service will soon be launching Fire Safety Checks in your area. If you are a business owner or related responsible person, this could affect you. The official communication is available below.

Dear Business Owner,

Gloucestershire Fire & Rescue Service will shortly be launching a Fire Safety Check trial in your area. This trial will be carried out by operational firefighters and aims to check on basic fire safety compliance. These short mandatory inspections will be looking at the following:

• Are all fire escape routes accessible and clear of obstructions?
• Is the fire alarm in good working order?
• Is there a suitable quantity of fire extinguishers throughout the property?
• Have staff members been trained on what to do if they discover a fire or hear the fire alarm?

As the responsible person, what can you do to prepare?

We advise that you check the following to ensure that your business is complying with the Fire Safety Order:

• Check that your fire risk assessment is in date and any deficiencies identified have been rectified.
• Check that a fire drill has been carried out within the last 12 months and that ALL staff members know what to do in the event of a fire.
• Check that fire safety equipment and systems have been inspected by an engineer and the certificates are available.
• Ensure that all in house fire safety checks are carried out and recorded within a fire logbook.

Where can you get more fire safety advice?

For further information and guidance, you can go to the Business Fire Safety pages of the Gloucestershire Fire & Rescue Service’s website. Click on the link below and look at the fire safety guidance and templates provided.

https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/glosfire/business-safety/

We are not only here to enforce the fire safety laws but also to provide help and advice to businesses who are trying to provide safe premises for their staff and customers.

We look forward to meeting you soon.

Business Fire Safety Team

Gloucestershire Fire & Rescue Service