The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO) came into effect in October 2006. It replaced over 70 pieces of fire safety law. It applies to all non-domestic premises in England and Wales. This includes the common part of blocks of flats and houses in multiple-occupation. The law applies to you if you are:
- responsible for business premises
- an employer or self-employed with business premises
- a charity or voluntary organisation
- a contractor with a degree of control over any premises
- providing accommodation for paying guests
- responsible for business premises
- an employer or self-employed with business premises
- a charity or voluntary organisation
- a contractor with a degree of control over any premises
- providing accommodation for paying guests
What does this mean for you?
The days of a fire officer providing helpful advice and providing a fire certificate are over. Now, you must identify the fire safety risks associated with your premises and activities. Any, you must identify appropriate risk control measures. For example, whether you need a fire alarm, emergency lighting etc.
What we do
There's nothing stopping you from downloading government guidance to help you through this process. However, we recommend that you use an independent specialist fire risk assessor instead. This way, you can be sure that the risk assessment meets the legal requirements. Plus, you'll have the facts you need to prevent fires and protect your business.
How does it work
One of our fire risk assessors will arrange to visit your premises. They will complete a full site inspection, take many photographs and take the information away for analysis. They will then produce a fire risk assessment that meets the requirements of the FSO. The report follows the format of PAS 79, which is recognised by all Fire & Rescue Services.
We aim to turn all fire risk assessments around in under 48-hours.
Legislation requires that those who are responsible for the repair or maintenance of non-domestic premises have arrangements for the proper management of asbestos risks. To comply with the duty, you need to know where the asbestos containing materials (ACMs) are located within your building. In most cases this means having a survey carried out.
When might you have it?
Although asbestos was in use within building products up until the end of the 1990s, by this time it was very rare. Premises built or refurbished in the 1960s and early 1970s are the most likely to contain some form of asbestos. But any building that was constructed or had major refurbishment work between the 1950s and mid-1980s is also a likely culprit.
So, if your building was constructed before 1999, you should have a survey completed. Trying to avoid this just isn’t worth the risk. Disturbing asbestos is disruptive, expensive and dangerous.
So, if your building was constructed before 1999, you should have a survey completed. Trying to avoid this just isn’t worth the risk. Disturbing asbestos is disruptive, expensive and dangerous.
How to do this
Although you may think that asbestos spotting is relatively simple, it really isn't. It can be hidden in the most unlikely places. So, rather than guessing, the safest option is to have an asbestos survey completed by a competent person. In line with HSE guidance, we offer the following types of surveys:
Management survey
An asbestos management survey must be completed on premises constructed before the year 2000. This survey covers you for general use of the premises.
The purpose is to identify, as far as reasonably practicable, the presence and extent of any suspected ACMs in a building which could be damaged or disturbed during normal occupancy, including maintenance and installation activities, and to assess their condition.
This survey will identify the location of asbestos in your premises and provide recommendations on what, if any, actions are required.
The purpose is to identify, as far as reasonably practicable, the presence and extent of any suspected ACMs in a building which could be damaged or disturbed during normal occupancy, including maintenance and installation activities, and to assess their condition.
This survey will identify the location of asbestos in your premises and provide recommendations on what, if any, actions are required.
We aim to turn all fire risk assessments around in under 48-hours.
Refurbishment survey
This is the type that's needed before any major refurbishment or demolition work is carried out.
It is used to locate and identify, as far as reasonably practicable, all ACMs in the area where the refurbishment work will take place or in the whole building if its demolition is planned.
You must make the survey available to any contractors working in the areas in which asbestos has been identified.
Technical information
When sampling is carried out as part of a survey, samples from each type of suspect ACM will be collected and analysed by a UK Accredited Services approved laboratory.
Our surveys are completed in accordance with HSE Guidance HSG264.
Our surveys are completed in accordance with HSE Guidance HSG264.
Legionella management – commercial
premises
Our legionella management services are in provided in line with 'Legionnaires' Disease: The control of legionella bacteria in water systems' - Approved Code of Practice and Guidance L8 (Fourth edition 2013).They include:
- Legionella risk assessments
- Cleaning and chlorination;
- Water systems monitoring;
- Bacterial sampling & analysis at a UKAS laboratory;
- Legionellosis management - the regulation of all related diseases including Pontiac Fever;
- The risk assessors are members of the Legionella Control Association
Legionella management – domestic
premises
Every landlord has a responsibility to provide accommodation which is safe for their tenants. This includes the duty to assess and control the risk of legionnaire’s disease, arising from the hot and cold water system.
Landlords may have the know-how and ability to undertake their own legionella risk assessment. However, many prefer to have this assessment undertaken by a professional organisation. Furthermore, agents find that they do not have the insurance cover to provide this service directly to landlords.
Landlords may have the know-how and ability to undertake their own legionella risk assessment. However, many prefer to have this assessment undertaken by a professional organisation. Furthermore, agents find that they do not have the insurance cover to provide this service directly to landlords.
What we do
A risk assessment, which involves a visit to the premises and a review of the condition and temperatures water system. This includes any stored water in attic tanks. Within 48-hours of the inspection, a detailed report is prepared using our bespoke online system.
The work is undertaken by a competent legionella risk assessor. They are supported by our team of chartered health and safety practitioners.
If you wish to know more about the subject, the HSE has provided specific guidance for landlords
The work is undertaken by a competent legionella risk assessor. They are supported by our team of chartered health and safety practitioners.
If you wish to know more about the subject, the HSE has provided specific guidance for landlords
According to the HSE, up to 2 Million people are exposed to noise at work which may be harmful. The effects of being exposed to harmful levels of noise include hearing loss, tinnitus and more.
Using our state of the art Casella CEL- 620B sound level monitor, we are able to provide detailed analysis of the type and level of noise your staff and others are exposed to. The meter completes many calculations and presents the results in simple to understand bar charts. In short, it’s able to identify potential problems and the type of noise protection required to reduce the risk to acceptable levels.
All of the noise data is stored securely on our servers. We keep all of the information for at least 40 years. Duplicate reports are provided free of charge.
Warning. Many sectors are facing claims for “personal hearing loss”. The only way of fending off such claims, is to be able to present reliable noise data. It’s the only way to prove that any exposure to hazardous levels of noise did not occur on your watch.
For further information on our noise surveys, please get in touch.
All of the noise data is stored securely on our servers. We keep all of the information for at least 40 years. Duplicate reports are provided free of charge.
Warning. Many sectors are facing claims for “personal hearing loss”. The only way of fending off such claims, is to be able to present reliable noise data. It’s the only way to prove that any exposure to hazardous levels of noise did not occur on your watch.
For further information on our noise surveys, please get in touch.
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) require that you protect workers from the harmful health effects of hazardous substances in the workplace, including the effects of dust. Being regularly exposed to high levels of dust in a workplace can affect the respiratory system and cause your workers to become ill.
Your legal duties
Dust of any kind can become a substance hazardous to health under COSHH when it is present at concentrations in the air equal to or greater than 10 mg/m3 of inhalable dust or 4 mg/m3 of respirable dust.
Have you got a problem?
It’s impossible to identify the actual levels of dust in the air without collecting a sample. Using a state of the art Casella Apex2 personal sampling pump, we are able to identify the levels of dust that your staff or others may be exposed to.
We will analyse the findings and will help you to identify the most effective way of reducing the dust to safe levels. Your options will include local exhaust ventilation (LEV) or providing staff with respiratory protective equipment (RPE).
Warning. Many sectors are facing claims for occupational illnesses caused by exposure to dust. The only way of fending off such claims, is to be able to present reliable data.
For further information on our noise surveys, please get in touch.
We will analyse the findings and will help you to identify the most effective way of reducing the dust to safe levels. Your options will include local exhaust ventilation (LEV) or providing staff with respiratory protective equipment (RPE).
Warning. Many sectors are facing claims for occupational illnesses caused by exposure to dust. The only way of fending off such claims, is to be able to present reliable data.
For further information on our noise surveys, please get in touch.