The Fire Safety Act 2021, drawn up by the UK Government to prevent further tragedies like the Grenfell fire, allocated the role of ‘Responsible Person’ in managing fire safety within a building.
This, coupled with the PAS 79, makes it abundantly clear exactly how a fire risk assessment should be carried out, and exactly what information should be captured, held, maintained, and shared.
As a ‘Responsible Person’, & Fire Risk Assessor your obligations are clear, yet the process by which key data is captured is distinctly variable, with some still reliant on paper-based, unreliable data capture systems.
That’s why we made it our mission, here at Rugged Data, to provide a fire risk assessment app that supports the collection of fire safety data and does so in a cohesive, efficient and reliable way.
This blog will explore the role & responsibilities of a “Responsible Person” & explain how Rugged Data supports the process.
What is a ‘Responsible Person’ and what do they need to do?
If you are the ‘Responsible Person’ for fire safety, you might be an employer, a building owner, a landlord, a facilities manager, or an external fire safety company, but you are essentially deemed to have responsibility for the fire safety of a premises.
In October 2023 the UK government released some new responsibilities for the ‘Responsible Person’ outlined under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/check-your-fire-safety-responsibilities-under-section-156-of-the-building-safety-act-2022/fire-safety-responsibilities-under-section-156-of-the-building-safety-act-2022
These new responsibilities, which apply to non-domestic premises, require Responsible Persons to, more comprehensively, record their completed fire risk assessment, to provide more details about the identity of the assessor and to provide further details of any fire safety arrangements that are made as a result of the risk assessment.
This information needs to be regularly updated and shared with other Responsible Persons, Accountable Persons (and residents where applicable) in an easy-to-understand way.
In addition, if a Responsible Person appoints someone to make or review a risk assessment, they also have a duty to ensure their competency but ultimately maintain responsibility for the risk assessment.
So, you can see, for a Responsible Person, these responsibilities weigh heavy on the shoulders.
Your job, as a fire safety organisation, is to help them keep their records up to date, facilitate the sharing of information and help them effectively co-operate with other Persons but how can you provide this crucial service in an effective, consistently reliable and professional way?
Let us tell you how.
Rugged Data – The Fire Risk Assessment App
Working alongside fire safety companies we have been able to develop a PAS79 compliant, intuitive solution that works alongside typical risk assessment workflows and processes, accessible on both mobile & desktop, that provides a variety of efficiencies and benefits.
The App
With features like custom workflows and smart forms, you can ensure information is captured quickly, accurately and you never miss a step.
With a pop-up note function on forms, using the information symbol, users can access guidance notes that enable them to have a full understanding of the risk assessment question without making the form long and cumbersome.
Accurately manage visual assets like maps & schematics, time and data stamp photos for traceability and maintain floor plans with an enhanced level of detail such as floor area, construction and layout.
The Hub
With basic information such as site address, contact information and more held within The Hub, the two-way flow of information means that a lot of the mobile forms can be pre-populated. This reduces duplication of effort, reduces the potential for errors and simplifies the job, saving lots of time.
The customisable risk matrix function allows you to set custom parameters to ensure an accurate and relevant evaluation of risk. Armed with your risk matrix, not only can you provide customers with information on the areas with the highest risk, but you can also provide action plan points and explanations via The Hub.
And to aid the sharing of information, The Hub provides the ability to generate PAS79 compliant, gold standard reports at the touch-of-a-button. Quick to produce, insanely accurate and completely customisable to your company branding for the ultimate professional touch.
Why should you explore Rugged Data?
When you compare a paper-based fire risk assessment process with a tool like Rugged Data, the time saving benefits alone make it a winner. Reduced processing, reduced touch-points and potential mistakes, reduced backlog, the list of benefits are endless.
With Rugged Data, managing fire risk assessments is easier, supports a more robust process and helps you to provide a better service to your customers. But don’t just take our word for it, see it for yourself by contacting us to arrange a demo with a member of our team and fully understand the fantastic benefits of this fantastic system.
