Regulatory amendments improve fire safety in all buildings
Authored by QBE
Amendments to Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA) form part of the Home Office’s fire safety reform programme
From 1 October 2023, Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA) enacts several amendments to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO).
These changes form Phase 3 of the Home Office’s fire safety reform programme, building on Phase 1 (the Fire Safety Act 2021) and Phase 2 (the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022) to improve fire safety in all buildings regulated by the FSO.
These amendments (Phase 3) include:
- improving cooperation and coordination between Responsible Persons (RPs)
- increasing requirements around recording and sharing fire safety information, creating a continual record for the lifespan of a building
- making it easier for enforcement authorities to take action against non-compliance
- ensuring residents have access to comprehensive information about fire safety in their building
The Fire Safety order is aimed at owners and operators of non-domestic premises, blocks of flats and sleeping accommodations including holiday lets and rented rooms in shared houses. The intention is to ensure that their premises are safe and secure from fire hazards.
QBE urges all responsible persons to thoroughly review the updated guidelines and to ensure the necessary steps have been taken to ensure full compliance.
For more information, visit: New fire safety guidance comes into force on 1 October 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
About QBE
QBE European Operations is part of QBE Insurance Group, one of the world’s leading international insurers and reinsurers and Standard & Poor’s A+ rated. Listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, QBE’s gross written premium for the year ended 31 December 2018 was US$13.7 billion.
As a business insurance specialist, QBE European Operations offers a range of insurance products from the standard suite of property, casualty and motor to the specialist financial lines, marine and energy. All are tailored to the individual needs of our small, medium and large client base.
We understand the crucial role that effective risk management plays in all organisations and work hard to understand our clients’ businesses so that we offer insurance solutions that meet their needs – from complex programmes to simpler e-trading solutions – and support them in minimising their risk exposures. Our expert risk management and rehabilitation practitioners focus on helping clients improve their risk management so that they may benefit from a reduction in claims frequency and costs.