Is this allowed?

[jasper]

Please find link below to a FS blatantly advertising a fire risk assessment company
http://www.hantsfire.gov.uk/forbusiness/businesseducation/riskcampaign.htm
Is this correct? if so I will do this with Lancashire FS - your thoughts!

[Big_Fella]

I was under the impression they couldnt blatently indicate like this, but advise people on how to obtain companies etc

[kurnal]

Appears to me to be outrageous.

[jasper]

Who's turn it it to complain this time, I did it last time?

[nearlythere]

Are they going to try and sell me something?
No, it is an information not a sales call. The caller will help you identify if you have a fire risk assessment. If you have not got one, they will explain the various options available to you.

What is this then?"One of the options is to subscribe to a Risksmart, online service, which will enable you to complete a fire risk assessment".

Extract from Risksmart website:-
FireSmart
FireSmart is an online fire risk assessment system that enables users with no previous knowledge of fire legislation or fire safety to comply with the RRO Fire Safety Order 2005, in around 30 – 40 minutes. FireSmart costs £249 + vat which gives you twelve months access to the site and its online fire consultant. Click here to link to the FireSmart site for more information.

No actual training or experience needed. I thought you had to be a "Competent Person" to carry out a fire risk assessment?

[nearlythere]

I've got my preliminary online complaint to HF&RS done but everybody has to do it. Do it now people.

[footieboy]

[
No actual training or experience needed. I thought you had to be a "Competent Person" to carry out a fire risk assessment?
[/quote]

I am still amazed that people think the RRO says the RA has to be competent

[nearlythere]

I am still amazed that people think the RRO says the RA has to be competent

Who said ".....RRO says the RA has to be competent" footieboy?

[kurnal]

I have not complained as such but have pointed out that if promoting private businesses they should at least offer a choice rather than a single supplier and can they also promote me! and the FIA and the Firenet and other businesses too.

[Davo]

Seems they also do the same thing for H & S

A full H & S audit in a few hours-


davo

[CivvyFSO]

Who said ".....RRO says the RA has to be competent" footieboy?
[/quote]

I think by 'RA' he means 'risk assessor'. And there is no duty in the RRO to be a competent person regarding the risk assessment. I do believe it is splitting hairs though, as the duty to ensure the assessment is suitable and sufficient would be a hard duty to comply with if done by someone who was incompetent.

[nearlythere]

The RP may not have to be competent according to the RRO but it seems that anybody he uses to assist him does. Guidance, although being good practice rather than a requirment, advises the use of a competent person.

[CivvyFSO]

The competent person you speak of is only there to assist in implementing the preventative/protective measures which really come about after the risk assessment is completed. Competent persons are required for other areas, i.e. evacuation, but none for the risk assessment.

As you say, regardless of this, guidance does indeed suggest the use of a competent person for complex premises or where the RP doesn't think they can do the risk assessment. So, if someone is told by an FRS that filling in some online form gives them a suitable risk assessment, then who are they to argue? Their own competency is not an issue, the suitabilty of the RA is the issue and are the local FRS (who almost 'promote' the method) going to find your RA unsuitable?

FWIW I also think it is wrong. We are a public service, we should not be allying with companies in this way.

[Mike Buckley]

Let me get this clear, if X brigade and Y brigade both have private companies promoting RA packages which are different and I have a company in X brigade but use Y brigades package. What happens if I am inspected by X brigade who tell me that the Assessment I have done from Y brigade is insufficient?

[partymarty007]

Then the FRA would be insufficient.  I think what you are getting at is what would the discussion be.  It would not deter me one way on who or what company compiled a FRA, if its insufficient in the legislators eyes ( Magistrate/Sheriff) then its insufficient.

What is important is what type of training and or advice the providor is providing.  If its good quality advice with the end results being FRAs being better and relevant persons/premises safer then I think this has got to be an improvement.  It shoulkd not matter if its a FRS or a private individual.