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FIRE SERVICE AND GENERAL FIRE SAFETY TOPICS => Fire Safety => Topic started by: mailkaz on October 18, 2012, 06:30:25 PM

Title: Fire prtection impairment notices
Post by: mailkaz on October 18, 2012, 06:30:25 PM

Hi Guys

Just wondering if you could help with a query regarding fire protection impairment notices and whether there is a legal application/requirement under the RRFSO

Thanks in advance
HM

Title: Re: Fire prtection impairment notices
Post by: Phoenix on October 19, 2012, 12:21:04 AM

Any impairment to a fire safety system is an alteration that will be relevant under the RR(FS)O.  The requirements of the Order must continue to be met (possibly by some compensatory feature) while the system is impaired.  What is the nature of the impairment and what fire safety provision will it affect?

Stu

Title: Re: Fire prtection impairment notices
Post by: mailkaz on October 19, 2012, 12:41:25 AM

Many thanks for your reply.

Cheers
HM

Title: Re: Fire prtection impairment notices
Post by: kurnal on October 19, 2012, 07:38:46 AM

They are ususally seen as enforcement with a small E where the  fire service think there is a  reasonable likelihood that the RP will comply without the big stick of an enforcement notice. Failure to comply with an enforcement notice is an offence. Failure to comply with a notice of impairment  , in itself, is not.

The fire service like the impairment notice because it in in accordance with the enforcement concordat and it means that they dont have to come back in any particular timescale to make sure you have complied. They will usually trust you to do it before their next audit cycle.

Title: Re: Fire prtection impairment notices
Post by: mailkaz on October 19, 2012, 08:15:05 AM

Thank you phoenix, kurnal,

I am grateful for the replies, which confirms my understanding of impairment notices.

Thank you
Cheers
HM

Title: Re: Fire prtection impairment notices
Post by: wee brian on October 19, 2012, 09:57:35 AM

So, its not really a legal notice then?  Just a letter dresssed up a bit?

Title: Re: Fire prtection impairment notices
Post by: Midland Retty on October 22, 2012, 11:18:35 AM

Well no, some brigades call them 'impairment notices', others simply send you a report listing deficiences found during their audit.

They are both the same thing.

Failure to comply with the contents of an impairment notice / report may lead to the issue of an enforcement notice.

Failing then to comply with an enforcement notice would be an offence.

Title: Re: Fire prtection impairment notices
Post by: wee brian on October 22, 2012, 11:58:11 AM

Interesting, thanks

So an "improvement Notice" requires you to improve something. But an "Impairment Notice" doesn't require you to Impair something, and its not really a notice.

You learn a new thing everyday