In the UK these are specific requirements of the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004. In addition, Fire Authorities may be given enforcement powers (as is the case in the UK). Local Authorities Local authorities can have a significant role to play with regards fire safety.
In the UK, the government has produced a series of documents about meeting the requirements of the Building Regulations for England. The Regulations contain details of what is required to meet fire safety standards. The Local authority has a general duty to enforce the building regulations in its area. It will seek to do so by informal means, such as offering advice on the required corrective actions. If informal enforcement does not achieve compliance with the regulations, the local authority has formal enforcement powers, which it may use in appropriate cases. These powers include issuing notices, imposing fines, or instituting prosecution proceedings. Insurance Companies Insurance companies style the cost of policies based on risk models or on the assessment of a property if no such model exists. Typically, a domestic property will fall into a certain category type and with only limited variables the level of fire risk (and your cost) can be calculated. In a commercial property, however, the variables can be wide ranging and therefore an insurance assessor may be used to determine the level of fire risk. The insurance provider will have access to a large database of information and in fact the insurance company may have ' new ' information and recommendations prior to the governmental bodies. It is in the business interest of the insurance company to assist you in the reduction of fire risks, and the recommendations and requests as an outcome of an insurance audit can often be integrated into your own fire risk assessments and control methods. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) The US National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is an international non-profit organization that was established in 1896. The company's mission is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life, by providing and advocating consensus codes, standards, research, training, and education. With a membership that included more than 70,000 individuals, from nearly 100 nations, NFPA is the world's leading advocate of fire prevention, and an authoritative source on public safety. Codes and Standards NFPA is responsible for 300 codes and standards, that are designed to minimise the risk and effects of fire, by establishing criteria for building, processing, design, service, and installation in the United States as well as many other countries. Its more than 200 technical codes and standard development committees are comprised of over 6,000 volunteer seats. Volunteers vote on proposals and revisions in a process that is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). National Fire Codes Subscription Services, All Access provides individual subscribers with online access to every NFPA code and standard, Handbooks and Annotated Editions. In addition, NFPA provides free online access to its codes and standards.
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