The Importance of a Fire Risk Assessment

A fire risk assessment is a mandatory undertaking that must be carried out in all places of work and in areas that are accessible to the general public.

A fire risk assessment helps you identify all the fire hazards and risks in your premises. You can then decide whether any risks identified are acceptable or whether you need to do something to reduce or control them.

A risk assessment should be carried out by someone who has had sufficient training, and has good experience or knowledge of fire safety.

For fire to occur there must be a source of ignition, fuel and oxygen. If all three are present and in close proximity, then the fire risk could increase as a result.

In the average premises fire hazards will fall into the first two categories, while the oxygen will be present in the air in the surrounding space. Occasionally oxygen can be found in chemical form (oxidising agents) or as a gas in cylinders or piped systems.

If there is a fire, the greatest danger is the spread of the fire, heat and smoke through the premises. If this happens, the main risk to people is from the smoke and products of combustion, which can very quickly incapacitate those escaping.

If a premises does not have adequate means of escape or if a fire can grow to an appreciable size before it is noticed, then people may become trapped or overcome by heat and smoke before they can evacuate.

If your premises are situated in a relatively modern building, it should already incorporate important control measures, e.g. fire escape staircases, fire lobbies, fire doors, emergency lighting etc.

Many of these measures will also be found in older buildings. If your building was issued with a fire certificate under the Fire Precautions Act, details of existing control measures will be detailed in that document.

It is important to remember that fire risk assessment is a continuous process and as such must be monitored and audited. New and existing control measures should be maintained to make sure they are still working effectively.

However, if you introduce changes into your premises your original risk assessment may not address any new hazards or risk arising from them. For this reason it is also important to review and revise your assessment regularly.

This doesn’t mean it is necessary to amend your assessment for every trivial change that occurs, but the impact of any significant change should be considered.

For more information visit the Chapter Three Consulting website at www.c3c.co.uk or call us on 0300 004 0020 

A guide to Premises Licensing

Part 3

Temporary Event Notices (TENs)

A Temporary Event Notice, or TEN, is a notification to the licensing authority that an individual intends to carry out licensable activities for a period not exceeding 96 hours.

A TEN, is required before carrying out licensable activity on unlicensed premises, or when the activity is outside the scope of an existing licence.

The licensable activities are:

•       The sale by retail of alcohol;
•       The supply of alcohol by or on behalf of a club to, or to the order of, a member of a club;
•       The provision of regulated entertainment; and
•       The provision of late night refreshment.

So, if you are planning an event this Summer, A TEN may be the answer.

TENs were included in the Licensing Act 2003 to enable small scale one off events – a birthday party with a later closing time or a community event where music and a bar are provided.

The maximum number of people who can be involved is 499 and the event does not have to be ‘special’.

The notice is given to the local authority and if no objections are raised, the event can go ahead.

•         The same premises can be used up to fifteen times a year for a TEN.
•         Premises can be as small as a separate room
•         There must be 24hrs between events
•      No more than 21 calendar days per year can be covered by the 15 events that are allowed
•       Personal Licence Holders can give up to 50 TENs a year and Non-Personal Licence Holders up to 5 TENs per year
•        Normally 10 working days’ notice must be given, however ‘late TENs‘ can also be given

      For more information visit the Chapter Three Consulting website at www.c3c.co.uk or give us a ring on 0300 004 0020

The Sound of Music!

According to information on the 'PRS for Music' website, ‘music in clubs is an essential part of the entertainment experience’.

Whilst my clubbing days (and nights) are but a dim and distant memory, PRS for Music may be onto something.

They also claim that '93 percent of bars and clubs agree that music creates a better atmosphere for punters' and it would be hard to argue against that.

Nobody would argue about the need for music in clubs or bars, but we often find our clients falling foul of the obligation to comply with the licensing requirements that currently exist.

In summary, if you run a business of any sort and music is played on the premises for  the benefit of customers or staff, The Copyright Design and Patent Act 1988 states that you need to get permission from the copyright holder. This permission is obtained through a licensing regime run by PRS for Music.

However, the requirement does not stop there because the PRS for Music licence collects and distributes money on behalf of song writers, composers and publishers.

What about the performers you may ask?

Don't worry, there is a separate organisation called PPL that collects and distributes money on behalf of the performers, and record companies for using their music.

So, in conclusion, if you play music in your business, make sure you have the correct permissions in place to support both the composers and performers by having valid documentation from both PPL and PRS for Music.

Further information can be found here:

www.ppluk.com

www.prsformusic.com

To find out more about Chapter Three Consulting go to www.c3c.co.uk