Fresh fire guidance for B&Bs

Sasha Wood | News | HSP
19.11.2008

The government has published a new booklet to help guesthouses comply with the fire safety regulations introduced in 2006.

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order streamlined earlier fire safety legislation and placed a new responsibility on owners of premises with fewer than six bedrooms and five employees to carry out a fire risk assessment.

Entitled Do you have paying guests?, the new guide is intended to aid small hospitality businesses, such as B&Bs, to carry out fire safety risk assessments and includes a five-step risk assessment action plan. It also contains a summary of business owners' legal responsibilities and a Q&A section.

The government developed the guide in partnership with industry representatives including VisitBritain, the B&B Association and regional tourist boards. Recently appointed fire safety minister Sadiq Khan said, "We've worked closely with the sector and the Chief Fire Officers Association to develop straightforward and practical information for owners on how to protect themselves, their guests and their business."

The guidance is available here.