Responsible person role and authorisation

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 introduced the role of “responsible person” (RP) and made it clear that all employers automatically take on this role in respect of their premises and activities.

Responsible person role

To ensure compliance, it’s good practice to appoint a senior manager or director to take overall responsibility for fire safety on the premises. This should ensure compliance with the RP responsibilities on behalf of the employing organisation. The individual should be someone who has the ability to influence and manage others, with a budget to get things done.

To help you decipher the legislation and ensure that whoever you appoint to the position knows what the role involves, we’ve created a Responsible Person Role and Authorisation document. This identifies everything they either need to do themselves or delegate to someone else on their behalf.