FRA in private house

[steve m]

Hello all,

I have been tasked to do an assessment on a private house in London. However this private house has staff on site 24/7 running the place for the residents. I have not seen it yet so don't know much more than that I'm afraid.

My questions are

1. I presume that as the house staff work there it is a workplace and therefore comes under the RRO, is this correct?

2. Which guidance would suit it best or is it a mixture, due to sleeping risk, maybe and office or other workplace etc?

Your thoughts please.

Many thanks

Steve

[AnthonyB]

Depends what running the place entails - if it's supporting the residents then the NFCC Specialised Housing guide is appropriate.

If they are just servants then it is not a workplace for the purposes of the Fire Safety Order and an FRA and the associated general fire precautions are not required.

From RRO:
'“employee” means a person who is or is treated as an employee for the purposes of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974(4) and related expressions are to be construed accordingly'

From HASWA:
'Exclusion of application to domestic employment.
Nothing in this Part shall apply in relation to a person by reason only that he employs another, or is himself employed, as a domestic servant in a private household.'

If they really did want some sort of fire safety check then you would have to refer to the single dwelling guidance in the LACORS guide and the general domestic fire safety tips from the Government's Fire Kills website.