These require charities to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, that a shop’s premises are safe for staff, volunteers and the public. They require appropriate measures to be in place to prevent and deal with a fire, and ensure the safe evacuation of everyone in the shop. Shops must carry out a fire risk assessment to identify and take action on potential fire hazards.
Fire Safety visits are usually pre-arranged with the responsible person. If an Officer visits due to an incident or complaint they should have made contact to ensure there is someone available at the premises who will be able to answer any questions they have. If dissatisfied with the premises, they have the power to demand improvements are made. If there are dangerous conditions which would put people at immediate risk of death or serious injury then a restriction of use (of certain areas, i.e., upper floor levels) or a full prohibition may be served until improvements are carried out. In extreme cases the charity may be prosecuted for unsafe conditions.
The Department for Communities and Local Government have produced several guidance documents (covering England and Wales) for fire safety in different types of settings, including offices and shops. These give a comprehensive, clear, step by step, approach of how to manage fire safety in a variety of settings, providing some clear examples to help explain specific situations.