Contents
- 1 Who is responsible for the fire risk assessment
- 2 Is it the responsibility of the responsible person to undertake risk assessments
- 3 Who is responsible for risk management in the workplace
- 4 How is a fire risk assessment conducted
- 5 Is CEO responsible for risk management
- 6 Who should be responsible for assessing risks and controls within a business function
Who is responsible for the fire risk assessment
Who Is Responsible For Completing A Fire Risk Assessment? – The UK Government website states you’re responsible for fire safety in business or other non-domestic premises if you’re:
an employer the owner the landlord an occupier anyone else with control of the premises, for example a facilities manager, building manager, managing agent or risk assessor
A person can be responsible for fire safety in either a business or a premise that is used for non-domestic purposes. For example, an employer is the one that’s responsible for fire safety. An owner of the company is responsible for completing a fire risk assessment, too.
Others who are responsible include landlords, as well as an occupier. If a person has control of the premise, then they are the ones responsible for carrying out an assessment. This can be the manager of a facility or the building manager. A risk assessor can also be responsible, and so can a managing agent.
Furthermore, if you have shared premises, there can be multiple people responsible for completing a fire risk assessment. Also, those who run a business that has paying guests have to complete a fire risk assessment. For example, this would include owners of a guesthouse or bed & breakfast.
- It also goes for other types of self-catering properties.
- Also, it’s important to note that if the responsible party doesn’t feel confident about carrying out a fire risk assessment to be “suitable and sufficient” as per the requirements of the, then they can use an experienced fire risk assessor.
- Using a fire risk assessor does cost money, but there are several benefits of using a professional to perform the assessment, such as the responsible party can relax and have peace of mind knowing the assessment will be as thorough as possible.
How it works when hiring a professional fire risk assessor is they will show up on the scheduled date and complete the assessment. The assessment can take some time, the time it takes depends on several factors, for example, the number and size of buildings, the number of occupants, number of floors and the risk level.
Who is responsible for complete risk assessments?
Who needs to conduct a risk assessment? – By law, every employer must conduct risk assessments on the work their employees do. If the company or organisation employs more than five employees, then the results should be recorded with details of any groups of employees particularly at risk such as older, younger, pregnant or disabled employees.
Is it the responsibility of the responsible person to undertake risk assessments
Responsibilities – As the responsible person you must:
carry out a fire risk assessment of the premises and review it regularly tell staff or their representatives about the risks you’ve identified put in place, and maintain, appropriate fire safety measures plan for an emergency provide staff information, fire safety instruction and training
You can read about how to make sure your premises are safe from fire,
Who is responsible for risk and compliance?
A Risk Compliance Manager coordinates the creation, review and implementation of policies and procedures established by the agencies that regulate the company. Compliance Managers apply and interpret audit and compliance requirements for various departments.
How often should a fire risk assessment be done?
MENU Question: How often must a fire risk assessment be done? Answer: In law, there are no specific time periods for how often fire risk assessments must be done or reviewed. It states that the responsible person for assessments in your building must review it ‘regularly’ to make sure it’s up to date.
The responsible person must review the fire risk assessment if: – there’s reason to think it’s no longer valid (for example, if there has been a fire in the shared parts of the building) – there have been significant changes since the assessment was done (for example, major building works or more people using the building) The assessment itself might also have a recommendation of how often it should be reviewed or updated.
Reviewing an existing fire risk assessment can take less time than carrying out a new assessment. So, reviews can be done more frequently. The Local Government Association (LGA) has guidance on fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats. For low-rise blocks of up to three storeys above ground, built in the last 20 years, fire risk assessments should be: – reviewed every 2 years – redone every 4 years For blocks with higher risks (for example, because of the age of the building), or those more than 3 storeys high, fire risk assessments should be: – reviewed every year – redone every 3 years In extreme cases (for the highest-risk buildings), the LGA advised a new fire risk assessment once a year.
Who is responsible for risk management in the workplace
Persons who conduct a business or undertaking (such an employer) and others have a duty to manage WHS risks in the workplace.
Who is responsible for risk management and what are their roles?
The role of a Risk Manager is to communicate risk policies and processes for an organisation. They provide hands-on development of risk models involving market, credit and operational risk, assure controls are operating effectively, and provide research and analytical support.
Which department is responsible for risk management?
Assuming a medical device company recognizes a need for a risk manager, other questions come into play. Among them: Where does risk management belong on the organizational chart? By Kevin M. Quinley Part of safety department? With legal beagles? With human resources? Most risk managers seem to report to either a CFO, a treasurer, or a vice president of finance. Typically, the risk manager is lodged in the finance department. In a few organizations, the risk manager is part of the legal or safety departments. Which is best? In lawyerly fashion, the answer is probably: “It depends.” What are some of the pros and cons of locating the risk management function in one area or another? Regardless of where the risk manager is, one matter is clear.
- In virtually all medical device firms, risk managers hold staff – not line – positions.
- Medical device businesses exist, not to manage risks, but rather to make innovative technologies and earn a profit.
- The risk manager’s role is to be an enabler and facilitator, to serve those who make products.
- The risk manager does not make products or services which the medical device firm sells in order to stay afloat.
Nor is the medical design professional’s goal to avoid all risk, but rather to manage it and take only smart, calculated risks. Some feel that the risk manager should report directly to the chief financial officer, since the purpose of risk management is to protect the organization’s financial assets from potential risks and losses.
While this makes sense, it is hardly the only option. Let’s look for some other suitable ports for the S.S. Risk Manager. Part of safety department? The risk management function (or department, if the organization is large enough) should include risk evaluation (identifying risks, determining the probability and severity of the risk, etc.), developing appropriate controls to reduce or eliminate risk (safety policies, engineering controls, transfer of risk to others, etc.), and risk financing (insurance, self-insurance, risk retention levels, decision not to finance risk at all, etc.).
As a result, many feel strongly that safety directors should report directly to the risk manager. If the medical device company is too small to support a safety director, the risk manager should have those responsibilities. Claims management can also be part of the risk manager’s responsibilities, though the actual handling of the claims might be delegated to human resources, a third-party administrator, insurer, etc.
- You can’t properly manage loss costs if you separate risk management, safety, and claims management.
- They are integral parts of controlling the ultimate cost of risk for an organization.
- As for the scope of the risk management function, one could include usual property loss exposures, legal & liability exposures (including “newer” exposures such as employment related practices liability exposures), product liability, auto fleet exposures, and regulatory compliance (FDA, OSHA, EPA, etc.).
Regarding risk management’s involvement in purchasing, many would have the safety director involved in the decision-making process for buying equipment, tools, and any changes or additions to buildings or facilities which impact on safety. The risk manager should be involved in all early discussions of any major changes in facilities, products or processes.
Risk management is a staff function. As such, the risk manager will develop plans to control and reduce risk, but the implementation of all risk control, safety and loss prevention actions remains a line management responsibility. Too often one sees line management trying to shift the ultimate responsibility to the risk manager or safety director.
This must not be allowed to happen. (Back to Top) With legal beagles? Some observers feel that the risk manager should be part of the legal department. There are strong arguments for this. Risk managers deal with liabilities, and the legal department is very concerned with these too.
Further, there is a productive synergy that comes from having the risk manager an in-house legal counsel share ideas and team up on projects. Such cross-functional teamwork is more likely to occur if one institutionalizes and perpetuates it by welding the two functions together within the corporate legal department of office of the general counsel.
Of course, many of the exposures to be managed are first-party risks, such as buildings and business personal property. Lawyers can easily overlook these types of exposures, and the risk manager within the legal department must take care to rise above this orientation.
(Back to Top) With human resources? Others support the human resources approach since employees are the ones who have the biggest impact on a device company’s cost of risk. If not through their own use of compensation and employee benefits, but also their actions/inactions which spawn liability or property damage claims.
The bottom line is whatever works best for the medical device company in question based upon the personalities and resources available. The risk management function is very diverse and depending on the corporation/institution philosophy can be located in any number of areas.
- Traditionally the risk management function was under the auspices of finance.
- That’s where the insurance premiums, losses, etc., are paid.
- Through collaborative, ad hoc efforts of financial services, security and environmental health and safety decisions were made.
- In addition to insurance-buying, many view the risk management function as an audit role.
There is much expertise within a medical device firm which should be tapped. By asking the right questions of the right people at the right time (and listening to the answers/advice) the risk manager can assess loss control and liability issues, etc. By having employees aware of risk management policies and procedures and getting them thinking about safety, liability issues, etc.
They buy into the idea of risk management. Who better to know what the risks are (and how best to deal with them) than those who are faced with them daily? Risk management also has a strong marketing component. Unless the program is understood by other departments, they’ll just wonder “Why is she sticking her nose into my business?” Once they understand that this is not what the risk manager is doing, but rather that he or she is collaborating with them (as resident experts in their area) to reach workable solutions, they are terrific.
One area where you won’t find the risk manager is at the CEO slot. It is safe to say that the road to the corner office does not run through the risk manager’s cubicle. If the risk manager aspires to someday be the device firm’s CEO, he or she must possess some extraordinary talents or work for an unusual company.
- Another way for the risk manager to become CEO is to leave the corporate treadmill and put out his own shingle as a risk management consultant.
- Who knows, maybe one of your first consulting jobs can be advising medical device companies on where to fit risk management on the organizational chart! (Back to Top) Kevin M.
Quinley, CPCU, ARM, AIC, AIM is senior VP, risk services, Hamilton Resources Corp. and MEDMARC Insurance Co., both of Fairfax, VA.
How is a fire risk assessment conducted
Carrying out the assessment –
- Identify the fire hazards.
- Identify people at risk.
- Evaluate, remove or reduce the risks.
- Record your findings, prepare an emergency plan and provide training.
- Review and update the fire risk assessment regularly.
The fire safety risk assessment chart gives more detailed information about these steps. You’ll need to consider:
- emergency routes and exits
- fire detection and warning systems
- fire fighting equipment
- the removal or safe storage of dangerous substances
- an emergency fire evacuation plan
- the needs of vulnerable people, for example the elderly, young children or those with disabilities
- providing information to employees and other people on the premises
- staff fire safety training
What is the total fire risk assessment?
What is a Fire Risk Assessment? – Fire risk assessments are a legal requirement according to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. This essential audit is tailored to the fire-related risks involved in your business. It is a detailed review of how fires in your building should be prevented, detected, and contained; and how people would get to safety.
Is CEO responsible for risk management
Roles and responsibilities regarding risk management and internal control The key roles and responsibilities regarding the Group´s internal control and risk management are defined as follows: BOARD OF DIRECTORS The Board of Directors is ultimately responsible for the administration and the proper organization of the operations of the Company.
- According to good corporate governance, the Board also ensures that the Company has duly endorsed the corporate values applied to its operations.
- The Board approves the internal control, risk management and corporate governance policies.
- The Board establishes the risk-taking level and risk bearing capacity of the Company and re-evaluates them on a regular basis as part of the strategy and goal setting of the Company.
The Board reports to the shareholders of the Company. AUDIT AND FINANCIAL COMMITTEE Audit and Financial Committee is responsible for the following internal control related duties
to monitor the reporting process of financial statements; to supervise the financial reporting process; to monitor the efficiency of the Company´s internal control, internal audit, if applicable, and risk management systems; to review the description of the main features of the internal control and risk management systems pertaining to the financial reporting process, which are included in the Company´s corporate governance statement; and to monitor the statutory audit of the financial statements and consolidated financial statements.
More detailed descriptions how Audit and Financial Committee is fulfilling its monitoring role are defined in the Committee´s annual plan. The Audit and Financial Committee reports to the Board of Directors of the Company. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER CEO is in charge of the day-to-day management of the Company in accordance with the instructions and orders given by the Board.
- CEO sets the ground of the internal control environment by providing leadership and direction to senior managers and reviewing the way they are controlling the business.
- CEO is in charge of the risk management process of the Group and its continuous development, allocation of resources to the work, review of risk management policies as well as defining the principles of operation and overall process.
CEO reports to the Board on risk management as part of the monthly reporting. CEO, and CFO, CLO, Segment Boards and the Presidents of the business segments, which operate under CEO, are responsible for the management of risks endangering the fulfillment of objectives set for the Company.
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER CFO ensures and controls that the Group´s accounting and financial reporting practices comply with the law and that the financial reporting is reliable. CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER Chief Legal Officer ensures that the Group´s corporate governance practices comply with the law and that legal matters of the Group are handled appropriately, in particular the contractual risks related to business operations.
BUSINESSES SEGMENTS Segment Boards and management of business segments are responsible for internal control implementation in the business segments. More specific internal control policies and procedures are established within each segment within the principles set by the Group functions.
laws, regulations, internal policies, and ethical values
in their designated responsibility areas. Some areas of risk management, in particular the management of financial risks and insurances, have been centralized for the purpose of scale advantage and for securing sufficient Group-level control. FINANCE FUNCTION Group´s parent company´s finance function is responsible for:
ensuring a setup of adequate control activities for business segments in cooperation with the business management; operative follow-up of the adequacy and effectiveness of control activities; and ensuring that external reporting is correct, timely and in compliance with regulations.
Finance function does not have a separate internal control function. Group CFO reports any supervisory findings to the Finance and Audit Committee. INTERNAL AUDIT The Company has no specific internal audit organization. This is taken into account in the content and scope of the annual audit plan.
Who is responsible for compiling the risk management statement?
The risk manager compiles the risk management statement in conjunction with senior management and executive directors.14.
What is the role of the responsible person?
How to understand ‘The Role of the Responsible Person’ – One of the most difficult positions to fill for a business within a Legionella Compliance Policy is the Responsible Person role – Why? What is it about being responsible that is so scary? – areas of concern for employees and businesses that spring to my mind when that question appears are below.
What are the characteristics of the ‘Responsible’ one? Is it age? Is it experience? Is it knowledge? Is it position or status or job role? Is it common sense? Is it being able to communicate any findings/issues that arise? Is it being able to action the above and ensure they are done correctly? This then leads me I suppose to another set of questions – such as below Can I be that responsible person? Does my position within my organisation allow me to be the Responsible Person? Do I have the knowledge? Do I have the experience? Am I sufficiently aware of the responsibilities? And on and on and on.
thinking about this role I can understand how people and businesses are reluctant or slightly fearful of labelling someone with the role. Below is some advice via the HSE website that defines the role in relation to Legionella Control and Management: https://www.hse.gov.uk/legionnaires/faqs.htm Who can be appointed as the ‘responsible’ person? The responsible person will take day-to-day responsibility for managing the control of any identified risk from legionella bacteria.
Anyone can be appointed as the responsible person as long as they have sufficient authority, competence, skills and knowledge about the installation to ensure that all operational procedures are carried out in a timely and effective manner and implement the control measures and strategies, i.e. they are suitably informed, instructed, trained and assessed.
They should be able to ensure that tasks are carried out in a safe, technically competent manner. If a duty holder is self-employed or a member of a partnership, and is competent, they may appoint themselves. The responsible person should be suitably informed, instructed and trained and their suitability assessed.
They should also have a clear understanding of their duties and the overall health and safety management structure, and policy in the organisation. Knowledge of the Responsibilities is key and fundamental to the position. If you are being asked to fulfil the role or are currently acting as the Responsible Person – ensure you are aware of your obligations, understand Legionella bacteria and how it proliferates and manifests itself in water systems that are applicable to your role.
Ensure your Training Records are kept up to date and have regular refresher courses. Utilise a Trusted Partner in relation to Legionella Compliance and Management and most of all in my humble opinion is ensure you communicate to all members of the Legionella Management Team inc contractors on a regular basis and leave no stone unturned, minor works should be completed in an adequate timeframe and major works are planned, budgeted and delivered in a reasonably practicable timeframe.
Try not to overthink the role Ensure you/the business has access to external independent support via a well-respected company Produce and implement policy documents and define measures of control The position must be adequately and suitably trained Communicate any issues early Complete works in a timely manner Record all actions undertaken Ensure and prove actions have reduced the risk via temperature monitoring, sampling, risk assessment review etc. Continue the above process
Primary Water Solutions can help staff and businesses understand their obligations within the ‘Responsible Person’ role with Training Courses. https://primarywatersolutions.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/PWS_-Training-Courses-_-Stoke-on-Trent-V3_-2020.pdf If this course is of interest, please contact Primary Water Solutions on the below telephone number or access our website Call to Action facility Connect with us on Linkedin
Who should be responsible for assessing risks and controls within a business function
First Line of Defense – Management – The first line of defense lies with the business and process owners. Operational management is responsible for maintaining effective internal controls and for executing risk and control procedures on a day-to-day basis.
Who should be responsible for risk in a company?
Responsibility for preparing for these risks ultimately falls to the CEO and board of directors, but in a large corporation there is often a risk manager or risk management department who deals with the practical tasks of identifying risks, figuring out how to mitigate them and devising a plan to ensure the business is