Fire Safety Glossary

BS 5839 is the British Standard covering the design, installation, commissioning, and maintenance of fire detection and alarm systems in the UK. It is published by the British Standards Institution (BSI) and is divided into multiple parts, each covering specific building types or system components.

An Emergency Response Standard is a risk-based target that sets the required response time and minimum number of firefighting staff to attend emergency incidents. Each UK fire and rescue service sets its own standards based on local risk assessment and publishes them in its Integrated Risk Management Plan.

Fire safety protection is the activity undertaken by fire and rescue services to advise, inspect, and enforce fire safety standards in regulated premises, primarily under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Protection officers audit premises, issue enforcement notices, and prosecute non-compliant duty holders.

His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabularies and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) is the independent body that assesses the effectiveness and efficiency of police forces and fire and rescue services in England, publishing inspection reports to hold services publicly accountable.

The responsible person is the individual or organisation with control of a non-domestic premises who, under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, has a legal duty to take reasonable steps to reduce the risk of fire, protect occupants, and maintain fire safety measures — including carrying out or commissioning a suitable fire risk assessment.