Fire safety - existing premises with sleeping accommodation guidance: equality impact assessment

Screening

Policy Aim

The guidance offers fire safety advice in respect of certain existing premises with sleeping accommodation for those with responsibility for fire safety in such premises under the terms of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005. The guidance consolidates and supersedes a number of existing individual Scottish Government guides. It does not seek to impose major new standards, nor is it intended to impose more onerous benchmarks.

The guidance does not prescribe any particular measures to be put in place and, whilst it may make recommendations which have financial impacts on businesses, these are not new and they are advisory, not statutory.

Improving the accessibility of the guidance will provide owners with more clarity on their responsibilities, which should in turn lead to the guidance being followed more consistently.

Following publication of this guidance it would continue to remain unlawful for owners to discriminate against people with protected characteristics.

Three national outcomes in particular underpin the aims of the guidance:

• We live longer, healthier lives (National Outcome 8):
• We live our lives safe from crime, disorder and danger (National Outcome 9);
• We have strong, resilient and supportive communities where people take responsibility for their own actions and how they affect others (National Outcome 11).

Who will it affect?

A number of different persons and groups are affected including:

• Persons who are dutyholders in respect of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 for existing premises with sleeping accommodation, who may use this guidance to assist them in understanding and carrying out their responsibilities.
• Persons who are employees or contractors and volunteers who may be working on site who may have responsibilities under the guidance.
• Persons who are residing in the premises, either short or long term, who may benefit from improved guidance being available for those responsible for ensuring their safety from fire.
• The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and other enforcing authorities, who use the guides to assist with assessing the appropriateness of fire safety measures within these premises.
• Regulatory authorities such as the HSE.

What might prevent the desired outcomes being achieved?

Desired outcomes should be achievable unless there is, for example, a lack of funding for dutyholders or they are not made aware of their responsibilities and this guidance.