What are the fire protection obligations of entrepreneurs? The basic legal obligations are set out in Act No. 314/2001 Coll. on fire protection as amended.
We can divide them into two areas:
For the purpose of fire prevention, a legal entity and a natural person engaged in business is obliged to:
(a) to ensure that preventive fire inspections are carried out in buildings and premises and that any deficiencies detected are rectified;
(b) to ensure that fire protection measures are implemented in places where there is an increased risk of fire, in activities associated with an increased risk of fire or at times of increased risk of fire, as well as measures to ensure fire protection at events attended by a large number of people;
(c) identify places of increased fire risk and mark them with appropriate orders, prohibitions and instructions in accordance with generally binding legislation,
(d) ensure that fire protection measures are implemented in non-working hours
(e) to ensure regular training and verification of knowledge on fire protection of employees and persons who, with the knowledge of the legal entity or natural person, are on its premises; content, scope, time limits of training on fire protection,
(f) to draw up, keep and maintain fire protection documentation in accordance with the actual situation;
g) to allow the authority performing state fire supervision and the municipality to enter the objects and premises for the purpose of inspection of the fulfilment of obligations in the field of fire protection, to provide it with the required documents, documentation of fire protection and related documents and information,
(h) to comply with the measures for the elimination of the detected deficiencies imposed by the authority exercising state fire supervision or the municipality within the time limits specified by them,
(i) to ensure that regular inspections of the condition of fire-technical, technical and technological equipment, fire-fighting equipment and material means of protection against fires are carried out within the time limits laid down in a generally binding legal regulation issued by the Ministry,
(j) determine and have available the fire-technical characteristics of the products and the principles for their safe use and storage, if he is their manufacturer,
(k) to ensure that the fire safety requirements of buildings laid down in a generally binding legal regulation issued by the Ministry are addressed and complied with in the preparation of the design documentation for buildings, in the implementation of buildings and in their use,
(l) to ensure that the change of use of the building does not reduce the fire safety of the building or part thereof, the safety of persons or make it more difficult for fire brigades to intervene,
m) ensure regular cleaning of chimneys, carry out inspection and ensure professional examination of chimneys by persons with professional competence before connecting an appliance to the chimney, changing a local fuel appliance to a central or staged heat source, changing the type of fuel and after construction modifications on the chimney body; technical conditions and fire safety requirements for the installation and operation of fuel appliances, electric heat appliances and central heating equipment and for the construction and use of the chimney chimneys and flues and the time limits for their cleaning and inspection shall be laid down in a generally binding legal regulation issued by the Ministry,
(n) comply with the fire safety requirements laid down in a generally binding legal regulation issued by the Ministry when storing, depositing and handling flammable substances,
(o) to ensure that the prescribed duties and designated tasks in the field of fire protection are carried out by persons who have the required professional competence or special authorisation.
In order to ensure the conditions for effective fire fighting, a legal person and a natural person engaged in business shall be obliged to
a) to procure and install appropriate types of fire-technical equipment, fire water pipes, water sources for fire extinguishing, fire-fighting equipment, extinguishing agents, fire and evacuation lifts, emergency lighting, means for declaring a fire alarm and material means of protection against fires with regard to the risk of fire in buildings, facilities and premises and to maintain them in working order; features,
(b) mark and maintain permanently clear escape routes, escape exits and emergency routes, boarding areas and access to them, as well as access to electricity, gas, water distribution equipment, fire-technical equipment, fire alarm equipment, fire water mains and water sources for fire extinguishing,
(c) to accept the placing of a signalling device or alarm device for fire protection purposes in return for appropriate compensation; the provisions of special regulations on compensation for damage are not affected,
(d) maintain the sources of water for fire-fighting in such condition as to ensure that it can be pumped,
(e) to carry out at least once a year a fire alarm drill in the premises of a legal person and a natural person engaged in business where the conditions for evacuation of persons are not easy;
(f) establish and equip the necessary number of fire reporting rooms; the conditions for establishing and equipping and the number of fire reporting rooms shall be laid down in a generally binding legal regulation to be issued by the Ministry,
(g) to process, on the basis of a decision of the regional directorate of the Fire and Rescue Service, a fire hazard analysis of its premises and to establish a firefighting unit on the basis of that analysis, if the regional directorate so decides,
(h) to establish fire patrols and to ensure the performance of their tasks and training; the types of fire patrols, their tasks and the content and extent of training and the time limits for its implementation shall be laid down in a generally binding legal regulation issued by the Ministry,
(i) to report without undue delay to the competent district headquarters of the Fire and Rescue Service any fire which has occurred in buildings, premises or on property owned, managed or used by it,
(j) provide the necessary documents, assistance and assistance in determining the cause of the fire.
We have listed the basic obligations under the law, but there are many other regulations where we can find additional obligations specific to particular areas.
