The Fire Services (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 1993

Exemption from requirement to have fire certificate: supplementary

7.—(1) After Article 29 of the principal Order there shall be inserted—

“Change of conditions affecting premises for which exemption has been granted

29A.— (1) If, during the currency of an exemption granted under Article 26A for any premises, it is intended to carry out in relation to those premises any proposals to which this Article applies, the occupier shall, before the carrying out of the proposals is begun, give notice of the proposals to the Authority; and if the carrying out of the proposals is begun without such notice having been given, the occupier shall be guilty of an offence.

(2) This Article applies to the following proposals, namely, any proposal—

(a) to make—

(i) an extension of, or structural alteration to, the premises which would affect the means of escape from the premises; or

(ii) an alteration in the internal arrangement of the premises, or in the furniture or equipment with which the premises are provided, which would affect the means of escape from the premises; or

(b) on the part of the occupier, to begin to keep explosive or highly flammable materials of any prescribed kind anywhere under, in or on the building which constitutes or comprises the premises in a quantity or aggregate quantity greater than the quantity prescribed for the purposes of this paragraph as the maximum in relation to materials of that kind; or

(c) in a case where the notice of exemption under Article 26A includes a statement under paragraph (8) of that Article, to make such a use of the premises as will involve there being in the premises at any one time a greater number of persons in relation to whom the statement applies than is specified or treated as specified in the statement.

(3) A person guilty of an offence under paragraph (1) shall be liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum;

(b) on conviction on indictment, to a fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or both.”.

(2) After Article 40(2)(a) of the principal Order (premises within powers of inspection, etc., of authorised members of the fire brigade), there shall be inserted—

“(aa) any premises in respect of which there is in force an exemption under Article 26A from the requirement for a fire certificate with respect to them;”.