Fire risk assessments: what businesses need to know.

Fire safety legislation in the UK places clear duties on those who own, manage or occupy non-domestic premises. Despite this, fire risk assessments are one of the most commonly missed or inadequate documents in workplace compliance. Understanding what's required, and what a good assessment looks like, is essential for any organisation managing a workplace.

The legal requirement

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO) applies to virtually all non-domestic premises in England and Wales. Under the FSO, the "responsible person" — which is typically the employer, the owner of the premises, or the person who has control of the premises — is required to carry out or commission a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment and implement appropriate fire safety measures based on the findings.

Who is responsible?

The responsible person may be the employer in a single-occupancy building, the landlord or managing agent where multiple tenants share a building, or a combination of parties where responsibilities are shared. In all cases, the responsible person must ensure the assessment is in place, acted upon and kept up to date.

What must a fire risk assessment cover?

• Identification of fire hazards — sources of ignition, fuel and oxygen
• Identification of people at risk — particularly those who may be especially vulnerable, such as those with mobility impairments or those working in isolated areas
• Evaluation of the risk — considering the likelihood of a fire and the potential consequences
• Review of existing fire safety measures — fire detection, warning systems, means of escape, firefighting equipment, signage and emergency lighting
• Additional control measures required — and an action plan for implementing them
• Record of significant findings — for most premises this must be written down
• Emergency plan — evacuation procedures, assembly points, and responsibilities during an emergency

How often should a fire risk assessment be reviewed?

While the FSO doesn't prescribe specific review intervals, it requires the assessment to be kept under review and updated when there is reason to believe it is no longer valid or when a significant change has been made to the premises or activities. In practice, annual reviews are considered good practice for most premises, with additional reviews triggered by changes to layout, occupancy, activities or following any fire incident or near miss.

Who should carry it out?

The assessment must be carried out by a "competent person" — someone with sufficient training, experience and knowledge to understand the risks and the measures needed to address them. For straightforward, low-risk premises this may be a trained member of management. For complex or higher-risk premises, a specialist fire risk assessor is advisable.

BroadSteps Consultancy Ltd provides fire risk assessment services carried out by a competent assessor, giving you a clear, written record of findings, controls and actions. Assessments are presented in a format suitable for compliance records, insurance requirements and regulatory inspection.