Fire Risk Asessment.

Your legal responsibilities:

The Fire Safety Order 2005 requires the Responsible Person of any non-domestic premises to undertake a fire risk assessment which must identify all persons who might be at risk and also include measures and plans to mitigate, reduce or eliminate the risk of fire.  Where there are 5 of more employees, records must be kept of significant findings.

Where the Responsible Person (RP) does not have control over all parts of a premises (for example, where it is shared with another business) the sharing parties should be informed of all risks and findings.  Each business sharing in a property should appoint a Responsible Person for the parts of the premises within their control.  Each RP is legally responsible for ensuring regulations are complied with.  It is essential that in shared premises, there is communication and co-ordination concerning fire safety planning, prevention methods and incident procedures.

What is a Fire Risk Assessment?

A fire risk assessment is a complete review of a building to assess the risk of fire, the prevention methods being utilised and the plans in place to deal with an incident of fire.  Sometimes the assessment will also include recommendations for how the building may be made safer.

The assessment is broken down into 2 parts.  Part 1 reviews the prevention measures and planning currently in place.  Part 2 lists requirements which need to be actioned in order for the building to be legally compliant and improve safety measures.

The original assessment needs to be kept under regular review.  The following guidelines are recommended:

• Review the original assessment every 12 months
• Conduct a new assessment every 5 years
• Conduct a new assessment if the purpose of the building has altered in any way (eg. change of business.)
• Conduct a new assessment if the building’s structure or layout has changed in any way.
• Conduct a new assessment if there has been a considerable change in the number of occupants.

Any changes to the above can significantly impact the effectiveness of a fire safety plan.  It is the responsibility of the RP to ensure the assessment remains relevant and accurate to the current circumstances.

If there are 5 or more regular occupants of a premises, the assessment must be kept in writing.  However, we would recommend that your assessment and plans are always kept in writing, regardless of occupancy numbers or size of building.

What exactly does the Fire Risk Assessment cover?

The assessment should be undertaken by an experienced, qualified individual.  The investigation needs to be thorough, detailed and legally compliant.  The level of complexity will depend on the size and nature of the premises.  

All assessments are individual, but the assessor will consider the following factors:

• The building use
• The building construction and internal layout
• Whether the building has any history of fire
• Occupancy:  how many people regularly use the building and whether any individuals have special requirements
• Are emergency exits/exit routes adequate and clear
• Are there any combustible/flammable or hazardous materials/liquids on site – and are they adequately stored
• What electrical equipment is being used on site – and is it being used safely
• What heating is present in the premises and does this include the use of portable heaters
• Have any fire hazards been introduced as a result of building works/maintenance/contractors
• Are there designated smoking areas and do these have provision in place to prevent fire caused by smoking
• What lighting is being used and is there a likelihood that this might cause ignition
• Does the building have emergency lighting and fire safety signage – and is it clear, in the correct location and in good working order
• What means are in place to raise the alarm in the event of fire
• Are there adequate measures in place to limit the spread of fire
• Are any fire suppression systems in place – and are they legally compliant and regularly serviced
• Are the appropriate number of fire extinguishers present and located correctly
• Is there a fire evacuation procedure in place (a “drill”), has it been communicated to all occupants and is it regularly practiced
• Is fire safety training undertaken and how regularly
• Are adequate records being kept relating to fire safety and system certification
• Are all fire safety systems tested on a regular basis

Who is the Responsible Person?

Every business or multi-occupancy premises must appoint a Responsible Person by law.  This individual is responsible for the building’s fire safety.  They must ensure that all necessary measures are taken to ensure adequate fire safety and planning is in place, in case of an incident.  They are responsible for ensuring a fire safety assessment takes place, is regularly reviewed and based on the recommendations made in the assessment,  that all necessary action is taken to improve safety and planning.

Who can undertake a Fire Risk Assessment?

Any “competent” individual is legally able to undertake an assessment.  However, they need to be able to assess how the premises measures up against all the criteria listed above.  Their conclusions form the basis of whether that building is adequately protected against fire – which ultimately means a responsibility for life safety.  Therefore we would always advise using a qualified assessor who has undertaken in-depth training, is experienced in assessing a wide variety of buildings and is conversant with the very latest safety guidelines and legal requirements.