Fire Risk Assessments

Fire Risk Assessments ensure that you meet your legal obligations imposed by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Don’t risk prosecution

Many businesses still don’t have sufficient understanding of how the law affects their business or premises, and that they could be risking prosecution and/or financial ruin.

What is a fire risk assessment?

A fire risk assessment is a report that identifies fire risks on your business premises. It also highlights measures that are needed to reduce and remove fire risks in order to comply with health and safety legislation.

There are 5 key steps to carrying out this report.

THE FIVE KEY STEPS

To complete this step you must highlight any people who are at the greatest risk of fire. This could include anyone with a disability from an accessibility point of view, or those in a location of the building that makes them more vulnerable to fire.

At this stage you must find and document any potential causes of fire. These include any fuel sources such as stacks of paper on desks or any ignition sources such as electrical sparks.

These risks will help you build your fire risk assessment. There are many topics that must be evaluated, documented and acted on appropriately according to your current precautions.

  1. Basic fire safety information: this includes a general sense check as to whether the current measures you have in place are appropriate. Including but not limited to: whether your business conducts fire drills, whether regular training is given and  whether your business has taken steps to reduce ignition and fuel sources.
  2. Fire detection: This area of the report refers to equipment and training needed for fire to be detected as early as possible. For example, do smoke alarms sound loudly enough to alert all employees and visitors in all areas of the building.
  3. Fire extinguishers: this important piece of equipment must be properly maintained and appropriately located throughout the building. The requirements to comply with health and safety guidance in this area include ensuring each extinguisher is appropriately located and hosts the correct signage.
  4. Escape routes: this includes ensuring not only adequate and functional escape routes are implemented but assessing the building for potential sources of fire that may block entry or exit to the building. Escape routes most also be accessible to all users of the building and appropriate for the volume of users in the event of a fire. Lighting supply to these routes must also be considered.
  5. Signs: this requirement ensures all safety signs are not only displayed but appropriate and legible. All signage must be maintained and updated where necessary particularly surrounding the use of the equipment and where escape routes are being highlighted.
  6. Tests and maintenance: this includes regular testing of all fire safety equipment such as fire extinguishers, smoke alarms and fire doors being carried out. Then subsequently all equipment is maintained appropriately.

After evaluating the above fire risk assessment areas, you must document your findings. This includes all of the above areas in addition to each piece of equipment and its standard of maintenance. Then you must document any fire risks you have identified and the actions that will be taken to reduce or remove them.

Following the implementation of any fire risk reductions and removals, your fire risk assessment is still a relevant document. It must be regularly reviewed and updated anytime there are significant changes to the building or its occupants or every 2 years.

WHAT THE LAW REQUIRES:

  • The RRO applies to all non-domestic premises in England and Wales, including the common parts of flats and houses in multiple occupation.
  • The order came into force on 1st October 2006 and consolidates and supersedes all previous fire safety regulations, meaning fire certificates are no longer issued.
  • The aim of the RRO is to explain what is expected of the Responsible Person, and to place the emphasis on fire prevention through fire risk assessments and that reasonable steps are taken to reduce or remove risk.

FIRE RISK ASSESSMENTS ARE REQUIRED IF YOU ARE:

  • responsible for business premises
  • an employer or self-employed with business premises
  • responsible for a part of a dwelling where that part is solely used for business purposes
  • a charity or voluntary organisation
  • a contractor with a degree of control over any premises
  • providing accommodation for paying guests

WE DON’T JUST STOP AT THE FIRE RISK ASSESSMENTS REPORT