Fire Risk Assessment

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 now places specific duties on business owners to complete a fire risk assessment for their business premises. Now fire certificates have been abolished, it often leaves a business owner with no idea on how to comply with their duties, but the law is clear that the business owner is responsible for the safety of their workforce in the event of a fire. A fire risk assessment need not be a complicated document, but it must cover the following areas:

1) Identify possible dangers and risks. In order for a fire to take place, three things are needed; oxygen, fuel and a source of ignition so any area where all three items are in place needs the upmost investigation.

2) Consider who may be especially at risk, such as employees with special needs or children.

3) Eliminate or reduce the risk from fire as far as is reasonably practicable.

4) Provide general fire precautions to deal with any possible risk that cannot be eliminated.

5) Take additional measures to ensure fire safety if flammable materials are used or stored.

6) Ensure that suitable warning and other communications systems are in place to allow people in the premises to respond appropriately in the event of a fire.

7) Ensure the premises and any equipment provided for fire fighting, detection or emergency routes are adequately maintained.

8) Ensure employees, including visitors and contractors, are provided with adequate information on the fire safety risks at work and the precautions to follow.

9) Consult with staff and select employees to carry out particular roles e.g. fire marshals. Any person selected as a fire marshal should be trained in their role and must be aware of the particular areas, or areas,
for which they are responsible.

10) Create a plan to deal with any emergency and keep a record of the findings.

11) Establish a suitable means of contacting the emergency services and providing them with any relevant information about the business premises.

12) Review the findings of the assessment on a regular basis. A fire risk assessment is a continuous process and must be reviewed to ensure that the processes in place are followed and that any changes to working processes are fully assessed.

The business owner can appoint a competent person, such as a suitably trained employee or fire safety consultant, to undertake the fire risk assessment and the complete the necessary fire prevention and protection measures on their behalf. However, the business owner remains ultimately responsible for ensuring that the site complies with fire safety law.


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Nigel J Welford is a qualified Health & Safety professional and believes in making health and safety as simple as possible whilst still being effective and meeting all the regulations. For his free report "The Secret To How Health & Safety Can Improve Your Business And Profits: 7 Everyday Pitfalls To Avoid" from http://www.healthandsafetyintheworkplace.com


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