Do I need a Fire Risk Assessment Report?

Under current fire safety legislation (The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, all business premises and residential flats (communal areas) require Fire Risk Assessments.  If you employ 5 or more employees a written fire risk assessment is required. If you employ less than 5 employees, the fire risk assessment does not require to be written down unless the property is a licensed premise or following an instruction from your Local Fire Authority following a potential visit. However, we do recommend a written fire risk assessment report is a more suitable way of communicating any findings which have been found in your property and highlighting any completed works which may have been carried out on result of the report findings.

Fire Risk Assessments are required for all non-domestic properties including public and commerical premises, such as schools, warehouses, factories, licensed premises nursing homes, care homes, offices, retail outlets, licensed premises as well as businesses which provide sleeping accommodation. It also applies to sheltered housing and the communal areas of blocks of flats and houses in multiple occupation (HMOs).

What is a Fire Risk Assessment or Fire Safety Assessment?

Fire risk assessments are a survey carried out on the premise to identify any fire risks in the property and to provide recommendations on how to make the premise safer.

You are responsible for fire safety in a business or other non-domestic premise if you’re:

  • an owner
  • the employer
  • the occupier
  • the landlord
  • or a person with control of the premises, for example a building manager or managing agent.

Under Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 this is known as the ‘responsible person’. If there’s more than one responsible person, you are required work together to meet your responsibilities in relation to fire safety.

Responsibilities

As the responsible person you must:

  • carry out a fire risk assessment of the premises and review it regularly (Recommended Annually)
  • tell staff or their representatives about the risks you’ve identified
  • put in place, and maintain, appropriate fire safety measures
  • plan for an emergency
  • provide staff information, fire safety instruction and training

As part of our fire safety services, our fire risk assessor will conduct a fire survey of your premise taking into account all relevant aspects of a fire risk assessment to ensure your property complies with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Our onsite survey will provide you with a full written fire risk assessment report which will provide information and any recommendations for any issues found.  It will also highlight whether any further fire safety training is required for employees or occupants. Please contact us if you require any further fire related services.