Fire Risk Assessments (FRAs): Simple. Sensible. Legal.
Fire safety is not something to leave to chance.
If you are responsible for a shop, office, factory, warehouse, hotel, restaurant, school, care home, garage, HMO or other premises, you may have important legal responsibilities for fire safety.
For most non-domestic premises in England, the Responsible Person (RP) must ensure that a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment is carried out, recorded and kept under review. The Responsible Person must also put appropriate fire precautions in place, plan for emergencies and provide relevant information and training.
For blocks of flats and other multi-occupied residential buildings, fire safety law also applies to relevant parts of the building, including the structure, external walls and flat entrance doors, with additional duties applying to certain residential buildings.
At Safety is the Key Ltd, we make the process clear, practical and proportionate.
Simple. Sensible. Safety.
What Is a Fire Risk Assessment?
A fire risk assessment is a systematic examination of the fire risks within your premises.
It considers how a fire could start, who might be at risk, how people would escape and whether the fire precautions already in place are suitable.
It is much more than simply completing a form.
Your fire risk assessment is one of the foundations of your fire safety management system and helps demonstrate that fire risks are being properly identified, controlled and reviewed. Government guidance requires the Responsible Person to record the completed assessment, and current requirements mean the assessment and its findings must be recorded in full.
Fire risk assessments are required for many types of premises, including:
- Commercial premises, offices, shops and warehouses
- Factories and workshops
- Hotels, restaurants and hospitality premises
- Schools, nurseries and care settings
- Garages, depots and mixed-use premises
- HMOs and other relevant multi-occupied residential buildings
- Communal and other relevant areas of blocks of flats
If you are an employer, director, landlord, managing agent, occupier, facilities manager or another person with control of premises, you could have responsibilities under fire safety law. In some buildings there may be more than one Responsible Person, in which case they must cooperate and coordinate their fire safety arrangements.
The key question is:
Could you demonstrate today that your fire risk assessment is suitable, sufficient, properly recorded and up to date?
If you are not sure, it may be worth having it reviewed.
Why does it matter?
Fire safety legislation has developed significantly in recent years.
Changes introduced through the Fire Safety Act 2021, the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 and the Building Safety Act 2022 have strengthened and clarified a number of responsibilities, particularly for Responsible Persons and those involved in multi-occupied residential buildings.
An older fire risk assessment is not automatically invalid simply because of its age, but fire risk assessments must be regularly reviewed and kept up to date. Changes to the building, occupancy, work activities, fire precautions or other significant circumstances may mean that a review is required.
A suitable fire risk assessment can help establish what the real risks are, who could be affected, whether escape arrangements are adequate, whether alarms, emergency lighting, fire doors and signage are suitable, whether staff understand what to do, which actions should take priority and what evidence should be retained.
It can also provide important evidence when dealing with an enforcing authority, insurer, client, landlord, auditor or other interested party.
Good fire safety advice should make things clearer – not more complicated.
What does a Fire Risk Assessment cover?
Depending on the premises, its use and complexity, a fire risk assessment will normally consider matters such as the building layout and occupancy; ignition sources and combustible materials; people at risk; escape routes and exits; fire doors and compartmentation; fire alarm and detection systems; emergency lighting; fire signage; firefighting equipment; housekeeping and storage; dangerous substances; electrical and gas-related fire risks; staff training; evacuation arrangements; vulnerable persons; and fire safety management and record keeping.
For multi-occupied residential buildings, additional considerations may include the building structure, external walls and flat entrance doors. Depending on the height and type of residential building, additional statutory fire safety duties may also apply.
Can I carry out my own Fire Risk Assessment?
For very simple, low-risk premises, the Responsible Person (RP) may carry out the fire risk assessment themselves BUT they must have sufficient knowledge and competence and are confident that they can identify and assess the relevant risks. We have not met any untrained person that fits this criteria!
The Responsible Person remains legally responsible for ensuring that the assessment is suitable and sufficient. For anything other than straightforward premises, or where you do not have the necessary knowledge, experience or time, obtaining competent professional assistance is a sensible approach.
If you are unsure whether your existing assessment is adequate, Safety is the Key Ltd can review it and tell you clearly where you stand.
How Safety is the Key Ltd can help
Safety is the Key Ltd provides practical, independent fire risk assessment support to businesses, landlords, managing agents and property teams across London and the South East.
We inspect the premises, review the relevant fire safety arrangements and explain our findings in straightforward language.
Most importantly, we help distinguish between:
- urgent matters that require attention,
- important actions that should be planned, and
- sensible improvements that can be managed proportionately.
- No unnecessary drama.
- No confusing jargon.
- No needlessly complicated reports.
Just clear, competent advice that helps you take action.
What will you receive?
Our fire risk assessment service can include a clear written fire risk assessment, practical recommendations, prioritised actions, straightforward explanations and a covering letter or confirmation of assessment where appropriate.
We aim to provide information that can be readily understood and used by directors, managers, landlords, managing agents and property teams.
And our support does not necessarily stop when the report is issued.
If you need help understanding an action, prioritising improvements or deciding what specialist assistance may be required, simply ask us.
Already have a Fire Risk Assessment?
If you already have an assessment but are uncertain whether it remains suitable, sufficient or up to date, we can review the existing document and help identify whether further work is actually required.
That can be particularly useful following changes to the premises, staffing, occupancy, fire precautions or management arrangements.
A short review now may prevent unnecessary work later – and can provide reassurance that important issues have not been missed.
Need a Fire Risk Assessment?
If your fire risk assessment is missing, out of date, unclear or simply sitting in a folder with actions that have never been completed, now is a good time to review it.
Speak to Safety is the Key before a small fire safety issue becomes a bigger problem.
Call: 020 8406 5039
Email: info@safetyisthekey.co.uk
Safety is the Key Ltd — Simple. Sensible. Safety.