What are the legal requirements for fire safety in the UK?
Fire safety legal requirements in England and Wales are outlined under the ‘Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005’, which was designed to simplify the existing legal requirements at the time.
The legislation outlines that premises used for non-domestic reasons fall under these regulations and must all have a risk assessment carried out and reviewed regularly.
Fire risk assessments are the cornerstone of fire protection and it is one of the first things that a fire authority inspecting officer will ask to see if they inspect your property.
Are fire risk assessments a legal requirement for businesses?
Yes, fire risk assessments are a legal requirement for businesses. Some businesses may think a fire risk assessment doesn’t apply to them because they are a startup or only have a small premises, but this is not the case.
No matter what size your business is, you are legally required to have a fire risk assessment at least once a year.
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What legally has to be included in a risk assessment?
Your fire risk assessment must cover four key areas:
- A record of the fire risks or hazards;
- A record of the people that could be harmed by the risk;
- An evaluation of the risk, expanding on how dangerous it could be and how likely it is for an accident to occur;
- A clear plan of action that is designed to help employers and employees to mitigate these risks.
You should also regularly review your fire risk assessment and identify any changes in risks, updating the procedures accordingly.
We have a full fire risk assessment checklist that you can use as a roadmap for ensuring your business is fully compliant with fire safety regulations. It’s important not to take any shortcuts or skip over any steps when conducting your fire risk assessment, otherwise the consequences can be catastrophic.
Who is allowed to carry out a fire risk assessment?
A fire risk assessment should only be carried out by the designated ‘Responsible Person’ for the premises. This could be the employer, landlord or any person who has control over the building.
If the responsible person does not have the necessary experience, they will need to appoint a competent person to conduct the fire risk assessment instead, such as a qualified fire risk assessor.
At Lanahan Risk Management Services, we know conducting a fire risk assessment may not be at the top of your priority list. This is where we can help. We have in-depth knowledge of Fire Safety legislation and will interpret it based on your specific industry or operations of your property.
Who is allowed to carry out a fire risk assessment?
A fire risk assessment should only be carried out by the designated ‘Responsible Person’ for the premises. This could be the employer, landlord or any person who has control over the building.
If the responsible person does not have the necessary experience, they will need to appoint a competent person to conduct the fire risk assessment instead, such as a qualified fire risk assessor.
At Lanahan Risk Management Services, we know conducting a fire risk assessment may not be at the top of your priority list. This is where we can help. We have in-depth knowledge of Fire Safety legislation and will interpret it based on your specific industry or operations of your property.
How often does a fire risk assessment have to be reviewed?
For best practice and to ensure your property is protected, we advise that you review your fire risk assessment every year, even if nothing has changed at all.
Under The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, it states that fire risk assessments should be reviewed as follows:
- Any such assessment must be reviewed by the Responsible Person regularly so as to keep it up to date and particularly if—
(a) there is reason to suspect that it is no longer valid; or
(b) there has been a significant change in the matters to which it relates including when the premises, special, technical and organisational measures, or organisation of the work undergo significant changes, extensions, or conversions.
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Fire risk assessments with Lanahan Risk Management Services
Don’t wait for a disaster to happen before realising the importance of fire risk assessments. Our team can support you through each stage of fire risk management, ensure compliance with the law and protection for yourself and your team.
Get in touch with us today to book your assessment.