What is a Fire Risk Assessment?
A fire risk assessment is a review taken of a building or property to assess the risk of a fire. If necessary, the assessment will include detailed recommendations to improve its fire safety.
Essentially, it is an organised and thorough look at your business property, the activities carried out there and the likelihood that a fire could start and cause harm to those on the premises.
Who is responsible for ensuring Fire Risk Assessments are completed?
You’re responsible for fire safety in business or other non-domestic premises if you’re:
You’re known as the ‘Responsible Person’ under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. If there’s more than one responsible person, you have to work together to meet your responsibilities.
The Fire Safety Order also applies if you have paying guests, for example if you run a bed and breakfast, guesthouse or let a self-catering property. Those who are responsible must also ensure fire safety measures are implemented following an assessment.
What is a ‘Responsible Person’ in an organisation?
The ‘Responsible Person’ is the individual legally designated to ensure fire safety within an organisation. This could be the employer, landlord, or any other person with control over the premises. By law, the Responsible Person is required to conduct a ‘suitable and sufficient’ fire risk assessment to manage and reduce fire risks.
As the responsible person, you must:
If you do not have the expertise or time to do the fire risk assessment yourself, you need to appoint a ‘competent person’ to help.
Our team of competent fire risk assessors are there to help, they will conduct the fire risk assessment, identify actions or recommendations where needed and provide pragmatic advice and solutions to keep people safe and your business compliant.
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Is it a legal requirement to have a Fire Risk Assessment?
Yes, under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, it is a legal requirement to have a fire risk assessment and it must be reviewed regularly.
If you don’t conduct a fire risk assessment, you could be fined or go to prison in severe cases of negligence.
Listed below are the instances in which we recommend you review your fire risk assessment:
Changes to the layout of the property, the use of it or the type of occupant can make a big difference in your fire safety plans. This is why it is essential to conduct a fire risk assessment review if any of these changes occur.
Who checks that a Fire Risk Assessment has been completed?
Your local fire and rescue authority will potentially visit your premises to check that the fire risk assessment and prevention measures are appropriate. Fire safety officers can help you understand the rules and how to comply with them if you’re not sure how it works.
Fire safety officers can also take action if they believe your fire safety measures are not up to standards. They give you one of the following types of notices:
Who should carry out a Fire Risk Assessment?
A Fire Risk Assessment should be carried out by the ‘Responsible Person’ for the premises, which could be the employer, landlord, or any person with control over the building. For small businesses, this is often the owner.
If the Responsible Person does not have the necessary expertise, they should appoint a competent person, such as a qualified fire risk assessor, to conduct the assessment.
At Lanahan Risk Management Services, we know how stressful it can be for small business owners to conduct their own fire risk assessments. This is where we can help. Our experienced and qualified fire safety consultants have all the knowledge and skills we need to help you with your fire risk responsibilities.
We also have in-depth knowledge of Fire Safety legislation and have years of experience interpreting it based on the specific trade or operations of your property.
If you need any help with conducting your fire risk assessment, please get in touch with us today. We will assist you in conducting a thorough assessment to minimise risk and ensure safety for all.