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Fire Risk Assessment

A suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment should be completed in accordance with the fire safety legislation applicable to the relevant jurisdiction, including the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (England and Wales), the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006, and Part III of the Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 together with the Fire Safety Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010, which requires employers to:

  • Identify potential fire hazards in the workplace.

  • Identify who might be in danger in the event of a fire (e.g. employees, visitors) either in the workplace or while trying to escape from it and note their location.

  • Evaluate the risks arising from the hazards and decide whether existing fire precautions are adequate or whether more should be done to eliminate the hazard or to control the risks (e.g. by improving the fire precautions).

  • The significant findings of the fire risk assessment should be recorded. Although previous legislation contained exemptions for smaller employers, maintaining a written fire risk assessment is considered best practice and is generally expected to demonstrate compliance. 

  • Keep the assessment under review and revise it when necessary.

 

The responsible person must ensure that the fire risk assessment is suitable and sufficient and is carried out by a competent person. Where the responsible person lacks the necessary competence, external specialist assistance should be obtained.
Detailed guidance on the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order and the subject of fire risk assessment can be obtained from GOV.UK Fire Safety Law and Guidance for Business. Recommendations on how to carry out a fire risk assessment are contained in BSI PAS 79-1:2020 and PAS 79-2:2020 Fire Risk Assessment – Guidance and a Recommended Methodology, available from the British Standards Institute. 

 

For Scotland the legislation/link is the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and the associated Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006 available from Scottish Government Fire Safety Risk Assessment Guidance and, for Northern Ireland, Part 3 of the Fire and 
Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 and the Fire Safety Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 Business Fire Safety Legislation Advice - Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue.


Third-party certification provides an independent means of demonstrating competence; however, the responsible person should also satisfy themselves that the assessor has appropriate experience and knowledge relevant to the type, size 
and complexity of the premises being assessed.


In the event that it is decided to commission the services of a fire risk assessor to assist with the risk assessment, it is recommended that such persons or companies are selected from a recognised third-party certification or registration scheme, such as the following:

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