If you are in the process of selling your business or are considering buying a business then you will need to have an up-to-date fire risk assessment. This means it should have been completed or reviewed in the previous twelve months. Fire risk assessments are needed for many types of properties.
What is a fire risk assessment?
A fire risk assessment is a comprehensive assessment of the fire hazards associated with a property and the activities carried on there. This is the case, indifferent of the type of business being operated. If there is a property, staff and a business, the risk of fire should be assessed. A fire risk assessment includes a visual inspection of the property along with an analysis of fire safety compliance. This includes fire door suitability, external cladding, detection and warning systems and management of chemicals for example. As a potential buyer of a business this information is very important to know. Fire safety equipment can be expensive. If you needed to change a load of fire doors all of a sudden it could cost you thousands!
Why do solicitors require fire risk assessments?
Lawyers look for an up-to-date fire risk assessment to be in place to ensure that the correct due diligence has been done. Lenders look to ensure that fire hazards are properly managed to protect their investment and buyers should make sure that the property they are buying is going to be safe. As a result, lawyers need to make sure FRAs are suitably in place and that their clients understand the risks associated with their purchases.
A fire risk assessment looks at lots of different aspects of a building and provides a business buyer with a lot of useful information. It should tell you about whether there is a fire detection system in place that has been correctly serviced and maintained for example. This is important. A new fire alarm can be expensive and so knowing the condition of the existing installation is useful to know. Likewise, a fire risk assessment ensures that the electrical and gas systems are being appropriately maintained. Not only are electric and gas installations highly expensive to repair, but they are also a massive risk to life if they are not looked after properly. A thorough fire risk assessment will include ensuring that both gas and electrical systems are being suitably maintained.
If the business you are buying or selling comes with staff, there is a benefit to knowing that they are properly trained. Staff should be suitably trained to understand fire safety risks and evacuation information should be available. The FRA helps with all these parts of your due diligence.
Finally, don’t forget that a FRA is a legal requirement. If the business you are buying doesn’t have an up to date FRA this should be done.
How can JCH Safety help?
As competent and registered fire risk assessors, we can carry out fire risk assessments for a range of buildings, businesses and premises. With a broad range of qualifications and experience, you can be assured that we will carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment for your business. Our costs for fire risk assessments are very competitive, our pricing structure can be found here. Please get in touch to find our more or to discuss how we can prepare a fire risk assessment for your business.
JCH Safety work across Coventry, Warwickshire, Leicestershire, and the West Midlands. Get in touch for a free quotation.