We are regularly asked what the requirement to get a fire risk assessment is, so we thought this would be good opportunity to cast some light on this subject.
In England, the responsible person (person responsible for fire safety ie company owner) must carry out and regularly review a fire risk assessment of the premises. The purpose of the fire risk assessment is to identify what needs to be done to prevent fires and keep people safe. You must maintain fire safety for all premises. If you employ more than 5 people, your fire risk assessment must be written down.
As for the frequency of the fire risk assessment, this is a slightly greyer area. The requirement to have a fire risk assessment is set out by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. The Order does not specify how often the risk assessment should be carried out. Instead, it states that a review should take place at ‘regular’ intervals. This leaves the interpretation what ‘regular’ means to the responsible person to decide. The lack of clear guidance is because some sites are more dangerous than others and the requirement to carry out a review should not be determined by time alone. What many people fail to take into account are the dynamics of business due to a change in circumstances, staff, business activity, building alterations or chemicals used for example. As a result, the responsible person must reflect on how frequently the review should take place.
What could prompt the need to review your fire risk assessment?
Key reasons to review the fire risk assessment include:
- alterations to the structure of the building
- New staff
- employing vulnerable people
- a fire related incident
- an accident
- young people hired
- changes in equipment
- changes in production processes
- COVID-19
JCH Safety recommend that a fire risk assessment should be reviewed at least annually. This way you can be assured that your fire safety risk is being managed to the safest possible extent.
Just a quick note about why COVID-19 is on the list. Many businesses have made substantial changes to premises due to COVID-19. These have included the use of barriers, altering layouts, introducing one way routes and storing large quantities of alcohol based hand sanitiser. These are all valid reasons to review your fire risk assessment.
Who can carry out the fire risk assessment?
Fire risk assessment do not always have to be carried out by a professional consultant. Depending on the level of risk involved and the experience of the business owner, it might be possible to do the assessment yourself. However, you must legally ensure it is suitable and sufficient. If you have a small single room office in a managed complex, few hazards, and just a few staff, it is reasonable to assume many business owners would be competent to carry out a fire risk assessment review. If you run a production plant, factory, school or hotel it would be a good idea to use a competent fire risk assessor to carry it out on your behalf. Whoever carries out the assessment must have suitable knowledge of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety Order) 2005, a good understanding of fire risk management and compliance requirements, as well as a good understanding of the various Government guidance that is available for reference and bench-marking purposes.
Don’t forget, a good fire risk assessment will look at the requirements for and standard of your existing fire alarm so if you do not know about BS5839-1:2017 and BS5839-6:2019 for example, it would be difficult to interpret the requirements.
Whoever you choose to undertake your fire risk assessment remember fire kills. Make sure the assessor understands fire behaviour, fire risk and how to mitigate it.
JCH Safety Ltd carry out fire risk assessments across the UK. We carry out school fire risk assessments as well as fire risk assessments for businesses, the charity sector and churches. Recently we have carried out fire risk assessments in factories in Coventry and Nuneaton, we have carried out a fire risk assessment for a brewery in Birmingham as well as many others. We have a broad experience, expertise and produce fire risk assessments in accordance with PAS-79:2012.
If you would like a quote for a fire risk assessment please call our friendly team to find out more on 024 7771 7503.
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