A fire risk assessment is required by law for every business with five or more employees, and this is for good reason. A workplace fire can be catastrophic and cause major harm to both people and property. Therefore, understanding and managing fire risks is crucial to protect your employees, assets, and operations.
But what is a fire risk assessment and why is it important? In this business fire risk assessment guide, we’ll answer these questions, as well as look at who is responsible for completing a fire risk assessment in the workplace. We’ll also highlight some of the key benefits of a fire risk assessment to ensure you’re well-equipped to create a safer working environment for your team.
What is a fire risk assessment?
A fire risk assessment is a thorough examination that detects all potential fire hazards in a non-domestic property. During a fire risk assessment, a qualified assessor will evaluate various factors such as the layout of the building, the materials used in construction, and the presence of flammable substances.
They will also assess the effectiveness of current fire safety measures like fire alarm systems and emergency exits, along with the occupants of the building, including those with vulnerabilities. These elements, including building occupants, are vital components to consider when formulating an emergency plan.
Once a thorough inspection is complete, the assessor will note any areas of concern and decide whether the current fire safety procedures are satisfactory. With this, they’ll evaluate the severity of any issues and make recommendations on how these dangers can be mitigated. It may be at this point that a new emergency plan is created, updates to the current evacuation plan are made, or further fire safety training is provided for staff to reflect the risk assessment findings.
Is a fire risk assessment legally required?
As stated in the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, all businesses are legally obligated to conduct a fire risk assessment to identify potential fire hazards and assess the safety measures currently in place. Failure to comply with this can have serious consequences such as financial penalties or even a custodial sentence in instances of extreme negligence.
Should a fire occur in a property without a valid fire risk assessment, the responsible person could be held liable. As well as this, if your company has inadequate fire safety measures in place and a fire does occur, it could cause your business insurance to be invalidated.
Who is responsible for completing a fire risk assessment?
The responsibility of conducting a fire risk assessment typically falls on the designated responsible person within the organisation. This individual should have a good understanding of the premises, be aware of potential fire hazards, and know how to mitigate these risks effectively. The responsible person also has a duty of care to ensure fire risk assessments are reviewed regularly to ensure its continued relevance and accuracy. Reviewing your fire risk assessment should be done annually, or whenever there are major changes to your business (e.g. a significant change in staff numbers, or changes to the buildings layout).
A fire risk assessment must be completed by an experienced professional who has a thorough knowledge and awareness of fire safety laws. In most cases, the responsible person will speak with a third-party assessor, like Asco Fire Group, to ensure compliance and that the fire risk assessment is carried out to high-standard by qualified professionals.
What are the benefits of a fire risk assessment?
As well as ensuring compliance with fire safety regulations, a fire risk assessment has many other advantages, including:
- Minimising risks – a fire risk assessment will identify any potential hazards and help to quickly rectify them, which reduces the threat they pose.
- Provides peace of mind – building occupants can have peace of mind knowing that all fire safety hazards have been identified and steps have been put in place to mitigate their risk. Fire risk assessments also alleviate anxiety in an emergency situation as they ensure that a thorough evacuation plan is in place.
- Protects assets and valuables – by taking steps to lessen the risk of a fire, you reduce the costs of fire damage and prevent interruptions to your business. Additionally, the majority of insurance companies will require a valid fire risk assessment as a condition of coverage.
- Saves lives – a fire risk assessment detects any flaws in your fire safety procedures to improve emergency preparedness.
Ultimately, investing time and resources in a comprehensive fire risk assessment can provide peace of mind and safeguard your business against the devastating impacts of fires.
We can help with your fire risk assessment
We hope our business fire risk assessment guide has provided you with the knowledge of your responsibilities when it comes to conducting a fire risk assessment in the workplace. Ultimately, regardless of the industry your business is in, a fire risk assessment is a legal requirement that can help improve your fire safety procedures and protocols.
Here at Asco Fire Group, we provide fire risk assessments to businesses across Edinburgh, Duns, Forfar, Aberdeen, Glasgow, West Lothian and beyond. Our knowledgeable professionals are BAFE-accredited and have a wealth of experience to carry out even the most complex fire risk assessments. If you’d like to learn more, or to book your fire risk assessment with us, contact our friendly team today.
Fire risk assessment FAQs
Why is a fire risk assessment important?
Fire risk assessments are important because they help ensure the safety of occupants by identifying risks and mitigating potential hazards and they also help to fulfil legal obligations and insurance coverage compliance too. Furthermore, a fire risk assessment identifies fire hazards which also helps to protect your property from fire damage.
How often should a fire risk assessment be reviewed?
It’s important that a fire risk assessment is reviewed regularly. Some key instances that may trigger a review include:
- Annually for high-risk properties (e.g. hospitals or residential care homes)
- Whenever there are significant changes to the building or its use
- After a fire incident or near-miss
- When new fire hazards are identified
What should be included in a fire risk assessment?
A fire risk assessment typically includes the identification of potential fire hazards, the risks those hazards pose to building occupants, including evacuation procedures, and highlights the measures to reduce or eliminate these fire hazards. There should also be an assessment of existing fire safety equipment, along with maintenance and testing schedules for these fire safety systems. Finally, there should be a complete record of findings and an action plan following the assessment.
