Every commercial business in the United Kingdom These include the following : Blocks of Flats, HMOs, Sheltered Housing, Shops, including Charitable Establishments, Care homes, Dentists, Chemists, Beauticians, Restaurants, Cafes, Takeaways, Social Clubs, Warehouses, Industrial Units, Workshops, Factory, Pubs, Hotels, Bed and Breakfasts, Airbnbs. Even Places of Worship, Church, and the Village Hall .
Since October 2023 all premises no matter how many persons are employed, self employed or visit the premises must have a documented fire risk assessment. The previous rule where a building that was occupied with less than 5 staff did not require a documented fire risk assessment has now been revoked. Please do not get caught out by these new changes!
The report is a detailed report and assesses many items including the building itself, the structure, walls, doors, compartments, escape routes, electrical and gas risks, working practices, equipment used within the premises, processes, procedures, staff training and communication, staff and other persons safety, safety systems such as fire alarms, emergency lights, fire fighting equipment and many more.
A fire risk assessment is a process of identifying and assessing the fire hazards in a building or property. It provides guidance on how to manage and reduce the risk of fire with the aim of helping to prevent fires from occurring which can help to save lives in the event of a fire. Fire risk assessments could be compared to an MOT on a car. A specialist completes the MOT and advises the owner of any issues found that should be addressed to improve the safety of the vehicle. A fire risk assessment can be described as a similar process. Fire risk assessors will assess your property and in the report will provide you with an Action Plan you should follow to reduce the risk of fire.
How often must the Fire Risk Assessment be reviewed once completed?
The Fire Service have deemed that it should be reviewed annually as best practice. This ensures that any changes to legislation are identified and incorporated in the reviewed report.
From a report by The Chief Fire Officers association it advises the following : Any fire risk assessment must be reviewed by the responsible person regularly so as to keep it up to date. There is no definition of regularly but annually is generally accepted to be best practice.
Do I need to complete all the actions in the Fire Risk Assessment report?
Yes, The risk assessment is a legal report provided for The Responsible Person to ensure the property, staff, residents or customers are as safe as possible.
The Fire Service have the powers to close the premises and to prosecute The Responsible Person for failing to adhere to the Fire Risk Assessment report.
