Fire risk assessment FAQs

A systematic look at your premises that weighs the likelihood of a fire starting against the risk to people, the precautions in place to prevent it, and the consequences if one does occur.

Assessments are carried out on functioning, occupied buildings. For a building under refurbishment or not yet occupied, Steve can write a report on what will be expected once it is in use, but an assessment will still be needed after occupation.

More: fire risk assessments explained.

Yes, for almost all non-domestic premises under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. The few exemptions include offshore installations, ships in normal use, agricultural or forestry land, aircraft and trains, mines and borehole sites. Single private dwellings are also excluded.

Anyone with control of non-domestic premises: an employer, owner, landlord, occupier, or someone such as a facilities or building manager. Where there is more than one responsible person, they must work together.

More: flats and HMOs · village halls · holiday lets.

Yes, if you have the right skills and knowledge. If you are short of confidence, time or resources, a professional assessor can do it for you.

More: can a company do its own assessment? · what makes someone competent.

Whenever the use, layout or size of the building changes, when staff numbers change, or after a fire. Your report sets a review date, usually one year after the visit.

It helps you comply with fire safety law and reduces, though never removes, the risk of fire and the damage it causes. It makes the workplace safer for staff and visitors and supports business continuity planning.

Steve visits at a time that suits you, reviews the premises and inspects existing fire precautions without opening anything up. Only readily accessible areas are inspected, and fire protection and emergency lighting are checked visually rather than tested. It is not a structural survey. Topics include:

• Fire hazards, prevention, flammable storage and housekeeping
• Means of escape, vulnerable people and signage
• Detection, alarms, extinguishers and smoke control
• Facilities for the fire service
• Management, evacuation plans, training, testing and records

Visits are usually planned 3 to 4 weeks ahead. Earlier dates are sometimes possible depending on location, size of premises or cancellations.

Small sites such as flats, HMOs and small businesses take about 1 to 2 hours. Larger premises may take 3 to 4 hours or more. You will get guidance beforehand on what information to have ready, which shortens the visit.

It helps but is not essential, especially for flats and HMOs. For business premises, having someone show Steve around speeds up the visit, gives access to locked areas and means questions can be answered on the spot.

It becomes a recommendation in the report, so the answer can be found and confirmed afterwards.

You receive an electronic written report with your risk level and an action plan. Free advice on the report is available afterwards by phone or email.

Normally within 7 working days, often sooner, provided payment is made when requested.

Yes: High, Medium, Low, or for information and consideration, based on risk to life and property. Each grade comes with a timeframe for completion. A higher grade is more urgent but not necessarily more expensive to fix.

Completing recommendations is the responsible person’s duty. Delays from tendering, committees, residents or funding happen. If an incident occurred, you would need to show what you had done to reduce the risk or that work was under way.

Not necessarily. A risk assessment is one part of your fire safety duties and a sound start to compliance. The local enforcing authority may take a different view.

No. For fire risk assessments and guidance you are invoiced when your report is ready. For training, 50% of the fee is due five days before the session.

More: how much a fire risk assessment costs.

Fire and rescue authorities enforce the Order and can issue improvement notices. Penalties include fines of up to £5,000 per offence in a magistrates’ court, and unlimited fines or up to two years in prison in the Crown Court. Fines of £400,000 and prison sentences have been handed down.