Fire risk assessments in Lowestoft & Great Yarmouth

Two seaside towns, two fire services: Lowestoft is in Suffolk and Great Yarmouth is in Norfolk. Steve covers both.

Fire risk assessments in Lowestoft & Great Yarmouth

Along this stretch of coast, many businesses sleep guests, cook for crowds or let rooms, and all of them need a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, recorded in full.

Steve Milligan spent 26 years with the fire service, retiring as a Watch Manager in 2021, and is now an NFRAR Advanced Level fire risk assessor. He visits your premises himself, writes the report himself and answers your questions afterwards.

Premises Steve assesses in Lowestoft & Great Yarmouth

• Hotels, guest houses and B&Bs where guests sleep in a building they don’t know
• Holiday lets and holiday park buildings such as clubhouses, bars and reception buildings
• Seafront cafés, takeaways and restaurants with commercial kitchens, fryers and gas appliances
• Flats above shops and HMOs where shared escape routes must stay clear and protected
• Port, offshore energy and industrial units with workshops, storage and shift working

Anywhere people sleep needs closer attention: guests may not know the way out, so alarms must wake them, routes must be clear and lit, and staff need to know what to do.

Who enforces fire safety in Lowestoft & Great Yarmouth

In Lowestoft, Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service enforces the Fire Safety Order, and East Suffolk Council deals with HMO licensing and housing standards. Suffolk’s fire protection pages cover recent law changes and suggest a log book of safety checks.

In Great Yarmouth, Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service enforces the Order and Great Yarmouth Borough Council handles HMOs. Norfolk’s Safety in your business pages explain the responsible person’s role and offer a free basic fire safety webinar for small businesses.

What you get

• A visit by Steve and an electronic written report with an overall risk level
• An action plan graded High, Medium and Low, plus a For Information section of advisory points
• The full findings and the assessor’s details recorded, as the law requires
• Free follow-up advice by phone or email while you work through the actions

Fire risk assessments start at £250, with a fixed quote before you book and nothing to pay until your report is ready. See all services and prices, or read what affects the price.

Training for teams in Lowestoft & Great Yarmouth

Fire warden training runs at your premises for up to 12 people for £400, with a certificate valid for 3 years. Fire safety awareness training raises your staff’s awareness of how fires start, how to prevent them and what to do if one breaks out, from £120.

Questions from Lowestoft & Great Yarmouth

Does a guest house need a fire risk assessment?

Yes. Any premises where paying guests sleep is covered by the Fire Safety Order, and sleeping risk is one of the main things Steve looks at.

Do I need an assessment for each holiday let?

Yes. Each property is its own premises with its own layout, alarms and escape routes, so each needs its own assessment. See fire safety for holiday lets.

Does my takeaway kitchen need a gas interlock?

Under BS 6173, interlocks have been expected since 2009 in new commercial kitchens and where kitchens are upgraded. Read gas interlock systems for how they work.

Related reading: Fire safety for holiday lets in Suffolk and Norfolk and Gas interlock systems.