Guide
How to conduct a fire risk assessment
A step-by-step guide to conducting a fire risk assessment for your business premises. Covers who is responsible, the legal requirements, the 5-step process, recording obligations, review frequency, and when to use a professional assessor.
If you are responsible for business premises in England or Wales, you must carry out a fire risk assessment. This is a legal requirement under Article 9 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
A fire risk assessment identifies the fire hazards in your premises, evaluates who might be harmed, and determines what fire safety measures you need. It forms the foundation of your fire safety compliance - all other fire safety duties flow from what you find in your assessment.
This guide explains who must carry out the assessment, what it must cover, how to do it, and when to review it.
Who is the responsible person?
Before conducting a fire risk assessment, you need to confirm that you are the 'responsible person' for the premises. The responsible person has the legal duty to assess fire risks and implement fire safety measures.
You are likely to be a responsible person if you:
- Employ people and the workplace is under your control
- Own or occupy business premises
- Have any degree of control over the premises (including landlords, managing agents, and facilities managers)
In shared buildings, there can be multiple responsible persons. Each is responsible for the areas under their control, and all must cooperate on fire safety.
The legal requirement for fire risk assessment
Article 9 of the Fire Safety Order requires you to make a 'suitable and sufficient' assessment of the risks to which relevant persons are exposed for the purpose of identifying the general fire precautions you need to take.
'Relevant persons' means anyone lawfully on your premises, plus anyone in the immediate vicinity who might be affected by fire - including employees, visitors, customers, contractors, neighbours, and passers-by.
The 5-step fire risk assessment process
The government recommends a structured 5-step approach to fire risk assessment. This method ensures you cover all the necessary elements and produce an assessment that will satisfy fire authority inspectors.
You can conduct the assessment yourself if you have sufficient knowledge, training, and experience. For simple, low-risk premises like a small office or shop, the government's sector-specific guides can help you through the process.
For more complex premises, or if you are unsure about your competence, you should appoint a professionally qualified fire risk assessor.
Recording your fire risk assessment
You must record your fire risk assessment in writing. This is not optional - it applies to all premises regardless of size.
Until October 2023, there was an exemption for businesses with fewer than 5 employees. The Fire Safety Act 2021 removed this exemption. All fire risk assessments must now be recorded.
Your written record does not need to follow a specific format, but it must be clear enough that someone else (such as a fire authority inspector) can understand what hazards you identified, who is at risk, and what measures you have put in place.
How often to review your assessment
A fire risk assessment is not a one-off exercise. You must keep it under review and update it whenever circumstances change.
While the Fire Safety Order does not prescribe a specific review interval, annual review is widely accepted as good practice. However, you must also review immediately when certain trigger events occur.
When to use a professional fire risk assessor
You can conduct your own fire risk assessment if you are competent to do so. For simple premises, this is often practical and cost-effective.
However, some situations require specialist knowledge that goes beyond what you can reasonably be expected to have. Using a professionally qualified assessor provides assurance that your assessment meets legal requirements and identifies all significant risks.
What to do after completing your assessment
Your fire risk assessment identifies what fire safety measures you need. After completing the assessment, you must:
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Implement the fire safety measures identified
Put in place the fire detection, alarms, firefighting equipment, escape routes, emergency lighting, and procedures your assessment identified as necessary. Prioritise significant risks.
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Create a fire action plan
Write clear procedures for what to do if fire breaks out or the alarm sounds. Display fire action notices where everyone can see them.
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Appoint and train fire wardens
For larger premises, appoint sufficient fire wardens to coordinate evacuation. Train them in their duties - this typically requires a half-day course.
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Train all staff
Provide fire safety training to all employees on induction and at least annually thereafter. Keep records of who attended and when.
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Set up maintenance schedules
Establish regular testing and maintenance for fire alarms (weekly), emergency lighting (monthly), fire extinguishers (annual service), and fire doors (weekly check).
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Schedule fire drills
Conduct at least one fire drill per year covering all shift patterns. Record evacuation times and any issues identified.
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Store the assessment securely
Keep your written fire risk assessment where it can be accessed for inspection. Keep previous versions to show your assessment history.
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Set a review date
Diary the next annual review date. Also review immediately after any significant changes to premises, processes, or occupancy.
Common fire risk assessment mistakes
Fire authority inspectors frequently identify these failings during audits:
- No written assessment - required for all premises since October 2023
- Assessment not reviewed - must be reviewed at least annually and after changes
- Generic template used without adaptation - assessment must be specific to your premises
- Hazards not identified - walkthrough inspection not thorough enough
- Vulnerable persons not considered - assessment must identify anyone who needs extra help to evacuate
- No action taken on findings - assessment is pointless if you do not implement the measures it identifies
- No evidence of competence - if self-assessing, you must be able to demonstrate you are competent