- Made under
- Regulatory Reform Act 2001
- Enforced by
- HSE, Fire and Rescue Authority
- Status
- Amended (in force with amendments)
- Penalty ceiling
- Imprisonment 6 of 76 obligations carry up to 2 years imprisonment. 70 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.
Does it bind you?
Business-side roles with duties under this instrument.
Plus 5 duties on the regulator, Crown ministers and public bodies — folded into the section list below.
Other Acts binding the same actors
If a role above is yours, these are the other instruments that most often bind it.
Any Person — also bound by 2340 other Acts
Responsible Person — also bound by 108 other Acts
Employer — also bound by 682 other Acts
Occupier — also bound by 235 other Acts
Employee — also bound by 189 other Acts
Landlord — also bound by 224 other Acts
What it requires
Regulations creating concrete business duties or carrying penalties, grouped as the instrument is structured. Titles link to the source text — blue means you’re leaving for legislation.gov.uk.
GENERAL
1 of 7 sections shown- Ensure compliance with all general fire safety dutiesResponsible Person
- Ensure compliance with fire safety duties in the workplaceResponsible Person
- Ensure fire safety duties are met for premises you controlAny Person
- Ensure fire safety duties are met for your premisesAny Person
6 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
FIRE SAFETY DUTIES
17 of 20 sections shown- Assess and take general fire precautions to ensure safetyResponsible Person
- Ensure general fire precautions for employees and othersAny Person
- Ensure general fire safety for employees and other peopleOccupier
- Take general fire precautions to ensure safety of staff and visitorsResponsible Person
- Take reasonable fire precautions for employees and visitorsAny Person
- Carry out and keep up‑to‑date fire risk assessmentsEmployer
- Carry out and maintain fire risk assessmentsAny Person
- Conduct and record a fire risk assessment for your premisesResponsible Person
- Apply fire‑safety principles when implementing protective measuresOccupier
- Apply principles of prevention when implementing fire safety measuresResponsible Person
- Base fire safety measures on the prescribed prevention principlesAny Person
- Develop and keep records of fire safety arrangementsEmployer
- Establish and record fire safety management arrangementsResponsible Person
- Establish and record formal fire safety arrangementsResponsible Person
- Plan, implement and record fire safety arrangementsEmployer
- Eliminate or reduce fire risk from dangerous substancesAny Person
- Equip premises with fire-fighting and fire detection equipmentResponsible Person
- Equip premises with fire‑fighting gear, detectors and trained staffAny Person
- Provide appropriate fire‑fighting equipment and appoint competent staffOccupier
- Provide fire‑fighting equipment, detection and competent staffOccupier
- Keep emergency routes and exits clear and functionalOccupier
- Keep emergency routes and exits clear and properly sign‑postedOccupier
- Keep emergency routes and exits clear and usable at all timesOccupier
- Maintain clear and safe emergency routes and exitsResponsible Person
- Ensure emergency procedures for dangerous substancesOccupier
- Establish emergency measures for dangerous substancesResponsible Person
- Provide emergency info, warnings and escape routes for dangerous substancesEmployer
- Provide emergency plans and controls for dangerous substancesAny Person
- Maintain fire safety equipment and premises in good repairOccupier
- Provide employees with fire safety informationResponsible Person
- Provide fire safety information to employees (and child workers' parents)Employer
- Provide fire‑safety information to staff (and child employees)Employer
- Provide fire‑risk information to external contractors and their employersAny Person
- Provide fire‑risk information to outside employers and self‑employed workersAny Person
- Provide fire safety information to external employers and workersOccupier
- Provide fire‑risk information to outside workers and their employersAny Person
- Provide fire‑safety training for all employeesEmployer
- Co‑operate and coordinate fire‑safety duties with other responsible personsAny Person
- Co‑operate and coordinate with other responsible persons for fire safetyAny Person
- Co-operate and share fire safety information with other responsible personsResponsible Person
- Co‑operate with other fire‑safety responsible personsAny Person
- Take reasonable care for fire safety and cooperate with your employerEmployee
- Take reasonable care and report safety concernsEmployee
- Take reasonable care for safety and report hazardsEmployee
- Take reasonable care for safety and report serious dangersEmployee
- Provide fire safety information to domestic residentsEmployer
- Provide fire‑safety information to residents and keep recordsLandlord
- Provide fire safety information to residents in multi-unit buildingsResponsible Person
- Provide fire safety information to new responsible personEmployer
- Identify and cooperate with other accountable persons for building safetyOccupier
3 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
ENFORCEMENT
2 of 7 sections shownOther duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Enforcing authorities must enforce the Fire Safety OrderStatutory regulator
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Fire and Rescue Authority employees may exercise inspector powersStatutory regulator
5 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
OFFENCES AND APPEALS
2 of 5 sections shown- Fail to comply with fire‑safety duties or notices that put people at riskAny Person
- Fail to meet fire safety duties that put people at riskAny Person
- Fail to meet fire safety duties that risk death or serious injuryAny Person
- Keep records showing why extra fire‑safety measures were not practicableAny Person
3 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
MISCELLANEOUS
6 of 17 sections shown- Maintain fire‑fighter protection equipment and systemsOccupier
- Maintain fire‑fighter protection equipment in good repairOccupier
- Maintain fire-fighter safety equipment and facilitiesResponsible Person
- Maintain fire safety equipment for firefightersResponsible Person
- Avoid breaching fire safety duties to prevent employee civil claimsEmployer
- Guard against employee claims by following fire safety dutiesEmployer
- Prevent fire‑safety breaches that could harm employeesEmployer
- Comply with all duties of the Fire Safety OrderEmployer
- Employee right to sue for fire safety breaches causing injuryEmployer
- Do not charge employees for fire‑safety costsEmployer
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Licensing authority must consult fire authorities on licence applicationsLocal authority
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Government and authorities must consult fire services on proposed changesCrown / Minister / Government department
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must provide fire safety guidanceCrown / Minister / Government department
11 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
Schedules
1 of 77 shown- Assess and control fire risks from dangerous substancesResponsible Person
- Carry out risk assessments and control dangerous substancesAny Person
- Include required factors in risk assessments for dangerous substancesOccupier
76 other schedules
Help complying
Guvnor’s practical routes through this instrument.
Fire safety for Resident Management Companies
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New higher-risk building development compliance
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Building compliance quick check
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Fire safety for new business premises
Complete introduction to fire safety law and compliance for new business premises. Learn who is responsible, how to conduct a fire risk …
Open a shop
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Fire safety for multi-occupied residential buildings
Complete guide to fire safety duties for responsible persons in multi-occupied residential buildings, covering the Fire Safety Act 2021 and Fire Safety …
Accommodation regulations for hotels, B&Bs, and short-term lets
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Choose a competent fire risk assessor
How to select a qualified professional to conduct your fire risk assessment, or decide if you can do it yourself. Includes what …
Comply with fire safety law as the responsible person
Your legal duties as a responsible person under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Covers fire risk assessments, fire safety measures, …
Create fire safety communications for residents
How to meet your legal duty to provide fire safety information to residents under Regulation 9 of the Fire Safety (England) Regulations …
External wall fire safety assessment - what you need to know
Your legal duties for assessing external wall fire safety in multi-occupied residential buildings. Covers Fire Safety Act 2021 requirements, when EWS1 surveys …
Fire door inspections and building safety duties
Your legal duties for fire door inspections and building safety under the Fire Safety Act 2021 and Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022. …
Fire safety duties for landlords of residential properties
Your legal duties as a landlord to protect tenants from fire. Covers smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, HMO fire safety requirements, fire …
Fire safety guide for residential building managers
A practical guide for day-to-day building managers on fire safety duties in residential buildings. Covers your role as a building manager, routine …
116 more guides that reference this instrument
Connected legislation
The wider family of instruments made under the same parent Act.
Duty extraction and severity labels are Guvnor’s analysis of the instrument, not the instrument itself. Always verify against the linked source text.