Fire risk assessment
Completing a fire risk assessment is the first step to making your premises safer from fire and is a requirement by law.
A fire risk assessment is an organised and methodical look at your premises, the activities carried out and the likelihood that a fire could start and cause harm to those in and around the premises.
If your business employs five or more employees or has a licence you should keep a formal record of any significant findings and remedial measures which have, or may need to be, taken.
To assist you with your fire risk assessment we are able to provide you with a copy of an audit form that one of our fire officers will use if they ever visit your premises to complete a fire safety audit.
In assessing whether or not you are complying with the different articles of the legislation, our officers will expect you to demonstrate that you have taken into account the ‘Areas of Consideration’ noted within the form.
After reading through the form with your particular premises in mind, if you are satisfied that you have addressed all the different points then you can be reasonably sure that you are fulfilling your fire safety responsibilities.
Where you identify potential problems with your premises or are simply unsure of what is expected, please refer to these guides which should assist you in resolving any issues.
There will be some persons who are responsible for larger, more complex premises who will have the skills or experience required to complete a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment. If you feel uncomfortable carrying out a fire risk assessment then you can find advice by selecting a competent fire risk assessor.
FAQ's
Can Staffordshire Fire and Rescue complete my fire risk assessment for me?
Unfortunately not. You are responsible for organizing the completion of your fire risk assessment.
Am I qualified to complete a fire risk assessment?
The requirement to complete a fire risk assessment wasn’t intended to be burden on businesses. If you are responsible for a simple premises the government produced a series of guides to assist persons with limited training and experience in carrying out this task.
Yes. You may appoint anybody to complete your fire risk assessment but you need to ensure that they are suitably trained and experienced. There are also people that you can employ to carry out your fire risk assessment on your behalf. Third Party Accreditation (opens in a new window).
Once I have completed my fire risk assessment do I need to send a copy to the fire service?
No. Unless you have been specifically requested to do so by ourselves, there is no requirement to send a copy of your fire risk assessment to the fire service.
How often do I need to complete a fire risk assessment?
We typically recommend you review your fire risk assessment annually to ensure it is still relevant to your particular premises. It should be reviewed and amended as necessary following any significant change to your building (e.g. layout), the persons permitted within (e.g. now open to public) or the activities carried out (e.g. introduction of new machinery or dangerous substances).