The Importance of a Fire Risk Assessment For a Business

Aug 23 2023 12:48PM

Fire risk assessments are vital for every business to reduce the risk of serious fire-related accidents on their premises. Fire risk assessments not only help to protect people and properties from fire, but they are also a legal obligation. If you do not do regular fire risk assessments, you could put people at risk of serious injury or death and your business at risk of legal action.

Fire risk assessments help you to find out all the fire hazards in your business premises. Once you know the hazards, you can decide if the risks are acceptable or if you need to take safety measures to lower or control the risks.

Here are five key steps in a fire risk assessment:

Step 1 - find out who is at risk of injury from fire and why.

Step 2 - find out fire hazards, such as fuel sources, ignition sources and sources of oxygen.

Step 3 - evaluate all risks by checking and improving the fire safety measures that are already in place.

Step 4 - write down the results of the assessment and any new measures taken to lower risk.

Step 5 - review and update the fire safety risk assessment regularly.

What is a Fire Risk Requirement According to The UK Government?

According to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, buildings with more than five people occupied on a regular basis must be assessed for fire risk regularly. Fire risk assessments must be done by a ‘competent’ person. This is someone who has a certain level of responsibility in a business or other non-domestic premises such as an employer, an occupier or a manager of some sort. This person will be knowledgeable about assessing fire risks and should be able to make a fire safety action plan.

Government fire risk assessment requirements are made to keep people safe, and failure to meet legal requirements is not taken lightly. Businesses that do not do fire risk assessments regularly and by a competent person could be at risk of prosecution for negligence. Penalties might be heavy fines or even prison sentences in extreme cases.

Get Professional Fire Risk Assessments To Keep Your Business Safe

If you want to make sure you’re doing everything possible to lower fire risk in your business, be sure to ask about our Fire Risk Assessments which are done by qualified and experienced fire safety consultants.