Tier 3 Nationally Accredited Fire Risk Assessors. 

A fire risk assessment is an organised and methodical look at your premises, and the activities carried out there and the likelihood that a fire could start and cause harm to those in and around the premises.

The aims of the fire risk assessment are:

• To identify the fire hazards.
• To reduce the risk of those hazards causing harm to as low as reasonably practicable.
• To decide what physical fire precautions and management arrangements are necessary to ensure the safety of people in your premises if a fire does start.

If your organisation employs five or more people, your premises are licensed, or an alterations notice requiring it is in force. The significant findings of the fire risk assessment, the actions to be taken due to the assessment and details of anyone, especially at risk, must be recorded. You will probably find it helpful to record the significant findings of your fire risk assessment, even if you are not required to do so.

You must conduct your fire risk assessment practically and systematically and allocate enough time for a proper job. It must consider the whole of your premises, including outdoor locations and any rooms and areas that are rarely used. If your premises are small (e.g., a stand-alone GP surgery), you may be able to assess them as a whole. In larger premises, such as a diagnostic and treatment centre, you may find it helpful to divide them into compartments or sub-compartments managed as a single unit using natural boundaries, e.g., process areas (such as patient treatment, kitchens or laundries), offices, stores, as well as corridors, stairways and external routes.

If your premises are in a multi-use complex, the hazard and risk reduction information will still apply to you. However, any alterations to the use or structure of your individual unit will need to take into account the overall fire safety arrangements in the building.

Your premises may be simple, with few people present or with a limited degree of business activity. Still, suppose it forms part of a building with different occupancies. In that case, the measures provided by other occupiers may directly affect the adequacy of the fire safety measures in your premises.

Under health and safety law (enforced by the HSE or the local authority), you must conduct a risk assessment regarding any work processes in your workplace and take or observe appropriate special, technical or organisational measures. Suppose your health and safety risk assessment identifies that these processes will likely involve the risk of fire or the spread of fire (for example, in the kitchen or a workshop). In that case, you will need to consider this during your fire risk assessment under the Order and prioritise actions based on the level of risk.

Your fire risk assessment should demonstrate that, as far as is reasonable, you have considered the needs of all relevant persons, including disabled people.

• Review previous fire risk assessments (if available)
• Review fire safety policy.
• Review Fire Logbook/ Maintenance Records (e.g., fire alarm and detection system, emergency lighting, PAT records, fire doors, etc.)

• Review personal emergency evacuation plan.

• Review records of evacuation drills and exercises.
• Review staff training records
• Review staff induction records
• Review refresher records
• Review/ identify travel distances.
• Review/ identify DDA compliance and special evacuation aids.
• Review fire safety signs and notices.
• Review record of hazards.

• Identify necessary measures to eliminate hazards or reduce them as low as reasonably practical (ALARP)
• Identify people at risk (e.g., staff, tenants, visitors, and contractors)
• Review existing control measures and requirements.
• Review/ identify means of escape.
• Review/ identify fire-resisting structures. (e.g., compartment walls/floors, fire-resistant ceilings, fire/smoke dampers, glazed partitions, etc.)
• Fire risk assessment review