Fire Risk Assessments
A fire risk assessment is a review undertaken of a building in order to assess its fire risk and offer recommendations to make the building safer, if necessary.
If there are less than 5 occupants regularly in the building, then it isn’t required for the fire risk assessment to be written down. So it isn’t always a document.
Circle Fire & Electrical always recommend that a fire assessment is in writing, since that is the easy way for the findings to be communicated and to ensure that any recommendations are carried out.
Legal guidelines associated with fire risk assessments?
Fire risk assessments have some specific guidelines.
The Fire Risk Assessment must be reviewed on a regular basis. It is recommended that the following be included in the review:
- Every 12 months after the original assessment is done
- Every 5 years a new assessment should be conducted
- If the building’s purpose has substantially changed
- If the building structure, such as the layout, has changed
- If there has been a considerable change in the occupants
Changes to a building’s layout, how it is used, or the kind of occupants using or living in the building can significantly impact your fire safety plans. Therefore it is very important that a review of your fire assessment be conducted if any of those have occurred.
If there are 5 regular occupants or more the fire risk assessment must be in writing.
To speak to one of our team members about your specific Fire Risk Assessment requirements give us a call today on 01733 595888 or 0844 692 9999
If your block of flats or business premises normally has over 4 residents at once, then you are legally required for your fire risk assessment to be documented.
There are a few other situations where you will be required to have a written fire risk assessment even when having less than 5 regular occupants. They are:
- You have been instructed to do so by the fire brigade (for example, after a visit)
- If your premises are required to have a licence
The main findings and actions to be taken must be recorded.
Whether or not it is written down, a fire risk assessment has 2 parts that must be generated.
The first part is the actual review, which assesses the premises fire safety against several points.
The second part is a list of requirements that should be acted upon in order for the build to be in compliance with fire safety measures.
It is very important for these recommendations to be acted on since that is what keeps your building safe ultimately.
Who is responsible to ensure that a Fire Risk Assessment is conducted?
By law, every block of flats and business is required to have an individual who is designed as the “Responsible Person” who is responsible for the building’s fire safety.
The job of the designated Responsible Person is to ensure that all relevant fire safety tasks are conducted and that any necessary action is taken in order to prevent fires from occurring and to prevent death or injury if a fire takes place.
The responsible person is, therefore, the one who needs to ensure that a valid fire risk assessment is made on your building.
Small business owners are usually the Responsible Person for their premises unless someone else from the team is nominated.
For tower blocks and blocks of flats, the Responsible Person is usually the managing agent or landlord, although it can be a Residents’ Association member as well.
The Responsible Person in blocks of flats is only responsible for common areas, like stairwells and corridors. Residences are responsible for ensuring that their own flats are safe from fire.
