Fire Safety Risk Assessments
A Fire Risk Assessment at your business premises must be completed and remain current. Whilst a fixed timeframe for the renewal of fire risk assessments is not specified in law you are legally obliged, to ensure that the assessment remains current (by way of regular reviews) and that your assessment reflects any changes in the premises or business operations.
As a business or commercial property owner, you have a responsibility to ensure your property is fully protected from the threat of fire by carrying out a regular fire risk assessment. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, states that it is a legal responsibility to perform a fire risk assessment, and have one in place.
More information about Fire Risk Assessments can be found on the Gov.uk website here.
A fire risk assessment must be carried out by a trained fire safety expert – which is where the team at Oxford Fire and Security Services comes in.
We can carry out fire risk assessments for customers across Oxfordshire and surrounding counties.
Our professional risk assessors can fully survey your existing systems, equipment and property to provide a thorough risk assessment, report and recommendations that will ensure you are effectively fulfilling your legal obligations. Using a handheld tablet, we can provide a detailed report that offers corresponding photos of hazards and risks identified during a fire risk assessment, together with expert advice and guidance on the preventive measures that should be taken, along with any action required to rectify or correct any issues on site.
If you operate anywhere in Oxfordshire and the surrounding counties, we are always on hand to help. Get in touch with us to arrange or update your risk assessments today.
What is a Fire Risk Assessment?
A Fire Risk Assessment is a thorough inspection of the building and its fixtures to provide the responsible person with any recommendation on fire prevention methods that may be required, recommendations to prevent the spread of fire and recommendations to ensure employees are protected and can escape safely in the event of a fire. A thorough fire risk assessment could mean the difference between top quality fire protection and putting your business and employees at risk. A fire safety risk assessment is conducted to try and reduce, and hopefully eliminate, the risk of a fire in the workplace, helping to protect property and life. The process used to complete a comprehensive fire risk assessment is used to…
- Identify the people at risk
- Assess the suitability of fire safety measures in place, such as fire alarm systems and escape routes
- Assess the ongoing management of fire safety in the business, such as fire drills and staff training
- Develop a fire safety action plan if changes are needed
- Record all the significant findings
- Implement the action plan if one is needed
- Keep the assessment updated on an ongoing basis
How often should a Fire Risk Assessments be updated?
A fire risk assessment should be carried out on an annual basis. If your current risk assessment is more than 12 months old, you legally need a new one.
As a business or commercial property owner, you have a responsibility to ensure your property is fully protected from the threat of fire by carrying out a regular fire risk assessment.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, states that it is a legal responsibility to perform a fire risk assessment, and have one in place.
A fire risk assessment must be carried out by a trained fire safety expert – which is where the team at Oxford Fire and Security Services comes in. We can carry out fire risk assessments for customers across Oxfordshire and souring counties.
Our professional risk assessors can fully survey your existing systems, equipment and property to provide a thorough risk assessment, report and recommendations that will ensure you are effectively fulfilling your legal obligations.
Using a handheld tablet, we can provide a detailed report that offers corresponding photos of hazards and risks identified during a fire risk assessment, together with expert advice and guidance on the preventive measures which should be taken, along with any action required to rectify or correct any issues on site.
If you operate anywhere in Oxfordshire and the surrounding counties we are always on hand to help.
Who checks it?
It is usually your County Fire Service, for Oxfordshire it is Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service – inspecting premises is part of their duty to keep people safe from fire. If your premises aren’t safe, or you haven’t done an assessment, you may be fined. If they believe people are at risk, they have the power to close your business until you can make it safe for employees and members of the public.
Who should do my Fire Risk Assessment?
It depends on how large or complex your business or organisation is.
Larger Businesses
If your business is larger or more complex, contact an expert to come and help. You’ll need to find a suitably qualified specialist such as ourselves, Oxford Fire and Security Services. Just give us a call or send us a message and we can advise further.
House of Multiple Occupation (HMO)
Owner of a property with two or more units of housing we strongly advise contacting a specialist such as ourselves as the risk identification and mitigation process is complex and the penalties for non-compliance are severe! Again, just give us a call or send us a message and we can advise further.
SME or smaller organisation
If your business or organisation is relatively small, and you think your potential risks aren’t complex, it is possible to do it yourself. This assessment checklist may help you decide if you can manage this yourself.
Heritage buildings
If you’re responsible for a museum, gallery or historic building, we strongly recommend that your fire risk assessment is carried out by a Competent Person/Assessor with an understanding of fire safety within heritage buildings, as these buildings have particular risks and limitations. Just give us a call or send us a message and we can advise further.
Did you know?
If there’s a fire and you haven’t met your legal duties to keep people safe, you could be fined and may even spend time in prison.
Fire Safety Risk Assessment Requirements
All Responsible Persons must now record all findings from their fire risk assessment, regardless of the size or purpose of the premises.
Previously, there was a requirement to record only significant findings in a fire risk assessment in buildings that had five or more employees; a licence in place; and an alterations notice served on it. This is no longer the case.
All Responsible Persons must now record their fire safety arrangements.
Fire safety arrangements are how you manage the fire safety in your building. These can be anything from procedures you need to have written down to policies you have in place. All Responsible Persons must now record the identity of the individual employed, or contracted by them, to undertake or review any or all of the fire risk assessment. This includes…
- Their full name
- Their organisation name, if applicable
Cooperation and coordination
All Responsible Persons must now have a UK based address where they, or someone on their behalf, will accept notices and other documentation.
This must include their contact information and be recorded and updated as it changes. This must be shared with other relevant responsible persons and any residents of multi-occupied residential buildings.
All Responsible Persons must now make sure they identify and make themselves known to any other Responsible Persons at the same premises. For example, other Responsible Persons could include businesses or managing agents with the responsibility for fire safety in the part of the building they control.
Any departing Responsible Persons must take reasonable steps to share all relevant fire safety information with the incoming Responsible Persons. This is to maintain a chain of fire safety information across the whole of a building’s lifetime.
If you appoint someone to help undertake or review your fire risk assessment, they must be competent. By that we mean that must have sufficient training and experience or knowledge.
Make sure you review your risk assessment regularly and whenever significant changes have been made that would have an impact on it. It’s good business sense as well as a legal requirement, often businesses don’t recover after a fire, and effective fire prevention starts with properly understanding the risks.
Oxford Fire and Security Services have that experience and knowledge to help you complete those assessments.
A Complete Fire Safety Service
Oxford Fire and Security Services can offer businesses a complete fire safety service to include…
- Fire extinguisher supply and service
- Fire risk assessments and advice
- Fire door inspections
- Fire marshal safety training
- Alarm monitoring and response services
(via our sister company, Oxford Security Services)
In fact, we can assist with every aspect of Fire Safety for your premises. Contact us today.
Alternatively, you can speak directly to our Fire marshal and Risk Assessment Specialist Peter Shacklady on 0795 5827281
Some of the Oxfordshire Establishments already protected by our Services
SSAIB Certificated
SAFE Contractor Approved
BAFE Registered
