The Importance of Fire Risk Assessments: Protecting Your People, Premises and Business in the UK
At SHE Does Safety Ltd, we believe health and safety should be practical, proportionate, and genuinely useful. Health and safety should be simple and effective. Fire safety and Fire Risk Assessment is no exception. A fire risk assessment isn’t a tick-box exercise; it’s your business’s planning and prevention strategy for protection against one of the most devastating risks out there. It should be respected.
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRFSO), the “responsible person” has a clear legal duty. This includes the employer, owner, landlord, or anyone with control over non-domestic premises. They must carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment. They need to record the findings and implement necessary measures. It is also KEY to review it regularly and keep it live.
This legislation applies across England and Wales to non-domestic buildings: offices, shops, factories, warehouses, restaurants, community halls, hotels, shared parts of residential blocks, and more.
Recent clarifications (within the Fire Safety Act 2021) have reinforced that external walls, structure, and flat entrance doors in multi-occupied residential buildings must also be considered – for relevant premises.
So why does this matter so much?
Fires can start small, but they escalate fast. A proper assessment helps you to spot hazards, reduce the chance of ignition, ensure people can escape safely and introduce what is necessary. The aim is always life safety however, a natural by product is limiting damage to your premises and operations. It protects lives, aims to avoid intervention, and gives peace of mind that you’re doing the right thing.
If you are going it alone because you feel confident, make sure you are within your scope of ability. There are helpful resources out there to guide you. Make use of them.
One example is the HM Government guidance – including the widely used 5-step checklist (updated 2025) – it provides a clear, straightforward framework. It’s designed to help responsible persons carry out assessments systematically without over complicating things.
Here’s a practical breakdown of the 5 key steps:
- Identify fire hazards Look for anything that could start a fire (ignition sources like electrical equipment, heaters, naked flames, smoking materials) and anything that could fuel or help it spread (flammable liquids, gases, accumulated waste, combustible materials.
- Identify people at risk Consider everyone who could be harmed: employees, contractors, visitors, customers, members of the public, volunteers. Pay special attention to those who may need extra help – people with disabilities, young workers, lone workers, the elderly, or anyone unfamiliar with the layout. Think about where people are at different times (day, night, peak hours) and how many might be present.
- Evaluate, remove or reduce the risks For each hazard and group at risk, ask: Can you eliminate the hazard completely? If not, can you reduce it (e.g., better storage, fewer ignition sources, improved ventilation, appropriate maintenance)? Check if existing precautions are adequate – fire detection and alarm systems, emergency lighting, clear escape routes, fire doors, extinguishers, signage. Prioritise actions: eliminate > reduce > control > protect.
- Record your findings, prepare an emergency plan and train people Record all findings. Include significant hazards, people at risk, controls in place, and any further actions needed (with timescales and who is responsible). Develop a clear emergency plan: how to raise the alarm, evacuate, assemble, account for people, and call the fire service. Ensure that everyone receives appropriate fire safety training. Provide induction for new starters and regular refreshers. Ensure those with fire safety responsibility under go training .
- Review and update regularly Don’t file it away and forget it. Review the assessment whenever there’s a significant change. Changes include new equipment, building works, layout alterations, staff changes, or incidents near-misses. Otherwise, review at least annually. After any fire incident (even small), review promptly. A living document keeps your fire safety current and effective.
Remember if you are not sure of your limits, or what is needed, there are competent and trusted assessors who can help.
At SHE Does Safety, we keep things pragmatic and tailored to your business. Our Associate Member of the Institution of Fire Safety Managers (IFSM) is Laura. She delivers Intermediate Fire Risk Assessments that go beyond compliance. These assessments provide you with a clear, actionable plan. We will always discuss what is needed, what must be implemented and support you in achieving peace of mind.
Whether you’re in East Anglia, London or beyond, we make fire safety straightforward so you can focus on running your business safely.
Ready to get your fire risk assessment sorted? Drop us a message, email hello@shedoessafety.co.uk, or call Laura directly on 07823 926058.
Let’s keep fire safety simple, effective, and most importantly – keep your people safe.
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