Fire Risk Assessment

We want to help you improve fire safety and achieve compliance

With 26 years of experience, ClearView will be pleased to assist your fire safety needs.  Contact us for a free survey of your premises.
After conducting a fire safety risk assessment, we’ll log and inform you of any significant findings and show you what equipment you need to install and where it needs to keep your staff safe.

Call 01245 214104 to speak to a member of our sales team today!

Information on workplace fire safety has come from The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 – view the complete legislation document here.

Fire risk assessing is an audit of premises and the personnel that use them, emphasising fire prevention. It is essential to keep people safe that potential fire risks are eliminated or mitigated through the effective use of fire safety precautions.

As stated in the Fire Safety Order, the responsible person is the employer or ‘the person who has control of the premises.’ In some cases, the responsible person may be the facilities manager, the managing agent or the occupier. But, If the responsible person is not known to you, then it is possible that fire safety responsibilities are not being undertaken safely per UK statutory law.

The meaning of the responsible person:

Definition of “responsible person.”

3. In this Order, “responsible person” means—

(a) in relation to a workplace, the employer, if the workplace is to any extent under his control;

(b) in relation to any premises not falling within paragraph (a)—

(i) the person who has control of the premises (as occupier or otherwise) in connection with the carrying on by him of a trade, business or other undertaking (for profit or not); or

(ii) the owner, where the person in control of the premises does not have control in connection with the carrying on by that person of a trade, business or other undertaking.

Risk Assessment Responsibility for Fire Safety

It is vitally important that the responsible person for fire safety understands their duties under the law. If you are in any doubt about any fire safety elements on your premises, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. We will be able to advise and help you achieve compliance.

When to Use a Fire Risk Assessor

Suppose you do not have the expertise to conduct a FRA yourself. In that case, you will need to assign a ‘competent person’, such as a professional fire risk assessor.

Duty Holder Responsibility

It is important to note that the duty holder ensures adequate fire risk assessment. We recommend that you conduct checks on the company or individual(s) before appointing them as your risk assessor.

Check Competency

Third-party certification schemes which are UKAS accredited can validate the competency of fire risk assessment companies.

The London Fire Brigade recommends the following precautions:

• Be satisfied that the fire risk assessor providing this service is competent. We recommend you check that those providing this service have independent registration with, or certification from, a professional or certification body and meet the competency criteria established by the Risk Assessment Competency Council.
• Check that they have experience undertaking fire risk assessments for your business and premises.
• Request references from previous clients with premises of your type; ask these clients if they were satisfied.

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 aimed to assemble and consolidate all general fire safety legislation. The intent was to make the fire safety information more accessible and less confusing to businesses. The reform also reduced the number of authorities to enforce fire safety matters.

Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to almost all buildings.

Who is Responsible?

“You are responsible under the Act if you are an Employer, Landlord, Owner, Occupier, or anyone else in control of the premises such as a facilities manager.”

“As the responsible person, you must:”

• carry out a fire risk assessment of the premises and review it regularly
• tell staff or their representatives about the risks you’ve identified
• put in place, and maintain appropriate fire safety measures
• plan for an emergency
• provide staff information, fire safety instruction and training.”

What are the risks and, who is  at risk?

Your risk assessment should identify what could cause a fire to start, i.e. sources of ignition (heat or sparks) and substances that burn, and the people who may be at risk. the FRA could help prevent a fire and is a proactive measure that is essential to ensure fire safety.

Fire risk safety basics:

• Carry out a fire safety risk assessment.
• Keep sources of ignition and flammable. substances apart
• Ensure heaters cannot be knocked over to avoid fires.
• Ensure good housekeeping at all times, e.g. avoid build-up of rubbish that could burn.
• Consider how to detect fires and how to warn people quickly if they start, e.g. installing smoke alarms and fire alarms or bells.
• Have the correct fire-fighting equipment for putting a fire out quickly.
• Keep fire exits and escape routes marked and unobstructed at all times.
• Ensure your workers receive appropriate training on procedures they need to follow, including fire drills.
• Review and update your risk assessment regularly.

Implement the Findings from Your Fire Safety Risk Assessment

Employers must ensure that proper fire safety measures are adequate to reduce the risk to life in a fire based on the risk assessment outcomes. If possible, risk management should aim to avoid the threats altogether; however, when this is not possible, the Responsible Person should take appropriate action to control and mitigate the fire risk.

Don’t Take Risk with Risk Assessment

If you don’t have a risk assessment, you are unlikely to have adequate fire safety procedures. The local fire authority could prosecute you if fire safety precautions are not in place. Prosecution for this offence can lead to severe fines and possibly prison sentences where negligence is proven.