What is a Fire Risk Assessment?
A fire risk assessment is a process of identifying and assessing the fire hazards in a building or property. It provides guidance on how to manage and reduce the risk of fire with the aim of helping to prevent fires from occurring which can help to save lives in the event of a fire.
For example, a fire risk assessment might identify an electrical fire hazard in a certain area. The assessor may then recommend the installation of a suitable firefighting appliance, such as a CO2 fire extinguisher, and training for staff members on how to use the extinguisher. In an instance where a fire was to break out in this area, the fire extinguisher when correctly operated by the trained staff members may provide a means to tackle the fire in its early stages, reducing the overall impact of the fire, preventing risk to occupants and reducing damage to the property.
Fire risk assessments can be compared to MOTs on cars. A specialist completes the MOT and advises the owner of any issues found that should be addressed to improve the safety of the vehicle. A fire risk assessment can be described as a similar process. Our qualified assessors will assess your property and in their report will advise you of any action you should take to reduce the risk of fire.
What are the benefits of a Fire Risk Assessment?
Prevention is always better than cure and this is the remit and aim of a Fire Risk Assessment. Our team of assessors are meticulous and will often spot items that can go unnoticed on a daily basis but could increase the risk of fire.
Fire risk assessments can help to demonstrate that you have taken reasonable steps to protect your property and people from fire, which can help reduce your risk of legal liability in the event of a fire.
Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service conducted a survey and found after a disaster such as fire:
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25% of Businesses never reopen.
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80% of companies who don't recover in a month are likely to go out of business.
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75% of businesses without business continuity plans fail within 3 years.
Source: Cheshire Fire and Rescue: https://www.cheshirefire.gov.uk/fire-protection/engagement/business-continuity/
They also found further issues such as loss of custom, regulatory penalties, staffing concerns and increased insurance premiums.
These statistics alone, show the importance and benefits of arranging and following the guidance of a Fire Risk Assessment.
​How can we help you?
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Identify fire hazards that you may not be aware of and Assess the risks to people in your premises. Our experienced and professionally qualified fire risk assessors will use their knowledge of fire safety legislation and best practices to identify fire hazards within your premises,with the aim of reducing the risk of fire within your premises.
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Make recommendations that are tailored to your specific needs. KCS will take into account the unique characteristics of your premises and your business when making recommendations for reducing the risks in line with relevant legislation.
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Provide a thorough and professional assessment. Our fire risk assessment reports are clear and concise, and they provide you with all of the information you need to take action to reduce the risks to people in your premises.
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Help you to comply with fire safety legislation. Fire risk assessments are a legal requirement for most premises in the UK. KCS can help you to ensure that your fire risk assessment is up to date and compliant with the latest legislation.
What are the legal guidelines around assessments?
There are some specific guidelines concerning Fire Risk Assessments.
1. It must be reviewed regularly. We recommend to review as follows:
– At 12 monthly intervals following the original assessment
– NB A brand new assessment should be carried out every 5 years
– If the fabric of the building has changed e.g. the layout has altered
– If the purpose of the building has altered substantially
– If the nature of the occupants has changed considerably
Changes in the layout of the building, the use of it, or the type of occupant can make a big difference to your fire safety plans, so it’s important to conduct a Fire Risk Assessment review if any of these take place.
2. It must be written down if there are 5 or more regular occupants.
If your business premises or block of flat usually has more than 4 residents at any one time, then you must legally document your Fire Risk Assessment.
However, as already mentioned, we would always recommend having your assessment written down whatever the size of your premises.
There are a couple of other circumstances in which your Fire Risk Assessment must be written down even if you have fewer than 5 regular occupants. These are:
– If the premises need a licence or
– The fire brigade has instructed you to (following a visit, for example)
3. It must record the main findings and the actions to be taken
Whether written down or not, there are 2 parts to a Fire Risk Assessment that must be produced.
One is the review itself, which will assess the fire safety of the premises against a number of points.
The other is the list of recommendations which should be acted on for the building to be fire safety compliant.
It is so important to act on these recommendations because ultimately this is what will keep your building safe.
What gets reviewed?
Fire Risk Assessments should be comprehensive and take into account many different fire risk factors.
The level of detail in an individual review will depend to a large extent on the complexity of the building. For example, a ‘single-compartment’ building, such as a small shop or kiosk, will have far less to review than a large office block, or even a block of flats.
Whilst every assessment is different, the assessor should be checking the following fire risk and fire prevention factors as a matter of course:
1. The use, layout, and construction of the building
2. The number and nature of occupants, including any vulnerable occupants
3. Whether there is any history of fire loss in the building
4. Electrical equipment on site which could be a source of ignition
5. Smoking areas and measures taken to prevent smoking causing fires
6. Defence against arson
7. Portable and installed heating devices which may trigger fires
8. Protection against fires caused by lightning
9. General housekeeping & keeping key areas clear of combustible materials
10. Any fire hazards introduced by building works or outside contractors
11. The storage arrangements for any dangerous/flammable liquids
12. The configuration of escape routes and how they are maintained
13. Measures in place to limit fire spread, such as compartmentalisation
14. That emergency lighting is installed correctly & is in working order
15. The correct use and locations of fire safety signs
16. There is adequate means of raising the alarm in case of fire (see our blog article: ‘do I need a fire alarm‘)
17. The right fire extinguishers are in the right locations (see our blog article: ‘‘fire extinguisher regulations‘)
18. The correct installation and maintenance of other devices, such as sprinklers
19. Who manages fire safety for the building, and how well
20. Whether there is regular fire safety training & evacuation drills
21. Correct maintenance and testing procedures of fire safety systems are in place
22. That correct documentation and records of fire safety measures are being kept
