Fire risk assessments, made practical.

The visible research and the official sources below identify no separate fire risk assessment duty triggered simply by having 5–50 staff. Employers have general health and safety duties, and fire safety laws also place assessment duties on the relevant responsible person or people who control premises. An owner or occupier may have duties too, depending on their control.

Official sources: Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 · Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, regulation 3

Official guidance: GOV.UK: Fire risk assessments · Scottish Government: Practical fire safety guidance for non-residential premises

Walk through the premises and think about normal work as well as less frequent tasks. These five prompts are a useful structure for a first pass.

1. Identify fire hazards. Look for how a fire could start, including ignition sources such as heat or sparks, and materials that could burn.
2. Identify people at risk. Include employees, contractors, visitors and anyone who may be especially vulnerable or disabled.
3. Evaluate risks and take action. Consider the hazards and people together, then decide what should be removed, reduced or managed.
4. Plan detection and warning. Consider how a fire would be detected and how people would be warned quickly, including whether smoke or fire alarms or bells are appropriate.
5. Establish escape and fire-fighting precautions. Consider how people can get out safely and what means of fighting fire are suitable for the premises and risks.

Official fire risk assessment guidance: Home Office: Fire safety risk assessment, 5-step checklist · Home Office: Fire safety risk assessment for offices and shops

Suitable precautions should follow from what the assessment finds and aim to minimise injury or loss of life if a fire happens. The source-backed approach is to avoid risks where possible; where they cannot be avoided, reduce and manage them.

• Keep ignition sources separate from flammable materials.
• Take practical steps to prevent accidental fires.
• Maintain good housekeeping so hazards are less likely to build up.
• Consider whether smoke or fire alarms or bells are needed to warn people quickly.

A fire assessment can be a separate exercise or part of a wider health and safety assessment. Either way, make sure the fire risks and the actions they call for are clear.

Official guidance: Home Office: fire precautions and risk assessment · Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, section 55

Keep the assessment up to date and review it regularly. In England and Wales, the responsible person has an express duty to review the assessment regularly. The legislation and guidance linked here do not set one universal review interval for every workplace.

As you work, record the hazards you identified, who may be at risk, the controls already in place and any actions to take. GOV.UK fire risk assessment guidance says the responsible person must keep a written record. This guide does not prescribe a template or a retention period; check the rules and guidance that apply to your premises.

Official sources: GOV.UK: review and record a fire risk assessment · Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006