A fire risk assessment helps you identify all the fire hazards and risks in your premises. You can then make a decision on whether they are tolerable or whether you need to do something to lessen or control them. Someone who has had adequate instruction or who has good experience or knowledge of fire safety should do the risk assessment.

The following presents an easy method of risk assessment, which can be used by companies or managers in small to medium businesses where a complicated or quantified type of risk assessment, usually more suitable to large enterprises, may not be needed. Before starting we suggest that you look at this and the other articles on this site and the advice given in each case.

The steps for a fire risk assessment are as follows:

• Identify the fire risks
  
• Identify people at risk
  
• Evaluate the risk
  
• Record your findings
  
• Review and revise

Fire Safety Law

New fire safety and risk assessment regulations affecting all non-domestic premises in England and Wales came into force on October 1, 2006. If you are:

• In charge of business premises,
  
• A manager or self-employed person with business premises,
  
• In charge of a section of a residence where that section is exclusively used for business purposes.
  
• A charity or voluntary organisation,
  
• A service provider with a degree of control over any premises,

…then you need to act now to make sure that you have an appropriate and adequate risk assessment in place.

Risk assessment is perhaps the most essential component of health and safety since it allows you to learn what can cause harm to people in your office or place of work. The simplest type of risk assessment is known as the “Five Steps” system, which is perfectly adequate for use by any workplace. There are always hazards in and around the workplace that can cause harm to staff, volunteers, visitors and other members of the public.

Hazards can range from objects that can cause someone to trip or fall, things that get hot that can burn, electrical dangers and hazards from equipment such as display screens. It is easy to ignore some hazards because they are familiar. In order to avoid this, use a floor plan of the building and mark on it where each hazard is. Consider the people that use the building and how the hazard might affect them.

Disabled people, children and the elderly must all be given special consideration. As you evaluate the risk, think about those things that are already in place to reduce it. “Risk” refers to the fact that someone might be harmed. Risk assessments must be done in writing if you have five or more employees, and this includes volunteers. The assessments must be dated and preferably signed, and filed in a safe place for future reference.

They must be reviewed periodically to ensure that they remain valid. Since you are more likely to spot hazards and make a judgement about the risk after the assessment is done, particularly if you have never done one before, it is a good idea to review them about every six months. If you have large or complex premises, the guidelines above can help you with the fire risk assessment, but you may need added information.

Workers, clientele, service providers and other visitors – in short, everybody who comes into your business place – should ensure fire safety, but there must now be a legally designated “responsible person” who must coordinate a risk assessment, identify any possible fire risks and handle them. The responsible person will be someone who has control over premises, or over some areas, departments or systems, although sometimes a number of people will share the job – for instance in shared premises or larger businesses.