Fire Safety Risk Assessment
Carrying out a fire safety risk assessment is essentially a matter of applying common sense in consideration of the premises for which you have responsibility and identification of anything which could cause harm from fire. It will allow you to make an informed decision on whether you have taken sufficient precautions or whether you need to do more to minimise the risk from fire.
A fire safety risk assessment will help determine the chances of a fire occurring and the dangers from fire that the premises pose for the people on them by taking an organised and methodical look at the premises; the activities undertaken within the premises; the potential for a fire to occur; and the harm it could cause to the people in, and around, the premises. It is important to remember that it is not the responsibility of the Fire and Rescue Service to undertake a risk assessment; their role is the provision of advice and enforcement of the fire safety legislation. Nobody knows as much about your business/activities as you. Use your own knowledge and experience and that of your colleagues and employees to help identify key issues and practical suggestions for improvements.
If, however, you do not feel confident enough to undertake the fire safety risk assessment, for example, due to the complexity of the premises or the activities undertaken on them, you may wish to commission a fire safety specialist to assist you (check your local business directory for "Fire Safety Consultants" or alternatively, use an Internet search engine). As with many other services, when looking for a specialist, it is your responsibility to satisfy yourself that they have the necessary qualifications, experience and indemnity insurance (if appropriate).
When carrying out a fire safety risk assessment, you should adopt a practical and systematic approach. It must take the whole of the premises into account, including outdoor locations and any rooms and areas which are rarely used. If your premises are small you may be able to assess them as a whole. However, in larger premises, you will probably find it helpful to divide the premises into rooms or a series of assessment areas using natural boundaries such as offices, stores, workshops as well as corridors, stairways and external routes.
The fire safety risk assessment process involves evaluating, and keeping under review, the existing fire safety measures to establish whether they are adequate or if more requires to be done. For the purposes of fire safety risk assessment, a hazard is a situation that can give rise to fire; and risk is the potential for a fire to occur (i.e. likelihood) and cause death or injury (i.e. consequence).
The aims of a fire safety risk assessment are:
- To identify hazards and to reduce the risk of those hazards causing harm to as low as is reasonably practicable;
- To determine what fire safety measures and management policies are necessary to ensure the safety of people in the building, should a fire occur.
How is a fire safety risk assessment carried out? There are five steps in the assessment process.
- Step One - Identify people at risk
- Step Two - Identify fire hazards
- Step Three - Evaluate the risk and decide if existing fire safety measures are adequate
- Step Four - Record fire safety risk assessment information
- Step Five - Review of fire safety risk assessment
In certain circumstances, dutyholders must record the significant findings of their fire safety risk assessment including fire safety measures that have been, or will be, taken to ensure the safety of persons from fire and any persons identified as being especially at risk from fire on the premises. Fire safety law requires information to be recorded where:
- five or more employees are employed (whether they are on site or not); or
- the premises are subject to licensing or registration; or
- an “Alterations Notice” has been issued by the enforcing authority requiring this.
The amount of information recorded is likely to be influenced by the life risk in the premises; the complexity of the premises; the activities undertaken; and the existing fire safety measures.
Blank risk assessment record sheets, a guidance note and examples of completed record sheets have been developed in partnership with the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives. Click here(408kb) for information about the Centre including how to access free and confidential advice or to arrange a workplace visit. Additional guidance on risk assessments, particularly for small and medium sized businesses, can be found on its website at www.healthyworkinglives.com.
Click on the title below for the document you wish to view. The blank record sheets have been designed to be filled in online (with the aid of Adobe Reader) and printed.
- Guidance note (278kb) – should be read prior to the risk assessment
- Short blank record sheet (794kb) - may be appropriate where fire safety responsibilities are minimal or where the premises are small and uncomplicated)
- Blank record sheet (541kb) - may be appropriate in the case of more substantial premises)
The following are examples of completed record forms (for illustrative purposes only). They are not intended to be models of best practice: they are intended as examples, to show the level of detail that may be recorded.
- Care home example (437kb)
- House in multiple occupation example (422kb)
- Small factory example (308kb)
- Small hotel example (320kb)
In addition, an interactive model of the small hotel is available here which allows you to tour the hotel rooms with the owner as she undertakes a fire safety risk assessment, identifying hazards and determining what action is required in order the minimise the risk of fire and protect her guests from harm in the event of fire.
- Interactive Small Hotel Model
- Risk Assessment Video
You can also view a video here of someone carrying out a risk assessment of their modern two storey office.
If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader, please click on the Adobe icon below.
