When was the last time you conducted a Fire Risk Assessment at your business premises? If the answer is anything other than ‘recently’, then it’s probably been too long. Not only can regular assessment help you improve fire safety and potentially save lives, it’s also a legal requirement.
This blog gives you the five-step process to getting your FRA right, from finding a qualified risk assessor, to mitigating fire risks across your premises.
1. Appoint a competent person for a Fire Risk Assessment
If you have been named as the ‘Responsible Person’ for fire safety within your organisation, then you’ll need to find a suitably competent person to conduct your FRA. If you aren’t able to complete a ‘suitable and sufficient’ FRA, then you should find someone with the knowledge, experience and skills to do so instead.
When looking for a third party to do this on your behalf, we strongly recommend working with fully-certified members of the Institute of Fire Managers and Institute of Fire Engineers. They should also visit your premises in person, so that they can quote for the job accurately.
2. Identify fire hazards and people at risk
A Fire Risk Assessment will go through every part of your premises in detail and identify every area where a risk might be present. This includes any potential ways in which a fire could start, including (but not necessarily limited to):
- Electrical equipment
- Lighting
- Smoking areas
- Combustible materials
- Sources of ignition
- Arson
The FRA must also identify how many people are in the building at different times, and if any are vulnerable. This includes children, the elderly, the disabled, or people working alone.
3. Evaluate, remove and reduce these risks
You can then take action on the findings of your Fire Risk Assessment by removing or reducing the risks identified.
This may include:
- Providing fire fighting equipment (such as extinguishers)
- Improving escape routes with better lighting and marking
- Enhancing the means of raising the alarm
- Uprating your passive fire protection with fire doors and fire stopping compartmentation initiatives
- Taking steps to improve fire safety for the vulnerable (such as fire refuge areas)
4. Record your Fire Risk Assessment and prepare a Fire Emergency Evacuation Plan (FEEP)
From October 1st 2023, it is a legal requirement to keep a written record of your Fire Risk Assessment. You should also prepare and distribute a full Fire Emergency Evacuation Plan (FEEP), so that everyone within your premises knows what to do in the event of a fire.
5. Review and update your FRA regularly
Businesses change over time, whether it’s new personnel, new premises, or changes of use in different areas. This is why a Fire Risk Assessment should be conducted on a regular basis, so that full safety and compliance can be maintained at all times, and any new risks can be mitigated as quickly as possible.
Book your Fire Risk Assessment today
If you’re looking for an experienced and professional firm to conduct your Fire Risk Assessment, then Commercial Fire Protection can help. We’ve held assessments in all types of business environments, and are fully-accredited members of the Institute of Fire Managers and Fire Engineers, meaning we’re perfectly placed to maximise your fire safety and compliance.
To learn more about how we can help protect your business, take a closer look at our Fire Risk Assessment service, or get in touch with our team. We’re happy to help.
