FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT |
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A fire risk assessment is required under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, and assesses risks arising from fire hazards within your working environment.
Fire hazards will either increase the likelihood of a fire starting, speed up the spread of a fire, or slow down the evacuation process. A fire risk assessment will include checks for:
- Unsafe electrical supply / equipment
- Unsafe gas installations
- Inadequate / compromised compartmentation
- Inadequate fire detection & warning
- Inadequate emergency lighting
- Inadequate / inappropriate fire extinguishers / suppression
- Inadequate fire training & information
- Inadequate fire safety signage
- Inadequate fire safety arrangements and procedures (including fire drills and bell tests)
It is a requirement that the fire risk assessment be carried out by a competent person. Failure to comply with this requirement may render a fire risk assessment as non-conforming and void.
On a practical level, the main benefit of a fire risk assessment is to reduce the likelihood of fire hazards resulting in harm.
On a legal level, the main benefit of having a fire risk assessment in place is that if a worst-case scenario does happen and a fire hazard does result in harm, your organisation will have a legal defence.
These benefits rely on the risk assessment being kept up-to-date, and recommendations made in the risk assessment being acted on within a reasonable timeframe.