Fire risk assessment
A fire risk assessment is an evaluation of the premises identifying hazards or potential hazards and determining the likelihood (risk) that such hazards will cause harm.
A fire risk assessment is an evaluation of the premises identifying hazards or potential hazards and determining the likelihood (risk) that such hazards will cause harm.
A fire risk assessment is an evaluation of the premises identifying hazards or potential hazards and determining the likelihood (risk) that such hazards will cause harm.
Employers and self-employed people must carry out or appoint a competent person to carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment of the risks of fire to their employees and others who may be affected by their work or business.
Employers and the self-employed are expected to take reasonable steps to help themselves identify fire risks, e.g. by looking at appropriate sources of information such as legislation, and codes of practice or by reference to a competent individual.
For small premises presenting a few hazards, carrying out a simple fire risk assessment with some common sense risk controls can be a really straightforward process.
For medium sized premises, such as those buildings with more than the ground floor or having more than one staircase or multiple exits, the fire risk assessment will need to be more detailed. Some areas of the assessment may require specialist advice such as in a particularly complicated building.
Large and complex premises will require the most developed and sophisticated fire risk assessments, particularly where fire engineering designs have been developed to overcome difficult fire safety issues. Any fire risk assessment should be suitable and sufficient in the opinion of the Fire Authority.
Fire risk assessments must also consider all those who might be affected by the undertaking whether they are employees or others such as contractors working on site or members of the public. Particular attention should be given to those individuals who are especially vulnerable, such as young persons, the elderly or those with disabilities.
Fire safety law requires the responsible person to ensure your premises are safe in the event of a fire by; reducing the risk of a fire occurring and ensuring your premises can be safely evacuated in the event of a fire. This is achieved by the responsible person carrying out a fire risk assessment. The Fire Safety Order applies to virtually all premises (apart from single private dwellings).
You can do the fire risk assessment yourself with the help of standard fire safety risk assessment guides.
If you do not have the expertise or time to do the fire risk assessment yourself you need to appoint a ‘competent person’ to help, for example, a professional risk assessor.
What may cause a fire within your premises:
Sources of fuel within your premises:
This includes the following:
Remove/reduce any fire hazards that are fire risk identified:
Ensure adequate fire precautions are in place:
Record the dangers and people you have identified as being at risk (significant findings).
These are the principles of a fire risk assessment.
Fire safety risk assessment: 5-step checklist
If you know which type of premises you have you can select it directly from the options below. If you are unsure start at the top and read through the premises descriptions provided below.
You must now record the fire risk assessment in full (including all the findings) and the fire safety arrangements for your premises in all circumstances.
You should make available as much information as possible about fire safety in your premises. This new requirement replaces the previous requirement to record only the significant findings of the risk assessment.
Making your small block of flats safe from fire
Making your small paying guest accommodation safe from fire
Making your small non-domestic premises safe from fire
Blank fire risk assessment for small premises pdf 295.44 KB
Takeaway premises guidance pdf 1,151.24 KB
The fire risk assessment and fire safety arrangements for your premises must be recorded.
Small to medium premises guide pdf 954.32 KB
Blank fire risk assessment for small to medium sized premises pdf 19.82 KB
Example assessment for industrial unit pdf 226.65 KB
People responsible for medium to large premises are advised to consult the full suite of guidance documents.
If you feel you need a Fire Risk Assessor, please visit the fire risk assessors page.
Blank fire risk assessment for large and complex premises pdf 1,449.23 KB
Example fire risk assessment for large and complex premises pdf 16,476.25 KB
Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service is able to offer advice and guidance to enable your business to comply with the requirements of the fire safety law.
You can contact your local area office using the details given on the contact us page.
ISBN: 978 1 85112 816 7
Factories and warehouse premises.
Download guide for Factories and warehouse premises
ISBN: 978 1 85112 817 4
All premises where the main use is to provide sleeping accommodation, for example, hotels, guest houses, B&Bs, hostels, residential training centres, holiday accommodation and the common areas of flats, maisonettes, HMOs and sheltered housing (other than those providing care - see Residential care premises), but excluding hospitals, residential care premises, places of custody and single private dwellings.
Download guide for Sleeping Accommodation
ISBN: 978 1 85112 818 1
Residential care and nursing homes, common areas of sheltered housing (where care is provided) and similar premises, which are permanently staffed and where the primary use is the provision of care rather than healthcare (see Healthcare premises).
Download guide for Residential Care Premises
ISBN: 978 1 85112 819 8
Teaching establishments ranging from pre-school through to universities, except the residential parts (see Sleeping accommodation).
Download guide for Educational Premises
ISBN: 978 1 85112 820 4
Smaller public houses, clubs, restaurants and cafés, village halls, community centres, libraries, marquees, churches and other places of worship or study accommodating up to 300 people.
Download guide for Small and Medium Places of Assembly
ISBN: 978 1 85112 821 1
Larger premises where more than 300 people could gather, such as shopping centres (not the individual shops), large nightclubs and pubs, exhibition and conference centres, sports stadia, marquees, museums, libraries, churches, cathedrals and other places of worship or study.
Download guide for Large Places of Assembly
ISBN: 978 1 85112 822 8
Theatres, cinemas, concert halls and similar premises used primarily for this purpose.
Download guide for Theatre, Cinemas and Similar Premises
ISBN: 978 1 85112 823 5
Open air events, for example, theme parks, zoos, music concerts, sporting events (not stadia - see Large places of assembly), fairgrounds and county fairs.
Download guide for Open Air Events and Venues
ISBN: 978 1 85112 824 2
Premises where the primary use is the provision of healthcare (including private), such as hospitals, doctors' surgeries, dentists and other similar healthcare premises.
Download guide for Healthcare Premises
ISBN: 978 1 85112 884 6
Equine and agricultural premises, or any other premises housing horses and other large animals.
Download guide for Animal Premises and Stables
ISBN: 978 1 85112 825 9
Transportation terminals and interchanges, for example, airports, railway stations (including sub-surface), transport tunnels, ports, bus and coach stations and similar premises but excluding the means of transport (e.g. trains, buses, planes and ships).
Download guide for Transport Premises and Facilities
ISBN: 978 1 85112 873 7
This guide is a supplement to be read alongside other guides in this series. It provides additional information on accessibility and means of escape for disabled people.
Download guide for Means of Escape for Disabled People
Download guide for Offices and Shops
Useful downloads:
Fire risk in unoccupied or derelict premises pdf 59.75 KB
The law requires that the Responsible Person carries out a fire risk assessment that is "suitable and sufficient". Many people are able to do their own assessment but others may need the help of a competent risk assessor
Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service recommend that you consider someone competent with third party accreditation or from a professional register such as: