When should you review your fire risk assessment?

A fire risk assessment is one of the most important safety procedures there is, ensuring that premises meet all current fire safety standards.

It’s also a legal requirement under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Who is responsible for fire safety?

You’re responsible for fire safety if you are:

An employer

The landlord

An occupier

Anyone else with control of the premises, for example a facilities manager or building manager

That person is known as the ‘responsible person.’ If there’s more than one responsible person, they must work together to meet their responsibilities.

One of these responsibilities is to carry out a fire risk assessment of the premises and review it regularly. We are often asked here at Aegis how often fire risk assessments should be reviewed.

Regular assessments are key

There isn’t a fixed period for reviewing your fire risk assessment, but the best answer to this question is that the responsible person must ensure that the assessment is reviewed when there are reasons to believe it is no longer valid, or when there are changes in the matters covered.

For example, you should review your fire risk assessment if:

There have been alterations to the building layout

There has been a fire incident

Changes have been made to the safety management structure

Staff levels change substantially

Potentially risky activities are being undertaken on the premises for the first time

If none of these changes have occurred, the fire risk assessor should have a set date for a periodic review. It is usually considered best practice to review annually.

You should also conduct a fire risk assessment if there are any changes to fire safety legislation.

Carrying out a fire risk assessment review allows the responsible person to check the impact of any changes on fire safety. It is also a good opportunity to ensure that previous recommendations have been implemented and that procedures are still working properly.

Who can carry out a fire risk assessment?

You will need an appropriate competent person to complete the assessment. Aegis has staff who are fully qualified to carry out fire risk assessments. If you would like any help with your fire safety arrangements, speak to Aegis on 01772 736 522 or email admin@aegis-services-ltd.co.uk