FAQs – Do You Have Any questions?

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, and the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and the associated Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006 came into effect and replaced over 70 pieces of fire safety law.

To reduce the risk of a fire occurring and to reduce the damage a fire may cause. It will also reduce the risk of injury or death to your employees / residents / members of the public in the event of a fire. Having a fire risk assessment will reduce the risk of fire on your premises and help reduce the chance of any potential fire affecting an adjacent building. Finally, you need a fire risk assessment because it is a legal requirement to carry out a fire risk assessment.

The risk assessment process will reduce the risk of a fire occurring and the damage it could cause, as well as making your workplace a safer place by complying with the Regulations.

In short, anyone who is responsible for a building, for example an employer, owner or occupier of a premises that isn't a single private dwelling (a private home). See our 'who needs a fire risk assessment?' page for further details.

The law requires you to carry out a fire risk assessment and following the assessment, implement appropriate fire safety measures to minimise the risk to life.

A fire risk assessment is an inspection of a premises, what it is used for and who might use it, from a fire prevention perspective. The assessment looks at the potential risks and makes recommendations for improving fire safety precautions to keep people accessing the premises safe.

A fire risk assessment report, between 30 and 40 pages, providing comprehensive and clear findings which are easy to understand. The findings are summarised in an executive summary and any major concerns are listed separately. An action plan is provided to assist you in planning the implementation of any measures required. A level of risk is provided and the report satisfies regulatory requirements and is acceptable for insurance purposes. You will receive a fire safety policy, an emergency plan and a logbook to record the results of tests and maintenance on fire safety equipment.

No. The assessment is only one of the fire safety duties that are required to be complied with. However, if a comprehensive assessment is undertaken it will provide a sound starting point to you achieving compliancy.

No, but it is your responsibility to keep your assessment under review and continually comply with the rest of the regulations. However, if there are any changes made internally within the premises then it becomes a legal requirement to renew your fire risk assessment. We send out an annual reminder to all of our clients as a prompt to consider whether an updated fire risk assessment is appropriate.

There are likely to be a range of measures possible in individual premises, but our inspectors will be able to determine which will be the most appropriate and cost effective for you.

Probably. They are the enforcing authorities for the Regulations and are required to develop risk-based inspection regimes within their areas. However, they will give you notice and if required, we can liaise with them on your behalf.

In cases where a risk exists and it is not being managed, Fire Authorities have a statutory duty to enforce compliance with the Regulations and they may serve a notice on you. In serious cases, penalties of a fine of up to £5000 (for each offence) on summary conviction in a Magistrates Court. Or an unlimited fine, or up to two years imprisonment, or both on conviction or indictment in a Crown Court, can be issued. Fines up to £400,000 and prison sentences have been issued.