Who Is Responsible for Completing Fire Risk Assessments?

In the event of a fire, not having the right fire safety equipment installed or a comprehensive evacuation plan in place could pose a serious threat to the safety of your staff, and the integrity of your business premises.

At Arundel Fire, Security and Electrical, our engineers and risk assessors are experts in fire safety and can recommend the best courses of action to ensure that your business premises are compliant with fire safety regulations, and that your employees are protected from the risk of fire.

What are the legal obligations?

To comply with fire safety regulations including the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO), all business premises must have a comprehensive fire risk assessment which highlights and mitigates any potential or existing hazards. It is the responsibility of the business owner, director, or manager to ensure that a fire risk assessment is in place, and to comply with this mandatory legislation, this assessment must be completed by what is referred to as a ‘competent individual’.

What is a ‘competent individual’?

According to the RRO, a ‘competent individual’ is described as the following:

“A person is to be regarded as competent for the purposes of this article where he has sufficient training and experience or knowledge and other qualities to enable him properly to assist in undertaking the preventive and protective measures.”

In most cases, businesses will choose an experienced fire risk assessment company such as Arundel to complete the fire risk assessment on their behalf. In doing so, the business can rest assured that all legal obligations are being met, and that the premises and staff are best protected from fire.

What should a fire risk assessment include?

All business premises must review the following annually:

• Current fire prevention measures (most significantly in relation to smoking, flammable substances, storage, machinery, and general housekeeping)
• How well you could communicate to those onsite in the event of a fire (fire alarms, signage, emergency lighting)
• Escape routes (fire evacuation plan, fire drills, special requirements for vulnerable staff)
• Fire suppression (fire extinguishers, fire doors)
• The level of awareness and training among your staff (fire training, fire drills, fire tests etc)

Each fire risk assessment is different based on the type of premises, how many people are on site, and the number of vulnerable people on site. Businesses should never attempt to use a ‘one size fits all’ fire risk assessment template, as it will likely not protect your premises and staff adequately and could leave you at risk of non-compliance.

Failure to complete a fire risk assessment and record your findings could not only lead to hefty fines but could also put your employees in danger. Trusting an experienced fire risk assessment expert like Arundel with your fire safety responsibilities provides peace of mind that your business is compliant.

With over 15 years of experience, Arundel provides our clients throughout West Sussex with assurance that their premises aligns with the latest fire safety standards.

If your business requires assistance implementing a fire risk assessment, please contact our friendly team via our contact form or alternatively call us today on01903 716445.