If you’re a landlord with houses of multiple occupancy (HMO’s) or you have any type of business or organisation with more than five staff or members of the public on the premises, then fire risk assessments are compulsory by law. The Regulatory Reform Act of 2005 was set up by the government in order to make business premises safer for the people working in them and, as such, every premises needs to be assessed by competent fire risk assessors to ensure it is as safe as possible.

A fire risk assessment can really help you and your business, as it is there to identify any risks and help you manage potential hazards for the benefit of yourself, your staff and the general public. Obviously, without a fire risk assessment taking place regularly you will be unaware of any prospective risks within your premises – this could ultimately affect your business, as well as the health and safety of the people who are working in it. Fire risk assessments, therefore, are not only a legal requirement, but they are designed to put your mind at ease.

To carry out an assessment, professional fire risk assessors will visit your premises and usually take two to three hours, dependent upon the size of the business. When the assessment has been completed the risk assessors will then compile a detailed report which will be an insurance approved document – this document will outline any recommendations for change and/or improvement.

The risk assessors will want to meet the ‘responsible person’ on the premises. This is the person who has been appointed to monitor compliance with fire safety standards. Again, it is a legal requirement that every business appoints a ‘responsible person’ so if you don’t have one, you should organise this immediately. During the fire risk assessment, the assessors will take some time to talk with the responsible person and walk around every area of your premises in order to understand how the business works and look at all of the safety aspects and requirements in detail. Read the rest of this entry »