All business premises and every block of flats must have a Fire Risk Assessment by law.
Not everyone understands this important fire safety measure.

We are often asked the question ‘what is a Fire Risk Assessment?’. The fact is, your Fire Risk Assessment should be the cornerstone of your fire safety plans for your specific building.

Unfortunately, assessments are often overlooked, which can lead to buildings being exposed unnecessarily to fire risk, sometimes with the potential for loss of life.

You can read more about Fire Risk Assessments below, or otherwise please get in touch with our expert team if you would like to discuss the specific requirements for your building.
 

What gets reviewed?

Fire Risk Assessments should be comprehensive and take into account many different fire risk factors.

The level of detail in an individual review will depend to a large extent on the complexity of the building. For example, a ‘single-compartment’ building, such as a small shop or kiosk, will have far less to review than a large office block, or even a block of flats.

Whilst every assessment is different, the assessor should be checking the following fire risk and fire prevention factors as a matter of course:

1. The use, layout, and construction of the building
2. The number and nature of occupants, including any vulnerable occupants
3. Whether there is any history of fire loss in the building
4. Electrical equipment on site which could be a source of ignition
5. Smoking areas and measures taken to prevent smoking causing fires
6. Defence against arson
7. Portable and installed heating devices which may trigger fires
8. Protection against fires caused by lightning
9. General housekeeping & keeping key areas clear of combustible materials
10. Any fire hazards introduced by building works or outside contractors
11. The storage arrangements for any dangerous/flammable liquids
12. The configuration of escape routes and how they are maintained
13. Measures in place to limit fire spread, such as compartmentalisation
14. That emergency lighting is installed correctly & is in working order
15. The correct use and locations of fire safety signs
16. There is adequate means of raising the alarm in case of fire (see our blog article: ‘do I need a fire alarm‘)
17. The right fire extinguishers are in the right locations (see our blog article: ‘‘fire extinguisher regulations‘)
18. The correct installation and maintenance of other devices, such as sprinklers
19. Who manages fire safety for the building, and how well
20. Whether there is regular fire safety training & evacuation drills
21. Correct maintenance and testing procedures of fire safety systems are in place
22. That correct documentation and records of fire safety measures are being kept 

Contact us :Compliance@karfm.co.uk 

We will offer free adadvice and call for conversation 0151 3081830