Did you know that around 22,000 workplace fires occur each year in the UK?
If you are responsible for a building as an employer, landlord or occupier, carrying out a Fire Risk Assessment is crucial. Not only does it save lives and fulfil legal obligations, but it also makes good business sense.
According to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, it is a legal requirement to conduct and maintain a fire risk assessment and they are generally carried out in five key steps:
- Identify fire hazards.
- Identify the people at risk.
- Evaluate, remove or reduce the risks.
- Record findings, prepare an emergency plan and provide training.
- Review and update the fire risk assessment regularly.
Unfortunately, fire risk assessments are often overlooked, which can lead to buildings being exposed unnecessarily to fire risk, sometimes with the potential for loss of life.
If there is a fire and you haven't met your legal duties to keep people safe, you could be fined and may even spend time in prison.
Who Can Carry out a Fire Risk Assessment?
According to legal standards, a Fire Risk Assessment can be performed by a "competent person” i.e. someone who can conduct the assessment and is adept at evaluating your premises against all relevant factors.
They should be able to:
- Document all significant findings comprehensively and clearly.
- Formulate a fire safety action plan if necessary and document the steps required.
- Execute the action plan if it becomes necessary.
- Keep the fire risk assessment updated on a regular basis.
For anything beyond the most straightforward premises, it is highly recommended to engage a professional Fire Risk Assessor. These experts undergo extensive training and are well-versed in the latest legal requirements and guidelines, including their application to various types of buildings.
At Jackson Fire & Security, our fire risk assessments are designed to analyse the potential fire risk and its spread within your commercial, public or private property.
Not only do we ensure compliance with legal obligations but we also ensure thorough understanding of the assessment and recommendations provided.
Our expert fire risk assessors, all members of the Institute of Fire Engineers, use iPad-based assessment tools to deliver precise reports in a user-friendly format.
Whether you own a single property or multiple properties, we offer safety solutions to help you meet your short or long-term goals.
Contact us today.