It’s crucial to take every precaution to lessen the chance of fire if you’re in charge of a building in order to keep people safe. It’s your responsibility under the law, it saves lives, and it’s good business.
What is a Fire Risk Assessment? Why should you do it?
A thorough examination of your premises and the people from the standpoint of fire prevention. In order to keep people safe, it’s important to recognize the potential threats and then improve your fire safety measures. It is legally required to conduct a fire risk assessment. If you are in charge of a structure, such as an employer, owner, or occupant of property that isn’t a “single private dwelling” (a private residence), you must ensure that a competent individual completes a fire risk assessment. It is your responsibility to detect any fire risks or hazards on your property and take the necessary precautions.
Additionally, you must have a written record of your fire risk assessment if you employ five or more people at your location or if your company is licensed under active law. Make careful to routinely examine your risk assessment, and anytime material changes occur that could affect it. Businesses frequently don’t recover after a fire, and successful fire prevention begins with a thorough grasp of the fire risk responsibilities. It’s great business sense as well as a legal necessity.
Who Is Responsible For Finishing A Fire Risk Assessment?
According to the UK Government website, you are in charge of maintaining fire safety in commercial or other non-domestic buildings if you are any of the following:
- an employer
- the owner
- the landlord
- an occupier
- anyone else in charge of the building, for example, a building manager, facilities manager, managing agent, or risk assessor
In a building used for non-domestic purposes or in a business, someone may be in charge of fire safety. For instance, the responsibility for fire safety falls on the employer. A fire risk responsibility must be finished by a firm owner as well. In addition to an occupier, landlords are also accountable.
If someone is in charge of the premises, they are the ones who must do the evaluation. This could be the facility manager or the building manager. Both a managing agent and a risk assessor are capable of becoming accountable. Additionally, if you have shared facilities, a fire risk assessment may be completed by a number of persons. Additionally, a fire risk check must be finished by anyone who runs a business with paying customers. Bed and breakfast or guesthouse owners are a few examples of this. The same holds true for different kinds of self-catering houses.
The accountable party should review and schedule fire risk checks. After an examination, they must make sure that fire safety precautions are put in place. We at Landlords Checks are prepared to provide complete evaluations of fire risk to all responsible parties. With the aid of our Fire Risk Assessment Service, our knowledgeable advisors can offer realistic and affordable advice to assist your company or organization in complying with The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
What Does a Fire Risk Assessment Include?
When doing the assessment, there are five essential steps:
- Determine the dangers of fire
- Find those who are at risk
- Analyze, eliminate, or lower the hazards.
- Create a report on your findings, an emergency plan, and training
- Regularly review and update the fire risk assessment.
A fire risk assessment typically involves five processes, the first of which is identifying any potential fire threats. This can apply to combustible substances and chemicals. Identifying those who are at risk, such as those who directly interact with those possible fire threats, is the second step.
An emergency plan, which has already been discussed, must also be included in the assessment. Where staff or employees should leave in the case of a fire should be included in the emergency plan. A meeting place, the positions of the evacuation doors, and what to do if they are blocked by the fire or otherwise obstructed should all be included in the plan.
It is crucial to finish a fire risk assessment, and the individual in charge must follow all governmental regulations and execute them correctly.
What should you do as the responsible person?
You must perform the following as the person in charge, or you must have a capable person perform it for you:
- Identify and note potential sources of ignition and fuels for fires.
- Identify and note those who are in danger.
The accountable party is required to regularly review the building and conduct assessments offire risk responsibilities. The risks must be explained to employees and representatives, and fire safety procedures must be followed. These safety precautions must be kept up to date because you are responsible. Additionally, it’s important to keep an emergency plan in place. In addition, staff members ought to obtain fire safety instructions. The bottom line is that staff members need to receive proper training and be made aware of the dangers identified during the evaluation.
The best course of action is for the responsible party to hire a reputable and skilled fire risk assessor to carry out this crucial work if they lack the confidence to conduct a fire risk assessment that is “appropriate and sufficient” in accordance with the Fire Safety Order’s standards.
