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| POLICY STATEMENT |
|---|
Our policy is to protect all persons including employees, customers, contractors and members of the public from potential injury and damage which might arise from fire at our premises.
We will provide and maintain safe and healthy working conditions, equipment and systems of work for all employees. We will provide all information, training and supervision required for this purpose.
This policy has been signed by a director to demonstrate our commitment to fire safety and to compliance with all legal requirements.
________________________________ Signed by for and on behalf of
Date: ___________________________ |
| THE PREMISES | |
|---|---|
| What are the Premises used for? | |
| Approximate area in m2 | m2 |
| Number of floors | |
| Number of floors below ground | N/A |
| Describe the Building's and construction | The Building comprises constructed in .
The Premises comprise the whole of the Building. |
| Level of fire risk | The Premises are considered to be risk in the event of fire. |
A PLAN OF THE PREMISES IS ATTACHED TO THIS FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT (THE PLAN). | |
| OCCUPIERS AND VISITORS | |
|---|---|
| What times are the Premises in use on weekdays? | to
|
| What times are the Premises in use at weekends? | N/A |
| Are there any occupiers out of working hours? | are likely to be at the Premises between and on the following days: |
| What is the maximum number of persons at the premises on weekdays? | |
| What is the maximum number of persons at the premises during the weekend? | N/A |
| Do any of the occupiers have mobility issues? If so, describe them. | N/A |
| FIRE HAZARDS AND CONTROL MEASURES SOURCES OF IGNITION | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Source of ignition | Location | Control measure(s) | Suitable? (Y/N) |
| Cooking facilities | N/A | Y/N | |
| Heaters | Office(s) | Y/N | |
| Electrical equipment (eg power sockets) | Office(s) | Y/N | |
| Lighting equipment | Office(s) | Y/N | |
| Smoking materials | N/A | Y/N | |
| Arson | Bin Store | Y/N | |
| Other sources | Y/N | ||
If you have answered NO in respect of any existing control measures, complete the details below. | |||
What needs to be done? | Who is responsible? | By when? | Sign and date when completed |
| SOURCES OF FUEL (WHAT MIGHT BURN?) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Source of fuel/oxygen | Location | Control measure(s) | Suitable? (Y/N) |
| Paper/cardboard etc | Office(s) | Paper is stored on shelving with no sources of ignition nearby. | Y/N |
| Furniture and fittings (eg curtains) | All | All soft furnishings are fire retardant. | Y/N |
| Electrical equipment | All | All electrical equipment PAT tested. | Y/N |
| Flammable liquids/gases (eg oils, solvents) | N/A | . | Y/N |
| Waste materials | All | Waste materials are stored in . | Y/N |
If you have answered NO in respect of any existing control measures, complete the details below. | |||
What needs to be done? | Who is responsible? | By when? | Sign and date when completed |
| WHO IS AT RISK? | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| What is the risk? | Location | Control measure(s) | Suitable? (Y/N) |
| People with disabilities (including mobility, hearing, vision impairment) | All | Y/N | |
| Staff working alone | Office(s) | Flexible working arrangements means that staff may sometimes be working alone. All staff have been trained in procedures applicable in the event of fire. | Y/N |
| Visitors unfamiliar with the Building | All | Visitors must be accompanied at all times by a member of staff. | Y/N |
| Contractors | All | Contractors must provide a method statement, sign in and sign out and be given instructions on what to do in the event of a fire. | Y/N |
If you have answered NO in respect of any existing control measures, complete the details below. | |||
What needs to be done? | Who is responsible? | By when? | Sign and date when completed |
| FIRE FIGHTING AND DETECTION | |
|---|---|
| Fire warning system | |
| Emergency lighting | Non-maintained |
| Other fire preventing methods | |
| Fire extinguishers, hose reels and fire blankets | As shown on the Plan. |
| Fire resisting construction to secure the means of escape | As shown on the Plan. |
| Fire escape routes and exits | As shown on the Plan. |
| PROCEDURES AND TRAINING | |
|---|---|
| How will people be warned if there is a fire? | |
| What should staff do if they discover a fire? | Staff should raise the alarm by. |
| What is the evacuation procedure? | The fire warden(s) will direct evacuation |
| Who are the fire wardens? | |
| Where should people assemble, and how will evacuation be checked? | The Assembly point is . The fire warden(s) will check names off on the staff register and visitors book |
| Have you provided instructions and training to staff? | Y/N |
| How often are fire drills carried out? | |
| FIRE SAFETY RECORDS | |
|---|---|
| Do you have records of fire drills, staff instruction and training? | |
| Where are those records kept? | N/A |
| Who is responsible for maintaining them? | N/A |
| EVALUATE, REMOVE, REDUCE AND PROTECT Evaluate your fire safety precautions. | |||
| Are possible ignition sources kept separate from combustible materials? | Y/N | ||
| Are possible ignition sources controlled to minimise the risk of fire? | Y/N | ||
| Would a fire be discovered quickly? | Y/N | ||
| Will everybody be warned of the fire immediately? | Y/N | ||
| Is escape possible in more than one direction? | Y/N | ||
| Can everyone escape (with or without assistance)? | Y/N | ||
| Are the exits easy to identify and reach? | Y/N | ||
| Are escape routes free from obstruction? | Y/N | ||
| Do fire escape doors open outwards? | Y/N | ||
| Are fire escape doors easy to open? | Y/N | ||
| Is the alarm system tested and maintained in accordance with the relevant British Standard? | Y/N | ||
| Is the emergency lighting system tested and maintained in accordance with the relevant British Standard? | Y/N | ||
| Are fire extinguishers tested and maintained in accordance with the relevant British Standard? | Y/N | ||
If you have answered NO in respect of any existing control measures, complete the details below. | |||
What needs to be done? | Who is responsible? | By when? | Sign and date when completed |
Date of next review:
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This Fire Risk Assessment template covers:
the business’ policy statement and general information
fire hazards identified at the premises
control measures currently in place at the premises
who is at risk
fire safety procedures and training
keeping fire safety records
The main purpose of a Fire Risk Assessment is to prevent fires, reduce risk, and ensure the safety of everybody who uses the premises or who is in its immediate vicinity. By carrying out a Fire Risk Assessment and implementing the steps identified in it, you not only comply with your legal obligations but also ensure the premises are safe.
In England and Wales, Fire Risk Assessments need to be carried out for commercial premises and common parts of residential buildings. In Scotland, Fire Risk Assessments must be carried out for most non-domestic premises. For more information, read Conducting a fire risk assessment.
You should use this Fire Risk Assessment template to create a new risk assessment (ie even if you already have one in place) if:
you haven’t updated your general risk assessments (including any Fire Risk Assessments) in a while and they may need reviewing
you need to update your Fire Risk Assessments to comply with new fire safety laws (eg to analyse fire safety in common parts of multi-occupied premises that must now be considered, following the Fire Safety Act 2021).
Read Conducting a fire risk assessment for more information.
Fire Risk Assessments are compulsory for certain premises. Any non-compliance can result in significant penalties. For more information, read Conducting a fire risk assessment.
A Fire Risk Assessment should be carried out by a ‘responsible person’. Responsible people can be employers, owners, landlords, occupiers, or anyone else who has control over a premise.
If the responsible person is not confident in their ability to perform a Fire Risk Assessment competently, they can arrange for a suitably qualified or experienced person (eg a professional fire risk assessor) to complete the assessment on their behalf (ie a ‘competent person’).
Where there is more than one responsible person, all responsible persons have to work together to meet their responsibilities.
The responsible person should follow certain key steps when using this template to perform a Fire Risk Assessment. These include identifying and controlling risks and regularly reviewing Risk Assessments.
There are specific criteria for what needs to be taken into account when doing a Fire Risk Assessment (including which parts of premises must be analysed).
For more information, read Conducting a fire risk assessment.
Note that, if your business employs more than 5 people, you must keep a written record of your Fire Risk Assessments.
A fire hazard is anything that could ignite a fire or assist/accelerate the spread of a fire. When assessing the severity of a fire hazard, you should consider:
the likelihood of a fire occurring, and
the significance of the consequences of that fire (eg do lots of people live in the building, in a high-density area? Or, is it an industrial warehouse building in an isolated area?)
Risks can be reduced by various methods, including good housekeeping, property maintenance, specially designed machinery, strong emergency procedures and storage of equipment away from risks.
A Fire Risk Assessment must be regularly reviewed. It should be reviewed as soon as possible if there is a reason to suspect that it is no longer valid. A Fire Risk Assessment may no longer be valid if, for example:
there are sufficient changes to the layout of a building
there are sufficient changes to the number of people who use a space
the assessment does not meet newly introduced legal requirements (read Conducting a fire risk assessment for more information)
Making a Fire Risk Assessments online is simple. Just answer a few questions and Rocket Lawyer will build your document for you. When you have all of the details prepared in advance, making your document is a quick and easy process.
To make your Fire Risk Assessments you will need the following information:
Party details
The business’ details (including its legal structure, name and address). This should be an entity in control of the premises (eg an owner or occupier).
The details of the person signing the Fire Risk Assessment on behalf of the business.
The details of the person carrying out the Fire Risk Assessment (ie the ‘assessor’). For example, the responsible person or a ‘competent person’.
The responsible person’s details.
Premises details
What is the property used for?
What is the area of the property in square metres?
How many floors does the property have?
Is the property’s risk level low, medium or high?
What do the premises comprise? Is it a whole building or part of a building only?
In what year was the property built?
Does the property have internal stairways protected by fire-resisting walls, partitions and self-closing fire doors?
If so, how many internal stairways are there?
Are there any floors below the ground level?
If so, how many floors are there below the ground level?
Use of the premises
Between what times is the property in use on weekdays?
Is the property used on weekends?
If so, between what times?
Is there anyone at the property outside of working hours? If so:
Who is at the property outside of working hours (eg security personnel)?
Between what times are these people likely to be at the property?
On what days are these people likely to be at the property?
What is the maximum number of people at the property on weekdays?
What is the maximum number of people at the property on weekends?
Do any of the occupiers have mobility issues?
If so, what are the mobility issues?
Which control or assistance measures are in place for people with disabilities?
Sources of ignition
Does the property have cooking facilities?
Does the property have a designated smoking area?
Are there any other sources of ignition?
If so, what are they?
Storage and testing
Are paper or cardboard kept in store rooms?
Is all electrical equipment Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) tested annually?
How are waste materials stored?
Are any flammable liquids or gases used on the property? If so:
Where are they stored?
Are they all kept in a locked storage cabinet and, if not, how are they stored?
Alarms and drills
Are electric fire alarms and/or smoke detectors used on the property?
If electric fire alarms are used, do they meet BS 5839?
Is the emergency lighting in the property maintained?
Are other fire prevention methods used?
If so, what methods are used?
How will people be warned if there is a fire?
How often are fire drills carried out?
In case of fire, where are people on the property required to assemble?
Who is the fire warden?
Are records of fire drills, staff instruction and training kept? If so:
Where are these records kept?
Has a person been appointed to maintain the records and, if so, what is their name?
Review
What is the date of the next review of your Fire Risk Assessment?
By carrying out a Fire Risk Assessment you ensure the safety of everyone using your premises and work towards complying with your legal obligations. Fire Risk Assessments are used to structure and record the fire safety risks of your premises and how you plan to minimise and control them. To do this, Fire Risk Assessments typically include sections on:
A policy statement
This section outlines the business’ policy to protect everyone from injury and damage that might arise from a fire at the premises and briefly explains how this is done.
To demonstrate the business’ commitment to fire safety and to compliance with all legal requirements, this policy statement is signed by someone high-ranking within the business (eg a director).
General information
This outlines general details in relation to the business (ie its name), the premises (ie the address), the responsible person, the assessor (ie the person who will carry out the Fire Risk Assessment) and the assessment itself (ie the date of the assessment).
This section also includes a space to record the date on which the completed Fire Risk Assessment is reviewed together with the responsible person.
The premises
This table sets out details of the premises, including but not limited to:
what they are used for
the approximate area in m2
the number of floors
the risk level of the property (low, medium or high) in case of a fire
Occupiers and visitors
This table sets out details in relation to any occupiers and visitors to the premises. This includes, but is not limited to:
the times the premises are used during the week
the times, if any, that the premises are used on weekends
the maximum number of people at the premises during the week
if applicable, the maximum number of people at the premises on weekends
Fire hazards, control measures and sources of ignition
This table sets out various sources of ignition (eg cooking facilities, heaters and arson) and where they are located (eg in kitchens or offices). When the assessment of the premises is carried out, this table must be completed with the control measures for each source of ignition (ie what steps are currently taken to minimise the risk of fire from the source of ignition in question). The table must also record whether the control measures are suitable or not.
If any control measures aren’t suitable, this table should also set out:
what further steps must be taken (ie what additional measures must be implemented to control the risk from the source of ignition)
who is responsible for these further steps
by when the further steps must be taken
Once further steps have been taken, the person responsible for the further steps must sign and date the relevant section.
Sources of fuel (what might burn?)
This table sets out various sources of fuel (eg paper, furniture and electrical equipment), where they are located (eg in offices or throughout the premises) and the control measures currently used for each fuel source (eg that paper is stored on shelving with no sources of ignition nearby and that all soft furniture is fire retardant).
The table must also record whether the control measures are suitable or not. If any control measures aren’t suitable, this table should also set out:
what further steps must be taken (ie what additional measures must be implemented to control the risk from the fuel source)
who is responsible for these further steps
by when the further steps must be taken
Once further steps have been taken, the person responsible for the further steps must sign and date the relevant section.
Who is at risk?
This table sets out various types of people who are at risk if there is a fire on the premises (eg people with disabilities, staff working alone and contractors) and where they are located (eg in offices or throughout the premises).
The table also sets out the control measures currently used to reduce the risk of fire to each type of person on the premises (eg all exits are provided with suitable ramps for wheelchair users and all staff are trained in procedures applicable in the event of fire). It must then be determined and recorded whether or not each control measure is suitable.
If any control measures aren’t suitable, this table should also set out:
what further steps must be taken (ie what additional measures must be implemented to control the risks posed to the relevant category of people)
who is responsible for these further steps
by when the further steps must be taken
Once further steps have been taken, the person responsible for the further steps must sign and date the relevant section.
Firefighting and detection
This table sets out details relating to firefighting and fire detection. This includes, but is not limited to:
the types of fire alarms used throughout the premises
whether emergency lighting is maintained
if other fire prevention methods are in place
Procedures and training
This table sets out details relating to fire safety procedures and fire safety training. This includes, but is not limited to:
how people will be warned in the event of a fire
who the fire wardens are
how often fire drills are carried out
evacuation procedures
Fire safety records
This table sets out details relating to the keeping of fire safety records, including:
whether records of fire drills, staff instruction and training are kept
if so, where those records are kept and who is responsible for maintaining them
Evaluate, remove, reduce and protect
This table is used to evaluate the fire safety precautions. The person completing the Fire Risk Assessment should consider the questions asked in the table (eg whether possible ignition sources are kept separate from combustible materials, whether fire escape doors are easy to open, and whether a fire would be discovered quickly) and determine whether the answer is ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
If the answer to any question is ‘no’, the table needs to set out what needs to be done, by whom and by what date to remedy this. Once such further steps have been taken, the person responsible for them must sign and date the relevant section.
Understand the fire risks related to your specific business type
Depending on your business type and industry, you may be subject to additional fire safety risks. Before completing your Fire Risk Assessment, you should familiarise yourself with the relevant Government guidance. The Government has guides available for the following types of businesses:
small and medium places of assembly (holding less than 300 people)
large places of assembly (holding more than 300 people)
Remember that assessing the risk level of premises is an ongoing process
Identifying and dealing with risk is an ongoing process, so remember to keep your Fire Risk Assessment up to date. It is not wrong or unlawful to answer ‘no’ to the questions asked during the step by step interview. However, if answers reveal a hazard or a risk that should be addressed, you must decide on, record and carry out the necessary steps. Similarly, you should ensure that you regularly review your Fire Risk Assessment at reasonable intervals.
Understand when to seek advice from a lawyer
Ask a lawyer for advice if you:
have received an enforcement notice from the fire and rescue authority
aren’t sure whether you need to carry out a Fire Risk Assessment
aren’t sure if your Fire Risk Assessments are up to date with recent legal developments
