Fire Risk Assessments: Explained

How familiar are you with the term ‘Fire Risk Assessment’? If the answer is “not very” then don’t worry, you’re in the right place. In this blog, we will explain everything you need to know about fire risk assessments so that you can be confident in the knowledge that your staff are safe and sound. 

How important is a Fire Risk Assessment?

In short, fire risk assessments are very very important. In fact, they are essential to ensuring that your business is fully prepared for a fire and that it has all the necessary precautions in place. 

Without a fire risk assessment, your employees are at risk and so is your business. This is because the repair costs for businesses after a fire are so significant that it is estimated that between 60-80% of businesses never recover from it. 

It’s also important to remember that it is also the law and legal penalties may be put in place if your business does not have a completed fire risk assessment on site. In some cases, this can even result in two years in prison. 

Can the assessment be done for free?

Yes, a business may choose to opt for self-assessment, this means that a fully trained member of the team can carry out and regularly review a fire risk assessment of the premises themselves. This person must possess the knowledge, experience and training necessary to be able to recognise the fire risks in the workplace and know how to remove, reduce or mitigate them. 

However, if your business does choose to go down this route, you must keep a written record of your fire risk assessment if your business has 5 or more people.

How much does a third-party company assessor charge?

If you don’t have such a person working for you, or if you don’t have the time to carry out the fire risk assessment yourself, you must hire a professional risk assessor to carry out the fire risk assessment for your business, but how much will this cost you?

Well, most experienced and qualified auditors carry out fire risk assessment reports for a fixed price. However, this price will vary depending on the size of your premises, so, you could be quoted anything from £200 to £2,000+.   

How long does a fire risk assessment take to complete?

Unfortunately, there is no short answer to this because the time it takes to complete a fire risk assessment depends upon the size of your premises and the nature of the business. So, for example, businesses that work with combustible materials or flammable substances will take longer to review. 

When should a Fire Risk Assessment be reviewed?

A fire risk assessment must be reviewed every 12 months, or, whenever material changes have been made to your building, your business’s activities or your occupation. This is to see if recommendations have been actioned or to assess whether there are any new issues with the building, equipment or staff. It is also important to note that a brand new Fire Risk Assessment must be carried out every five years.

If your business is in need of a fire risk assessment, visit our fire risk assessment page or make an enquiry to find out how Fire Stoppers could help you. Alternatively, to learn more about how to keep your business and employees safe, browse our other blogs here.