Harrogate Fire Risk Assessment Service
Controlling fire risks is an important part of managing a property. In order to protect against the risks of fire, the first step is to identify these risks. This is where the fire risk assessment comes in.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (commonly known simply as the Fire Safety Order) introduced a legal duty for ‘the responsible person’ to take all reasonable steps to ensure that fire safety levels are suitable at all times. The segment within the legislation focusing on fire risk assessments opens with the following:
Risk assessment
9.—(1) The responsible person must make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to which relevant persons are exposed. This is for the purpose of identifying the general fire precautions he needs to take to comply with the requirements and prohibitions imposed on him by or under this Order.
This legislation applies to all non-domestic properties including commercial and public premises, such as shops, factories, warehouses and offices. It also applies to schools, nursing homes, and businesses providing sleeping accommodation. Likewise, it applies to sheltered housing and the communal areas of blocks of flats and houses in multiple occupation (HMOs). However, it does not apply to the individual dwellings within the HMO.
Legal Duties
For businesses employing five or more employees, there is a legal requirement to carry out a fire risk assessment. Additionally, the findings must be documented in writing. Fire Risk Assessments can be carried out by the organisation or business affected. There are official fire risk assessment help guides available, for free from various sources.
If you have doubts about your ability to conduct an FRA, you must engage the services of a professional fire risk assessor. This ensures you comply with all relevant regulations.
Areas that need to be considered in almost all fire risk assessments are fire detection systems, emergency exits and routes (including evacuation plans), firefighting equipment and information and advice to the building’s occupants.
Issues such as the specific needs of vulnerable people and the storage of any dangerous substances must also be considered.
Any changes to the occupancy or activities within premises must be reflected in the fire risk assessment. This means the document must be reviewed regularly and updated if needed.
Our fire risk assessors are based in Leeds and Bradford. They can perform a range of fire safety duties such as: fire risk assessments, fire extinguisher servicing and supply, fire door inspections and PAT Testing.