How Often is Fire Risk Assessment Due?

Fire related accidents inflict serious threats to businesses, properties and occupants. The impact of a fire at workplaces is so alarming that many businesses could never recover and ultimately had to wrap up. Besides the financial impact, fire incidents are equally dangerous for employees and visitors. Several fire incidents were reported in the UK in recent years, where people got injured and died. In the last year (2022), around 276 people died in fire-related accidents.

So, the gravity of fire accidents is something that cannot be ignored, especially in workplaces. The relevant authorities worldwide, including the UK are quite alert to the seriousness of fire accidents and have formulated rules and regulations to streamline and regulate the matter. Accordingly, the safety of people and properties has been made the legal responsibility of the property owners and managers or those in control of the property when it comes to fire-related accidents.

Relevant Law

Considering the increasing number of fire incidents, the UK Government enforced the fire safety law in 2005, commonly known as the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO), which was further amended in 2021. This law applies to all workplaces in United Kingdom, it is also applicable to buildings that have two or more residential premises. After an amendment to this law in 2021, known as the Fire Safety Act 2021, the outer walls, flat entrances and the structure of the building were brought into the ambit of the Fire Safety Order 2005.

As the relevant law provides, anyone in control of the property will be referred to as the “Responsible Person.” A responsible person may be the owner, the landlord or anyone assigned the duties of management or control of the building. Under this law, the responsible person has the legal duty to conduct a fire risk assessment on the property under his control.

Responsible Person

Although a very important duty of fire risk assessment has been assigned to the responsible person, the law is silent about his qualifications and experience. The law does not define who can be a responsible person. In fact, the fire risk assessment considerably varies for different properties, mainly depending on the size and type of the building.

The level of expertise for conducting a fire risk assessment on a small block of flats is quite different as compared to the huge business complex. That’s why it has been left at the discretion of the owner or landlord to decide who can be responsible for his property. However, the person assigned the duties of conducting fire risk assessment must have basic knowledge about the concept of fire safety in workplaces.

What is included in a Fire Risk Assessment?

A fire risk assessment is an important review of the building to see how vulnerable it is to a fire. So, it is an integral part of the overall management of a building, whether a workplace or a building comprising blocks of residential premises.

Fire risk assessment is a review of a property to see:

• What are the likelihoods of a fire eruption in the building?
• How likely is it to spread in the entire building?
• What may be the consequences of the fire once it starts?
• How can we minimize the possibility of a fire?
• What should be the plan of action to minimize the consequences of a fire if it starts anyhow?

A fire risk assessment would necessarily cover the following five major aspects:

1. Identify the fire hazards.
2. Identify the people at risk.
3. Evaluation of risks and suggest how to reduce their impact.
4. Record the findings and recommendations.
5. Train the people on how to avoid a fire and how to react if it happens.

The fire risk assessment would also include a review of the fire safety measures in place at the building under review. It may include fire safety signs, fire detecting devices and gadgets, emergency exit plans, and firefighting equipment such as fire extinguishers and sprinklers.

How Often is Fire Risk Assessment Due?

Again, the law is silent on when a fire risk assessment must be conducted. The law, however, requires the responsible person to conduct and review the fire assessment regularly. In other words, the onus is on the responsible person to decide when to do it, but it has to be done regularly.

So, generally, the fire risk assessment should be reviewed when:

1. The responsible person believes there is a valid reason to review it, such as a recent fire incident in any part of the building.
2. The responsible person feels that quite a considerable time has elapsed since the previous review.
3. The building has some major changes, such as repair and maintenance. Adding more offices, rooms, or lobbies in the building would also need a comprehensive review of the fire risk assessment.

Per the guidance of the firefighting department, a fire risk assessment should be done and reviewed as follows:

• Fire risk assessment is valid for one year. Hence, it needs to be reviewed at least once every 12 months. For low-rise buildings (up to three stories), a review can be done after 2 years, whereas for others, it has to be done once a year.
• After every three years, an entirely new and comprehensive fire risk assessment must be carried out, irrespective of the number of subsequent reviews done in between. Again, there’s a relaxation for the low-rise buildings. They can get it redone after four years. In any case, you need to redo the assessment not later than four years completely.

A review would become imperative under the following circumstances:

• When the purpose for which the building is being used changes, the responsible person must review the fire risk assessment. It may include a change of business or any change in operations of the current business. It may also include change or the addition of new technologies.
• There might be a structural alteration in the building at any stage. If that happens, the fire risk assessment must also be reviewed comprehensively. Any change in the layout of the building is also included in it.
• In the event of any partial or complete change in the employees or occupants of the building, a review of the fire risk assessment would be necessary. It may be fresh hiring or a change of roles of the current employees. It may also include a change in the seating arrangement of the employees. In any such event, the responsible person must conduct a review immediately.
• Sometimes, the local firefighting authorities may visit your premises and order to get the fire risk assessment reviewed or redone on a case-to-case basis. In such an event, you must get the review done and submit the compliance to them.

Hence, it largely depends on the responsible person to conduct a timely and regular fire risk assessment review.

Conclusion

Fire is one of the major threats to commercial, residential or industrial units. It can occur anytime, anywhere, with or without a visible or valid reason. It may happen as a result of an electric spark or a gas leak. Even a small flame can cause a major fire. That’s why authorities in different parts of the world, including the UK, have formulated various laws to control it.

According to the prevailing laws in the UK, it is the legal duty of the owners and landlords to ensure the safety of the occupants against possible fire. For this purpose, they are bound to carry out the fire risk assessment and get it reviewed regularly. So, if you are the one who controls the affairs of a building, it is your legal duty to get the review of fire risk assessment done regularly, whenever it is due. Don’t miss it.