Who Needs A Fire Risk Assessment?

Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the responsible person for a premises is required to carry out a fire risk assessment. Our assessments identify fire hazards, evaluate the risks, and provide clear recommendations to reduce the risk to an acceptable level.

We carry out fire risk assessments for a wide range of premises including commercial offices, residential blocks of flats, HMOs, care homes, schools, hotels, and industrial premises. Our assessors are experienced, qualified fire safety professionals who understand the practical challenges of fire risk management.

Common findings in our fire risk assessments include inadequate compartmentation, missing or damaged fire doors, deficient emergency lighting, poor housekeeping in escape routes, and insufficient fire detection. We provide clear, prioritised action plans with realistic timescales to help responsible persons address identified deficiencies.

Beyond the initial assessment, we offer ongoing fire risk management services to ensure your premises remain compliant. This includes regular reviews, action plan management, and support with implementing fire safety improvements.

Fire risk assessments should be reviewed regularly, typically annually for higher-risk premises and at least every three years for lower-risk premises. Reviews should also be triggered by significant changes to the building, its use, or the people who use it.

The type of assessment required depends on the building type, its occupancy, and the specific concerns that need to be addressed. Type 1 assessments are the most common and cover the common parts of residential buildings. Types 2, 3, and 4 involve progressively more detailed inspection including destructive investigation of construction elements and assessment of individual flats.

Premises where people sleep, including hotels, hostels, care homes, hospitals, and residential buildings, present elevated fire risks due to the delayed response times of sleeping occupants. Our sleeping risk assessments address these specific challenges with tailored methodologies.

We assess the adequacy of fire detection and alarm systems for sleeping risks, evacuation strategy suitability (simultaneous vs. phased vs. progressive horizontal), compartmentation between sleeping areas, and the provision of refuge areas for those who cannot self-evacuate. Our assessments comply with the latest fire safety guidance for sleeping accommodations.

Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) present unique fire safety challenges due to shared escape routes, multiple cooking facilities, and varied occupancy patterns. Our HMO fire risk assessments are tailored to address these specific risks and help landlords comply with their legal obligations under both the RRO and housing legislation.

We assess fire detection and alarm provision against the LACORS guidance, evaluate escape route adequacy, check compartmentation between lettings, and review fire door provision. Our reports include clear, practical recommendations that help landlords achieve compliance without excessive cost.

Our fire safety audits provide a comprehensive review of your organisation's fire safety management systems, going beyond the physical fire risk assessment to evaluate policies, procedures, training, maintenance, and record-keeping.

Fire safety audits are particularly valuable for organisations with multiple premises, complex management structures, or those who have received enforcement action from the fire service. Our audits identify systemic weaknesses and provide strategic recommendations to improve fire safety performance across your entire property portfolio.