Fire safety law in England and Wales puts the duty on one role: the responsible person. If that is you, you must make sure a fire risk assessment is carried out and kept up to date. Many people hold the role without realising it.
Who is the fire risk assessment responsible person?
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, it is:
- the employer, where the premises are a workplace under their control
- otherwise, the person who has control of the premises, such as the occupier or managing agent
- or the owner, for example where a building is empty.
Shared buildings
In a shared building there is usually more than one responsible person. Each tenant is responsible for their own unit, and the landlord or managing agent is responsible for the common parts, such as stairs, corridors and a shared alarm system. The law expects you to co-operate and share what your assessments find.
What the responsible person must do
- Carry out a fire risk assessment and review it regularly.
- Record the assessment in full, in writing. Since October 2023 this applies to every business, whatever its size.
- Put right the risks it finds.
- Provide and maintain fire alarms, emergency lighting, escape routes and extinguishers suited to the building.
- Have an emergency plan and train staff.
Can you do the assessment yourself?
You can, if you have the knowledge and experience to do it properly. If you ask someone else to do it, choose a competent assessor, and remember that the responsibility stays with you. For anything beyond a small, simple premises, most people use a trained assessor.
What happens if it is not done?
Fire and rescue authorities enforce the law. They can issue notices that require work or restrict the use of a building, and serious failures can lead to prosecution and unlimited fines.
When to review it
The law does not set a fixed interval. Review it regularly, and straight away if the building, the way you use it or the people in it change. Many businesses review it every year.
We carry out and review fire risk assessments across Essex and London. To see where you stand first, take the 5-step fire safety check.