Who Is Responsible For Completing A Fire Risk Assessment?

A fire risk assessment is a structured review of the premises, the activities carried out there, the people who may be at risk, and the measures needed to reduce the chance of fire and support safe escape.

It should look at ignition sources, fuel sources, people at risk, detection and warning, escape routes, emergency lighting, fire doors, extinguishers, management arrangements, training, and maintenance. A useful assessment should lead to practical action, not just a document on a shelf.

In business and other non-domestic premises, fire safety responsibility usually sits with the responsible person. This can be an employer, owner, landlord, occupier, managing agent, facilities manager, or anyone else with control of the premises.

Where more than one person has control, the responsible people need to cooperate and coordinate. That becomes especially important in shared or mixed-use buildings where one part of the building can affect another.

Competence is more than confidence. A competent assessor needs enough training, knowledge, and practical experience to understand the building, the people at risk, the fire protection measures, and the limits of their own expertise.

For simple, low-risk premises, a knowledgeable responsible person may be able to carry out the assessment. For more complex premises, sleeping risk, vulnerable occupants, mixed-use buildings, or uncertainty about standards, professional support is usually the safer route.

You can only sensibly complete a fire risk assessment yourself if you are genuinely competent to do so. The issue is not whether a form can be filled in; it is whether the person completing it can spot what matters and judge whether existing measures are suitable.

A poor assessment can create false reassurance. If important risks are missed, the business may still be exposed even though a document exists.

Article 9 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires the responsible person to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of fire risks. The assessment must be reviewed and kept up to date.

If a business ignores this duty, it may face enforcement action and, more importantly, may leave people exposed to avoidable risk. The assessment is the starting point for deciding what precautions, servicing, training, and records are needed.

The cost of a fire risk assessment depends on the size and complexity of the premises, the use of the building, the number of occupants, and whether specialist issues are involved.

A good assessment should be proportionate. It should give clear findings, practical priorities, and enough explanation that the responsible person understands what needs to happen next.