In our most recent eBook - A Guide to Life Safety Systems we look at the regulations around fire safety systems and best practices with regard to their maintenance to ensure your building remains compliant. Your buildings’ fire risk assessment (FRA) forms the basis of the systems that are present and how often they should be serviced and maintained.

To decide what is necessary for your building, the key is for the Responsible Person to work through their FRA. This is a strict legal requirement and must be undertaken. Often, if there is not an assessment in place, the buildings insurance could be null and void and could potentially attract enforcement action.

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Fire risk assessments should include:

The FRA should be suitable to the premises and processes undertaken at the premises and be sufficiently well completed. There are a number of registers for fire risk assessors, JCW follow the PAS 79 Fire Risk Assessment, guidance and methodology from BSI along with the governments guidance for FRA’s that is applicable to the type and use of the premises.

When preparing an FRA the terms ‘hazard’ and ‘risk’ are used throughout the document, it is important to have a clear understanding of how these should be used.

Hazard: anything that has the potential to cause harm.

Risk: a combination of the chance of harm and the reasonable potential severity from that harm.

The guidance states the following should be included in a fire risk assessment:

Fire Safety Services

Regular maintenance of your fire safety systems is paramount in ensuring the safety of your buildings occupants and remaining compliant. We can provide fire safety services nationally to ensure you meet your regulatory requirements.

Identify the fire hazards.
Identify people at risk.
Evaluate, remove or reduce the risks.
Record findings, prepare an emergency plan and provide training.
Review and update the fire risk assessment regularly.

The Responsible Person will also need to consider:

Emergency routes and exits.
Fire detection and warning systems.
Fire fighting equipment.
The removal or safe storage of dangerous substances.
An emergency fire evacuation plan.
The needs of vulnerable people, for example the elderly, young children or those with disabilities.
Providing information to employees and other people on the premises.
Staff fire safety training.

If you require assistance with your FRA and would like to appoint a competent person to complete one for you, get in contact with us, we can complete a professional risk assessment of your premises.

The governments guidance can be found here.

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