• Who is responsible for completing a fire risk assessment?
• Is it mandatory to have a fire risk assessment?
• What businesses need a fire risk assessment? 
• Can I write my own fire risk assessment?

The current fire safety legislation (The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 [hyperlink to legislation], requires all business premises and residential flats (communal areas) get a Fire Risk Assessment. 

A written fire risk assessment is needed even if you have no employees or regardless of your size of business.

Fire Risk Assessments are required for all non-domestic properties, including public and commercial premises, such as schools, warehouses, factories, licensed premises, nursing homes, care homes, offices, retail outlets, licensed premises, and businesses that provide sleeping accommodation. 

It also applies to sheltered housing and the communal areas of blocks of flats and houses in multiple occupations (HMOs).

Compliance is mandatory if you fit in any of the below categories:

• An employer or self-employed with business premises
• A landlord responsible for business premises
• A landlord of a house of multiple occupancy (HMO)
• Premises providing accommodation for paying guests
• Premises open to the public and consumers
• Charities, churches, and voluntary organisations
• Educational buildings, nurseries, schools, colleges
• Medical facilities and care homes
• Contractors responsible for all or parts of buildings
• Residential property with a communal or shared area

Yes, a Fire Risk Assessment is a legal requirement. If you are responsible for a building, for example you are employer, owner or occupier of premises that aren’t a ‘single private dwelling’ (a private home), you need to make sure a suitably competent person completes a Fire Risk Assessment.

Yes, you can do the fire risk assessment yourself with the help of standard fire safety risk assessment guidelines. It acts as a legal document, if you do not have the expertise or time to do the fire risk assessment yourself you need to appoint a ‘competent person’ to help, for example a professional risk assessor.