Fire Safety Risk Assessment Five-Step Checklist

A workplace fire safety risk assessment should help you locate and identify all the fire risks and hazards in and around the premises so that you can take the necessary measures to prevent fires incidents at work. In this article, we will look at the five steps to a fire safety risk assessment and offer an easy-to-follow fire risk assessment checklist to follow if you are looking to complete the assessment in-house.

The Five-Step of Fire Safety Risk Assessment

As mentioned above, the fire safety risk assessments have five distinct steps, use this simplified checklist to help guide you through the necessary checks.

Step 1 – Identify Every Person At Risk

  • Who is at risk?
  • Why are they at risk? The reasons – employees, guests, physical disabilities etc.

Step 2 – Identifying the Fire Hazards

  • What are (all) potential fuel sources?
  • What are (all) potential sources of ignition?
  • Have all potential sources of oxygen been identified?

Step 3 – Evaluating the Risk

Have you employed adequate fire safety methods?

  • Have employees received appropriate, up-to-date fire safety training and instructions?
  • Are fire drills conducted regularly?
  • Do employees understand what is expected of them in reducing the risk of fire?
  • Have steps been taken to reduce the fire triangle: sources of fuel, ignition or excessive oxygen supply?
  • Have problems with fire drills been identified and rectified?
  • Has the risk posed to people within the premises been evaluated and reduced?
  • Are people who use the premises – such as employees and guests – aware of the fire emergency evacuation plan (FEEP)?

Fire alarms systems suitability (as per BS EN54):

  • Can warnings be heard clearly and understood by everyone on the premises?
  • Have emergency fire action plans been drawn up?
  • Are existing means of fire detection and alert adequate to discover and alarm fires enough for occupants to evacuate quickly, safely and efficiently?
  • Where fire-detection equipment is powered by mains electricity, is backup power available in the event of a blackout?
  • Are means of fire detection in the best location and of the right type?

Fire extinguishers suitability:

  • Do your fire extinguishers have good placement, are they clearly visible and indicated by signs?
  • Do your employees have adequate fire extinguisher training?
  • Does the premises have suitable fire extinguisher types on-site for the most common types of fire that may occur as a result of processes or materials unique to your business?
  • Are enough fire extinguishers present on the premises?

Escape routes:

  • Has the potential for fire, smoke and heat travelling uncontrollably throughout the building been identified and rectified, such as through the use of fire doors?
  • Will everybody be able to use fire escape routes safely and quickly?
  • Are fire exits in the right place and signposted consistently via practical routes and visible signs?
  • Can all exit doors be easily opened in case of an emergency?
  • Are employees aware of the practical importance of maintaining the usability of escape routes and fire doors?
  • Are existing escape routes adequate for the variables and numbers of your employees and guests?
  • Are fire exits and fire doors always kept unobstructed and clear at all times?
  • In case of a fire, would all exits be affected or will one route always be available?

Lighting for escape routes:

  • Is backup power available for escape route lighting, in case of a power outage?
  • Is every escape route illuminated by suitable, adequate lighting?

Signs:

  • Are all escape routes and exits clearly indicated by appropriate signage?
  • Are signs up-to-date and maintained in relation to information of the relevant fire and rescue services and other relevant fire safety information?
  • Are all signs and notices maintained so that they are legible and correct?
  • Are signs and notices adequate to giving information on how to operate fire safety devices and equipment, such as fire doors?

Testing and Maintenance:

Step 4 – Recording of Findings

It is crucial that you record the findings of your fire safety risk assessment.

  • Have findings of significance been recorded?
  • Is the enforcing authority able to inspect records if necessary?
  • Has any method to remove or control a fire risk been recorded?

Step 5 – Assess Your Findings and Revise

  • Do you periodically review your fire safety risk assessments to discover whether the findings are no longer relevant, adequate or valid, particularly if there is significant structural/layout change to your premises?
  • Upon assessing your findings, are the fire safety measures still appropriate?

Liked our fire safety risk assessment checklist? Try reading with our Complete Fire Risk Assessment Guide next. 

FAQ

How many steps are there in the fire safety risk assessment?

There are five steps in any fire safety risk assessment:

  1. Identify who’s at risk
  2. Identify the fire hazards 
  3. Evaluate the level of risk and proposed control measures
  4. Record your findings 
  5. Review and revise the assessment 

Who is responsible for fire risk assessment?

Conducting a risk assessment regularly falls under the duties of the responsible person, who is usually the employer, business owner, building manager or the occupier. Find out more about who’s responsible for a fire risk assessment here.

How much does a fire risk assessment cost?

The price of the fire risk assessment will depend largely on the size of your premises and the level of risk involved. Get a quote for our fire risk assessment service in the Midlands today.