How often should fire risk assessments be reviewed? This is a critical question that we are asked all the time at Absolute Health Fire Safety, and understandably so as you want to ensure you are fully compliant with the Firstly, Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and maximising fire safety within your premises.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and the latest fire safety law state that all non-domestic properties and common areas of flats and apartments are legally obliged to conduct a fire risk assessment. Without the RP (Responsible Person) of your premises arranging for a professional fire risk assessment, you won’t be able to protect your premises in the event of a fire properly and you’ll be unaware of the potential fire hazards within your premises too which is a fire safety threat for everyone.
In terms of how ”how often should fire risk assessments be reviewed?” it’s a difficult question to answer with a direct answer. There are several factors that come into play in terms of how often your fire risk assessment should be reviewed. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 doesn’t state a specific time frame but does state that your fire risk assessment should be kept up-to-date in line with any changes made within your premises.
Our number one recommendation is to get your fire risk assessment reviewed annually by fire risk assessment companies just like Absolute Health Fire Safety. There’s a lot that can change within 12 months, especially if you are expanding your business activity and employing new members of staff, so this is always a good rule to follow. For lower-risk and smaller-scale premises, you may review your fire risk assessment every 2 or 3 years for best practices.
Here are some examples of when you should review and update your fire risk assessment:
• When alterations are made to your building
• When there has been a change in the use of your premises
• Employees and members of staff increase significantly.
• Other changes that could directly impact fire safety
Benefits Of Updating Your Fire Risk Assessment
There is a multitude of benefits to regularly updating your fire risk assessment. The main benefit, is of course, that it helps to keep people, employees, and visitors safe within your premises to prevent the risk of a fire break-out. When it comes to fire safety for your premises and employees, compromise doesn’t come into question. Being prepared now and annually updating your fire risk assessment is completely necessary and the best proactive step you can make in the interests of your people.
Understanding the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
When it comes to reviewing fire risk assessments, it’s crucial to understand the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 so that you are fully compliant to ensure maximum fire safety and also to avoid hefty prosecutions. When you work with fire consultants just like Absolute Health Fire Safety, we’ll always ensure you are kept informed of any changes in the law.
If there is an update to fire safety guidance, you must be notified as soon as possible so the necessary changes can be made. Your current fire risk assessment may no longer be valid and therefore needs urgently.
Even if you feel that there haven’t been many changes within your premises over the last few years or so, we still recommend annual fire risk assessment reviews for best practices, and good reason too. As well as the above reasons already mentioned, there are further reasons why your fire risk assessment should be reviewed. For example, if there have been changes to occupancy limitation, you are legally obliged in line with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 to review and update your assessment.
Fire Risk Assessment Process
As always, it’s important to understand the fire risk assessment process to ensure no cut corners are cut. Absolute Health Fire Safety follows the process;
•Identify the fire hazards – The first step is identifying all key fire hazards within your premises/building.
•Identifying individuals at more risk – The next stage of a fire risk assessment Is identifying the people at most risk.
•Evaluate and implement – The third step is to evaluate the identified risks and implement a plan to reduce or remove them.
•Provide training (if required) – In some cases, training may be required in line with the latest changes and implementation.
•Annual reviews – It’s essential to review your fire risk assessment annually.
Who Should Carry Out The Fire Risk Assessment?
For best practices and maximum fire safety, we always recommend that the responsible person (RP) must be responsible for either carrying out the fire risk assessment or hiring fire risk assessment professionals (just like Absolute Health Fire Safety) to conduct it for you. For maximum fire safety and protection, we always recommend hiring professionals. When you hire Absolute Health Fire Safety, no corners are cut and you are guaranteed complete peace of mind that the risk assessment has been conducted properly.
Contact Absolute Health Fire Safety
Looking for a local and trusted fire risk assessment company to conduct annual reviews and assessments? Look no further than Absolute Health Fire Safety. We are proud to be a 5-star rated company that covers the entirety of Yorkshire and beyond including towns and cities such as Leeds, Bradford, Rotherham, Halifax, and Doncaster.
For more information, please call us directly at 0113 418 2911 or use our online contact form and we’ll get back to you promptly.