Fire Risk Assessment: How Often It Should Be Reviewed

If you have been wondering about fire risk assessment how often it should be reviewed to ensure compliance with the law, here’s what you should know.

Underestimating and mismanagement of fire can lead to loss of life, especially in the event of a fire incident.

So, it is necessary for the responsible person regularly to be aware of potential fire hazards, and important for you and your employees to be prepared for fire safety management at any time.

Also, it is essential to ensure that your business and building can be managed and kept safe from fire, including identifying new fire hazards.

However, fire risk management is mandatory for all businesses and buildings under regulatory reform fire safety regulations, including the reform fire safety order and Fire Safety Order 2005, and it begins with a valid fire risk assessment.

This is where our Guard fire watch comes in. With our extensive experience in managing fire risks, we’ll conduct a thorough fire risk assessment to ensure the safety of your building and its occupants, including providing adequate training.

So, to answer your question about fire risk assessment and how often it should be reviewed, you should consider reading through the whole article to get the answer to your question.

So, let’s explore.

How often should a building fire risk assessment be reviewed

There is no legal guideline on the frequency of fire risk assessments. So, to ensure compliance and the accuracy of a risk assessment, it is necessary for the individual overseeing it to conduct more frequent reviews in their building, taking into account the existing safety measures.

The person responsible must review the fire risk assessment if:

1. There have been significant changes since the assessment was done. For example, major building works or more people using the building
2. The assessment itself might also include a recommendation on how often it should be reviewed or updated.

The guidance on timings for the review

Guidance on timings for the review of a three-storey building structure for fire risk assessment should be reviewed, especially if the building has lasted for about twenty years.

The fire risk assessment review should be as follows:

1. reviewed every 2 years
2. redone every 4 years

What does a fire risk assessment entail

A fire risk assessment must be carried out by an expert, considering the property and its potential hazards, including fire and electrical equipment, as well as flammable materials.

The purpose of the evaluation is to identify gaps in your fire safety system that you may not be aware of and suggest ways to decrease your building’s fire risk profile and its inhabitants’ vulnerability to fire.

This ensures that adequate fire safety measures and equipment are in place, including a suitable evacuation plan like escape routes, compartments, appropriate fire alarms, emergency lighting, and firefighting devices (such as portable torch lighting systems).

It often involves a 5-step assessment, including identifying fire hazards and suggesting fire evacuation methods, and providing recommendations on fire safety training. These include:

1. Identify fire hazards
2. Identify people at risk

III. Consider, discard, or minimize potential risks

1. Document the results, formulate an emergency strategy, and provide training
2. Maintain and revise the fire risk assessment regularly

What gets reviewed?

To be effective, the fire risk assessment must encompass a broad range of fire danger factors.

The size and style of a building determine the type of items that are included. A small shop or kiosk may not be as difficult to evaluate as a block of flats, offices, or blocks.

However, every assessment is unique; the examiner must verify the following:

1. The building use, design, and construction.
2. The quantity and characteristics of occupants (including vulnerable ones)
3. Fire losses have been reported in the building’s history
4. Inflammable substances, such as electrical appliances or other materials
5. The existence of flammable fuel sources such as paper, wood, or gas
6. Regions with greater amounts of oxygen, such as canisters
7. Smoking areas
8. Defense against arson
9. Portable and installed heating devices
10. All lighting equipment
11. Storage for any hazardous or flammable substances
12. General fire hazards

Who has the obligation to conduct a thorough fire risk assessment

Every business has a legal requirement to have a ‘Responsible Person’ who is responsible for fire safety and ensuring that they assess their duties regularly.

This individual is responsible for performing relevant fire safety duties, and the objective is to prevent fires and ensure that people can escape safely in case of an occurrence.

The responsibility of ensuring the fire risk assessment falls on them. However, having a fire watch conduct a thorough fire risk assessment is not entirely bad, for all that is required is the safety of your life and property.

What are the legal guidelines around fire risk assessment

A fire risk evaluation goes beyond purely theoretical analysis. Certain legal regulations must be observed, such as:

1. It must be reviewed regularly.
2. A review of your building’s fire risks should be conducted every 12 months, followed by a renewal every five years. An assessment will be made during the 12 months, and this review will look at:

• Has the building changed substantially
• Has the structure or layout undergone any transformation
• Have the individuals in the house undergone a significant transformation
• Have substantial variations in fire risk loading (items that can intensify fire) been observed

The fire safety plans of your building must be evaluated every year to ensure they are meeting the standards of fire safety plans and to determine if there are changes as per the local regulations.

In Conclusion

Having read thoroughly, you must have learned about fire risk assessments, how often they should be reviewed, and everything you need to know.

However, if you review your fire risk assessment properly and keep it up to date to ensure safety, it will surely offer you peace of mind, and your environment will be safer due to the assessment.