Fire Risk Assessment: A Complete Guide

Most businesses think a fire will never happen to them.

Until it does.

The reality is that the majority of commercial fires are preventable. A blocked exit route. An overloaded socket. Flammable materials stored near a heat source. Small oversights with big consequences.

A fire risk assessment is how you find and fix these problems before they become emergencies. This guide shows you exactly how to do it.

What Is a Fire Risk Assessment?

It is a structured review of your building. You find fire hazards, work out who is at risk, and put controls in place to protect them.

Not a one-time task. An ongoing responsibility that changes as your business changes.

Every employer is legally required to have one. And the person in control of the premises owns that responsibility.

Who Needs a Fire Risk Assessment?

If you employ anyone or operate from premises open to the public, you need a fire risk assessment. This includes:

• Offices and commercial buildings
• Restaurants and food businesses
• Retail stores
• Hotels and hospitality venues
• Warehouses and industrial sites
• Schools and healthcare facilities

No exceptions.

The 5 Steps of a Fire Risk Assessment

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Step, What You Do

1. Identify fire hazards, Find ignition sources-fuel sources and oxygen sources

2. Identify people at risk, Who is in the building and who is most vulnerable

3. Evaluate and act, Assess the risk and put controls in place

4. Record and share, Document findings and tell your team

5. Review and update, Keep it current as things change

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Identify fire hazards. Go through every area of your building. Spot what could ignite a fire and what could help it grow. Damaged cables, packed sockets, and combustible items left near heat sources.

Identify people at risk. Look at who comes into your building every day. Then figure out who needs the most protection. Solo workers, unfamiliar visitors, and people who would struggle to get out quickly.

Evaluate and act. Take your hazard list and make decisions. Can you get rid of it? Do it. Cannot remove it completely? Bring the risk down as much as possible. Then add your safeguards. Alarms, extinguishers, lit exit routes, trained people.

Record and share. Get everything on paper. Every hazard spotted, every action taken, every person accountable. Then make sure your team reads it and understands it.

Review and update. A building is never static. Staff change. Equipment gets replaced. Layouts shift. Revisit your assessment on a set schedule and every time something in your building moves or changes.

Fire Risk Assessment Template: What to Include

A solid fire risk assessment template covers these areas:

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Section, What to Document

Premises details, Address-building type-occupancy

Hazard identification, Ignition-fuel and oxygen sources

People at risk, Staff-visitors-vulnerable individuals

Existing controls, Fire safety measures already in place

Actions needed, Gaps found and what needs fixing

Emergency procedures, Evacuation plan and assembly points

Review date, When the assessment will next be reviewed

Assessor details, Who completed it and when

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A digital template saves time and makes updates simple. But fire alarm inspection software takes it further. Track what has been completed, assign follow up actions to specific team members, and keep every record organized and inspection ready at all times.

Common Fire Hazards to Look For

When walking your premises, these are the most common fire hazards to check:

Electrical hazards

• Overloaded sockets
• Damaged or frayed cables
• Appliances left on overnight
• Improper use of extension leads

Heating and cooking equipment

• Equipment left unattended
• Grease buildup in commercial kitchens
• Portable heaters near flammable materials

Storage and housekeeping

• Excessive paper or cardboard storage
• Waste not regularly removed
• Flammable liquids stored incorrectly

Building and exits

• Fire doors propped open
• Blocked or cluttered escape routes
• Missing fire stopping in walls and ceilings

Fire Safety Controls Every Business Needs

Once you have identified your hazards, these are the controls to put in place:

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Control, What It Does

Fire detection and alarms, Early warning for everyone in the building

Fire extinguishers, First response to small fires

Emergency lighting, Visibility when the power goes out

Clear escape routes, Fast unobstructed evacuation

Fire doors, Contain fire and slow smoke spread

Evacuation plan, Everyone knows exactly what to do

Staff fire training, Team ready to respond correctly

Regular inspections, Controls stay functional and compliant

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How to Keep Your Fire Risk Assessment Up to Date

Most businesses do the assessment once and forget about it.

That is a mistake.

A fire risk assessment is only useful if it reflects reality. Here is when you need to review yours:

• At least once a year as standard
• After any changes to the layout or building
• When new equipment is introduced
• After a fire incident or near miss
• When the number of occupants changes significantly

For businesses managing fire safety across multiple locations, keeping on top of reviews manually gets difficult fast. Fire alarm inspection software lets you schedule reviews, track completion, and get visibility across every site from one dashboard. No chasing paper records. No missed reviews.

Final Thoughts

Every business has a responsibility to protect the people inside it.

A fire risk assessment is how you meet that responsibility. Do it properly, review it regularly, and make sure your safety measures are actually in place and working.

That is not just good practice. It is the right thing to do. 

For teams managing fire safety across more than one site, fire alarm inspection software brings everything into one place and takes the complexity out of staying compliant.