Fire Risk Assessment for Small Businesses: What You Need and How to Do It

TL;DR: If you work from any non-domestic premises — an office, a salon, a workshop, a retail unit, a warehouse — you are legally required to have a fire risk assessment. In England and Wales the duty comes from the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. In Scotland it is the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005. In Ireland the obligation sits under the Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003. The “responsible person” (usually the employer or the person who has control of the premises) must identify fire hazards, assess the risk, put controls in place, and keep the assessment up to date. Failure to comply can result in unlimited fines and up to two years’ imprisonment. The good news: for a typical small business the process is straightforward, and this guide walks you through every step.

Introduction

Fire risk assessments are one of those things that many small business owners know they should have but assume either do not apply to them or are something only big companies need to worry about. Neither assumption is correct.

If you operate from any premises that are not a purely domestic dwelling — and sometimes even if you work from home — you have a legal obligation to carry out a fire risk assessment. That applies whether you employ fifty people or none at all. A sole trader working alone from a rented office is just as bound by fire safety law as a company with hundreds of staff.

The legislation is separate from the general health and safety duties you already have under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (UK) or the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 (Ireland). Fire safety has its own dedicated legal framework, its own enforcement body (the fire and rescue service rather than the HSE), and its own penalties. You cannot simply fold fire risk into your general health and safety risk assessment and call it done. You need a separate, specific fire risk assessment.

This guide is written for sole traders and micro businesses — the kind of businesses with one to five staff that typically do not have a dedicated health and safety manager. It covers what the law actually says, who is responsible, when you need an assessment, how to carry one out, what to include, and what fire inspectors look for if they come knocking.

Legal Requirements

Fire safety legislation in the UK and Ireland is separate from general workplace health and safety law. Understanding which legislation applies to you is the starting point.

England and Wales

The primary legislation is the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (commonly referred to as the Fire Safety Order or the FSO). This replaced over seventy pieces of earlier fire safety legislation and put the responsibility squarely on the shoulders of the “responsible person” rather than on the fire and rescue authority.

The Fire Safety Order applies to virtually all non-domestic premises — offices, shops, factories, warehouses, salons, workshops, communal areas of blocks of flats, and anywhere the public has access. It does not apply to individual private dwellings, but it does apply to a home office if members of the public or employees visit it.

Under the FSO, the responsible person must:

Carry out a fire risk assessment
Put in place and maintain fire safety measures identified by the assessment
Appoint one or more competent persons to assist with fire safety
Provide employees with clear information, fire safety instruction, and training
Cooperate with other responsible persons in shared premises

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSWA) also contains a general duty of care that underpins fire safety as part of overall workplace safety, but the specific, detailed requirements come from the Fire Safety Order.

Scotland

In Scotland, the equivalent legislation is the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, supplemented by the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006. The duties are broadly similar to those in England and Wales: the responsible person (referred to as a “duty holder” in Scotland) must carry out a fire risk assessment and take general fire precautions to ensure the safety of anyone on or near the premises.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is the enforcement body.

Ireland

In the Republic of Ireland, fire safety obligations come from the Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003. Under these Acts, every person who has control of premises owes a duty of care to take all reasonable measures to guard against the outbreak of fire and to ensure the safety of persons on the premises in the event of fire.

The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 also requires employers to identify hazards (including fire hazards) and assess risks as part of their written safety statement. So in Ireland, fire risk should feature both in your safety statement and in any specific fire safety documentation required by the Fire Services Acts.

Local authority fire officers are the enforcement body in Ireland.

Who Is the “Responsible Person”?

This is one of the most common questions, and the answer is simpler than most people expect.

The responsible person is:

The employer, if the workplace is to any extent under their control
The self-employed person, if they have control of premises
Any other person who has control of the premises or part of the premises (for example, a landlord in relation to communal areas)

In practical terms, if you are a sole trader or the owner of a micro business and you rent a unit, an office, or a salon chair, you are almost certainly the responsible person for the area you control. The landlord or managing agent is typically responsible for shared communal areas (corridors, stairwells, car parks), but you are responsible for your own unit.

If you are unsure, check your lease or tenancy agreement. It will usually specify who is responsible for fire safety in different parts of the building.

Shared Premises

If you work in a shared building — a business centre, a salon with multiple chair renters, a co-working space — there may be more than one responsible person. In this situation, every responsible person has a duty to cooperate and coordinate with each other on fire safety matters. You cannot simply assume the building manager has it covered.

In practice, this means:

The landlord or building manager typically carries out (or commissions) a fire risk assessment for the common areas and the building as a whole
Each individual tenant or business carries out a fire risk assessment for their own unit or area
Everyone shares relevant information — for example, if you store flammable materials that could affect other tenants, the building manager needs to know

Penalties for Non-Compliance

The penalties for failing to comply with fire safety legislation are serious.

In England and Wales, the Fire Safety Order is enforced by the local fire and rescue authority. Offences can be tried in the magistrates’ court or the Crown Court. In the Crown Court, fines are unlimited and the responsible person can face up to two years’ imprisonment for the most serious offences (such as failing to comply with an enforcement or prohibition notice, or putting people at risk of death or serious injury through fire safety failures).

In Scotland, penalties under the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 are similarly severe, with unlimited fines and imprisonment for up to two years on conviction on indictment.

In Ireland, the Fire Services Acts provide for fines and imprisonment for persons who fail to comply with fire safety requirements. Penalties were strengthened by the 2003 Act, and local authority fire officers have broad powers of inspection and enforcement.

These are not theoretical risks. Fire and rescue services across the UK carry out thousands of fire safety audits every year, and prosecutions of small businesses — including sole traders — are not uncommon.

When You Need a Fire Risk Assessment

The short answer is: if you work from any non-domestic premises, you need one. But there are some nuances worth understanding.

Premises That Require a Fire Risk Assessment

You need a fire risk assessment for:

Offices — including small serviced offices and co-working spaces (your area)
Salons — hair salons, beauty salons, barber shops, nail bars
Workshops — carpentry, mechanics, landscaping equipment stores
Retail units — shops, market stalls with a permanent structure
Warehouses — including small storage units where you keep stock or equipment
Restaurants, cafes, takeaways — any food premises
Any other non-domestic premises where people work or visit

If you are a beauty salon owner or run a cleaning business from rented premises, this applies to you.

Home Workers and Mobile Workers

If you work from home and no one else visits your home for work purposes, the Fire Safety Order does not apply to your home. Your home is a domestic dwelling and is covered by general domestic fire safety advice rather than workplace legislation.

However, if you work from home and clients, customers, or employees visit, the parts of your home used for business purposes may fall within the scope of the Fire Safety Order. In practice, this means you should carry out a fire risk assessment covering the rooms used for business and the access and exit routes your visitors use.

If you are a mobile worker — a cleaner, a dog groomer who visits clients, a gardener — the premises you visit are the client’s responsibility, not yours. You are responsible for any premises you control (your home office, your van’s storage arrangements, your workshop), but the fire risk assessment for a client’s home or office is their responsibility.

Rented and Shared Premises

If you rent a unit, the division of responsibility is usually set out in the lease:

Landlord: responsible for fire safety in communal areas (corridors, stairwells, shared kitchens, car parks) and the building’s structural fire safety features
Tenant (you): responsible for fire safety within your unit

Always check your lease. If it is silent on fire safety, raise it with the landlord — you both have a legal duty, and neither of you can afford to assume the other has it covered.

The 5-Step Fire Risk Assessment Process

The fire risk assessment process follows a well-established five-step approach that mirrors the general risk assessment methodology recommended by the HSE. If you have already completed a general health and safety risk assessment, this will feel familiar.

Step 1: Identify Fire Hazards

A fire needs three things to start: an ignition source, a fuel source, and oxygen. Your job in this step is to walk through your premises and identify anything that could provide the ignition or the fuel. Oxygen is almost always present in the air, so you can take that as a given in most workplaces.

Ignition sources — anything that could start a fire or cause something to ignite:

Electrical equipment (computers, printers, heaters, chargers, hair dryers, wax heaters)
Overloaded sockets and extension leads
Cooking equipment (kettles, microwaves, toasters, hobs)
Naked flames (candles, gas burners, welding equipment)
Portable heaters (electric fan heaters, oil-filled radiators)
Smoking materials (cigarettes, lighters, matches)
Hot processes (soldering, ironing, heat styling)
Faulty or damaged wiring
Friction from machinery
Arson (deliberate fire-setting, often the most common cause of commercial fires)

Fuel sources — anything that can burn:

Paper, cardboard, packaging
Textiles (curtains, towels, laundry, upholstered furniture)
Flammable liquids (cleaning solvents, acetone, nail polish remover, petrol, white spirit)
Aerosol cans (hairspray, air freshener, polish)
Flammable gases (LPG, propane)
Timber, MDF, wood shavings
Plastics
Waste and rubbish, especially if allowed to accumulate
Cooking oils and fats

Walk through every room, every cupboard, and every storage area. Note down everything you find.

Step 2: Identify People at Risk

Consider everyone who might be on or near the premises:

Employees (including part-time, temporary, and agency staff)
Visitors (clients, customers, delivery drivers, contractors)
Vulnerable people (anyone with a disability, mobility impairment, hearing or visual impairment, or anyone unfamiliar with the premises)
Lone workers (staff who work alone, especially outside normal hours)
People in adjacent premises (neighbours, other tenants in a shared building)
Sleeping occupants (if applicable — for example, in premises with residential accommodation above)

Pay particular attention to anyone who might have difficulty escaping in an emergency. If a regular client uses a wheelchair, you need to plan for their safe evacuation.

Step 3: Evaluate, Remove, and Reduce Risk

Now look at what you have found in Steps 1 and 2 and decide what to do about it. Your options, in order of preference, are:

Remove the hazard entirely — can you eliminate the ignition or fuel source? For example, switching from a portable heater to fixed central heating removes a significant fire hazard.
Reduce the risk — if you cannot remove the hazard, can you reduce the likelihood or severity? For example, storing flammable chemicals in a proper fire-resistant cabinet rather than on an open shelf.
Protect people from the remaining risk — ensure fire detection, alarm systems, escape routes, extinguishers, and emergency procedures are adequate for the level of risk that remains.

For each hazard you identified, assess the likelihood of a fire starting and the severity of the consequences if it did. This does not need to be a complex mathematical exercise. A simple rating of low, medium, or high for each is sufficient for most small businesses.

Step 4: Record, Plan, Inform, Instruct, Train

You must record your findings. Even if you have fewer than five employees (or are a sole trader), recording your fire risk assessment is strongly recommended — and in some cases required by the fire safety legislation regardless of staff numbers.

Your record should include:

The hazards you identified
The people at risk
What you are doing about each hazard (the controls in place)
An action plan for any improvements needed
Your emergency plan (what to do if a fire breaks out)
Details of fire safety equipment
Details of staff training and fire drills

Make sure everyone who works on the premises knows:

What the fire risks are
What to do if they discover a fire
How to raise the alarm
The escape routes and where to assemble
Where fire extinguishers are and how to use them (if it is safe to do so)
Who the fire marshals are (in larger premises)

New staff should receive fire safety induction training on their first day. Do not wait until the next scheduled drill.

Step 5: Review Regularly

Your fire risk assessment is a living document. You must review it:

At least once a year as a matter of routine
Whenever your premises change (new layout, new rooms, building work)
Whenever your activities change (new equipment, new chemicals, different working hours)
After a fire or near miss
After building work or refurbishment
If you identify new hazards
If your staff numbers or profile change (for example, you take on an employee with a mobility impairment)

Each review should be recorded with the date and a note of any changes made.

Common Fire Hazards by Trade

Every workplace has fire hazards, but the specific risks vary significantly depending on what your business does. Here are the most common fire hazards for several small business trades.

Cleaning Businesses

If you run a cleaning business, your main fire hazards are likely to include:

Flammable chemicals — many cleaning solvents, polishes, and degreasers are highly flammable. Check the safety data sheets for every product you use.
Electrical equipment — vacuum cleaners, floor polishers, steam cleaners, and battery chargers all carry a fire risk, especially if poorly maintained or used with damaged cables.
Vehicle (van) storage — if you carry cleaning chemicals and equipment in a van, consider the fire risk from storing flammable substances in an enclosed space, especially in hot weather.
Waste accumulation — dirty cloths, paper towels, and packaging can provide fuel for a fire if allowed to build up.

Beauty Salons

Beauty salons present a surprisingly high concentration of fire hazards:

Acetone — used for nail treatments, acetone is extremely flammable with a very low flash point. Even small spillages release flammable vapours.
Aerosols — hairspray, dry shampoo, setting sprays, and other aerosols are pressurised and often contain flammable propellants. They can explode if exposed to heat.
Electrical equipment — hair dryers, straighteners, curling tongs, UV/LED lamps, wax heaters, and steamers. Overloaded sockets are one of the most common problems inspectors find in salons.
Wax heaters — left on for extended periods, sometimes overnight. They are a significant ignition source.
Towel and laundry build-up — piles of towels, especially damp towels left near heat sources, create a fuel source.

Landscaping and Gardening

Landscaping businesses often have workshops or storage areas with significant fire hazards:

Petrol and diesel fuel storage — for mowers, strimmers, chainsaws, and vehicles. Fuel must be stored in approved containers away from ignition sources.
Two-stroke oil — flammable and often stored alongside petrol.
Workshop with combustible materials — sawdust, wood shavings, dried grass, leaves, and other organic debris are all highly combustible.
Electrical equipment — battery chargers for cordless tools, workshop lighting, power tools.

Dog Grooming

Dog grooming businesses have some specific fire hazards that are easy to overlook:

High-velocity dryers — these run for extended periods and can overheat, especially if vents become blocked with fur. Lint and fur build-up inside dryers is a significant fire risk (similar to a domestic tumble dryer fire).
Electrical equipment near water — clippers, dryers, and heated equipment used in a wet environment increase the risk of electrical faults.
Lint and fur accumulation — extremely fine and highly combustible. Regular cleaning of equipment and the workspace is essential.

General Hazards (All Trades)

Some fire hazards are common to virtually every small business:

Overloaded extension leads — one of the most frequent causes of electrical fires in commercial premises. Never daisy-chain extension leads.
Faulty or old electrics — especially in older rented premises. If you notice flickering lights, warm sockets, or a burning smell, get the electrics checked immediately.
Smoking — if staff or visitors smoke near the premises, ensure there is a designated smoking area well away from the building, with proper disposal facilities.
Portable heaters — a very common fire hazard in small rented units where the heating is inadequate. If you must use them, keep them well away from combustible materials and never leave them unattended.
Waste accumulation — rubbish, recycling, and waste materials left to build up, especially near exits or in corridors, are both a fuel source and an obstruction to escape routes.

Our Pro kits (£79) include a fire risk assessment pre-filled for your trade. See the Cleaning Kit or compare all kits.

What to Include in Your Fire Risk Assessment

Your fire risk assessment document should be clear, structured, and specific to your premises. Here is what it should cover.

Description of Premises

Start with the basics:

Address and type of premises (office, salon, workshop, etc.)
Number of floors
Construction type (brick, timber frame, etc.)
Approximate floor area
Maximum number of occupants at any one time
Opening hours and any out-of-hours working

Fire Hazards Identified

For each hazard, record:

What the hazard is
Where it is located
How likely it is to cause a fire (low, medium, high)
How severe the consequences could be (low, medium, high)
The overall risk rating

People at Risk

List every category of person who could be at risk:

Employees (by role, if different roles face different risks)
Visitors, clients, and customers
Contractors
Vulnerable persons (specify any particular needs)
Lone workers

Existing Fire Safety Measures

Document what you already have in place:

Fire detection — smoke detectors, heat detectors, locations and type
Fire alarm — type (standalone detectors, manual call points, linked system), how it is activated, testing schedule
Fire extinguishers — types, locations, service dates
Fire exits — number, locations, whether they open outward, whether they are unobstructed
Fire exit signage — present and visible
Emergency lighting — present, tested, battery backup
Fire doors — present, self-closing, in good condition

Evaluation of Risk Level

Based on the hazards, the people at risk, and the existing controls, record your overall evaluation of the fire risk for the premises. This is typically expressed as low, medium, or high, sometimes broken down by area if different parts of the premises carry different levels of risk.

Action Plan

List any improvements needed, with:

A description of the action required
Who is responsible for completing it
A target date for completion
A record of when it was completed

Emergency Procedures

Write down what should happen if a fire breaks out:

How the alarm is raised (shout “Fire!”, activate the nearest call point, dial 999/112)
The evacuation procedure (leave by the nearest safe exit, do not use lifts, do not stop to collect belongings)
The assembly point (a safe location outside the building where everyone gathers)
Who calls the fire and rescue service
Who checks that everyone is accounted for
When it is safe to re-enter the building (only when the fire and rescue service gives the all-clear)

Fire Escape Routes

Include a simple plan showing:

All escape routes
The location of fire exits
The location of fire extinguishers and call points
The assembly point

This plan should be displayed in a prominent location on the premises.

Fire Extinguisher Types and Locations

Record which extinguishers you have, where they are, and what type of fire they are suitable for (see the next section for details on types).

Fire Alarm Testing Schedule

Record how often the fire alarm is tested (weekly is the standard recommendation), who tests it, and the results of each test.

Staff Training and Drill Records

Record:

The date of each fire drill
How long the evacuation took
Any issues identified
The date of each staff training session
What was covered
Who attended

Fire Safety Equipment You Need

The fire safety equipment required depends on the size and nature of your premises, but most small businesses need the following as a minimum.

Fire Extinguishers

You need the right type of extinguisher for the types of fire most likely to occur on your premises. There are five main types:

Water (red label) — suitable for Class A fires (solid combustibles such as wood, paper, textiles). Not suitable for electrical fires or flammable liquids.
Foam (cream label) — suitable for Class A and Class B fires (flammable liquids). Can be used on electrical fires if the foam is dielectric, but generally best avoided near live electrical equipment.
CO2 (black label) — suitable for electrical fires and Class B fires. Leaves no residue, making it ideal near electrical equipment. Does not cool the fire, so there is a risk of re-ignition.
Dry powder (blue label) — suitable for Class A, B, and C (flammable gas) fires and electrical fires. Versatile but creates a cloud of powder that reduces visibility and can cause breathing difficulties. Not recommended for enclosed spaces.
Wet chemical (yellow label) — specifically designed for Class F fires (cooking oils and fats). Essential in any premises with a commercial kitchen.

For most small offices, salons, or workshops, a foam extinguisher and a CO2 extinguisher are the standard combination. If you have a kitchen area, add a fire blanket and consider a wet chemical extinguisher.

Extinguishers must be:

Serviced annually by a competent person
Visually checked monthly (ensure they are in position, the pressure gauge is in the green zone, and there is no visible damage)
Replaced when they expire or when they have been discharged

Smoke and Heat Detectors

Every premises should have appropriate fire detection:

Smoke detectors — suitable for most areas. Use optical (photoelectric) detectors in areas where false alarms from cooking or steam are a concern.
Heat detectors — suitable for kitchens, workshops, and other areas where smoke detectors would give frequent false alarms.

Detectors should be tested regularly (at least monthly) and batteries replaced as needed.

Fire Alarm System

For very small premises (a single room or a small salon), standalone smoke and heat detectors may be sufficient. For larger premises, or premises with multiple rooms or floors, you may need a fire alarm system with manual call points (break glass units) at each exit and a sounder that can be heard throughout the building.

Emergency Lighting

If a fire occurs and the mains power fails, people need to be able to see the escape routes. Emergency lighting is a legal requirement in most non-domestic premises. Battery-backed emergency lights activate automatically when the mains power fails and illuminate escape routes, exits, and changes of direction.

Emergency lighting must be tested monthly (a brief function test) and annually (a full-duration discharge test). Records of all tests should be kept.

Fire Exit Signs

All fire exits must be clearly marked with fire exit signs that comply with BS 5499 (or ISO 7010). Signs should be illuminated or photoluminescent (glow in the dark) so they remain visible when the lights go out.

Fire Blankets

A fire blanket is recommended in any premises with a kitchen, a kitchenette, or activities involving small fires that can be smothered (such as a wax heater in a salon). They should be wall-mounted and easily accessible.

Fire Drills and Training

How Often Should You Run Fire Drills?

The minimum is at least once a year, but best practice — and what most fire and rescue services recommend — is every six months. If your staff work shifts, make sure every shift pattern is covered by at least one drill per year.

What to Record

After every fire drill, record:

The date and time
How the alarm was raised
How long the evacuation took
Whether all escape routes were clear and usable
Whether everyone reached the assembly point
Any problems encountered (locked exits, people unsure of the route, missing staff)
Actions taken to address any problems

New Staff Induction

Every new member of staff should receive fire safety training on their first day. This does not need to be a formal classroom session. A five-minute walkthrough covering the following is sufficient:

Where the fire exits are
The escape routes from their work area
Where the assembly point is
How to raise the alarm
Where the nearest fire extinguisher is
The emergency procedure (including what to do if they discover a fire)
Who to report fire safety concerns to

Record that the induction took place, when it happened, and what was covered.

What Fire Inspectors Look For

Fire and rescue authorities carry out fire safety audits on commercial premises. Some audits are routine (targeted at higher-risk premises), and some are triggered by complaints or by a fire incident. For small businesses, an audit often happens without advance warning.

Here is what a fire safety inspector will typically look for:

A documented fire risk assessment — this is the first thing they will ask for. If you do not have one, that alone is a breach of the law.
That the assessment is up to date — an assessment from five years ago that has never been reviewed will not pass muster.
That identified actions have been completed — if your assessment lists improvements that are needed but nothing has been done about them, that is a significant problem.
Clear and unobstructed escape routes — fire exits must open outward, must not be locked or blocked, and must lead to a place of safety.
Working fire detection and alarm — detectors must be in place and functional. Testing records will be checked.
Appropriate and serviced fire extinguishers — the right types for the hazards present, in date, and accessible.
Fire exit signage and emergency lighting — visible, compliant, and working.
Evidence of staff training and fire drills — records of drills, training dates, and induction records.
Good housekeeping — no excessive waste accumulation, no storage in escape routes, no flammable materials stored inappropriately.
Electrical safety — no overloaded sockets, no damaged cables, evidence of periodic electrical testing.

If the inspector is not satisfied, they can issue an informal notice (requesting improvements), an enforcement notice (requiring improvements within a set timeframe), or a prohibition notice (requiring you to stop using all or part of the premises immediately until the problem is fixed). Prosecution can follow for serious or repeated non-compliance.

Common Mistakes

After covering what you should do, here are the mistakes that fire safety inspectors and consultants see most often in small businesses.

Not having a fire risk assessment at all. This is the single most common failing. Many sole traders and micro business owners simply do not know they need one, or assume it is only for larger businesses.
Having an assessment but never reviewing it. A fire risk assessment is not a one-off exercise. It must be reviewed regularly and updated when things change.
Ignoring the action plan. Identifying hazards is only useful if you do something about them. An assessment that lists problems but shows no action is worse than no assessment at all — it proves you knew about the risk and did nothing.
Blocking or locking fire exits. This is more common than you might think, especially in small premises where space is tight and the fire exit doubles as a storage area.
Overloading electrical sockets. Daisy-chaining extension leads, plugging too many devices into a single socket, and using adaptors instead of having additional sockets installed.
Not testing fire detection equipment. Smoke detectors and fire alarms need regular testing. If the battery in your smoke detector died six months ago and you have not replaced it, you have a problem.
Not training staff. Every person who works on your premises needs to know the fire escape routes, the emergency procedure, and what to do if they discover a fire. “Common sense” is not a substitute for training.
Storing flammable materials improperly. Keeping aerosols, solvents, or fuel in direct sunlight, near heat sources, or in excessive quantities is a common failing.
No fire drill records. Even if you do run drills, if you do not record them you cannot prove it. Inspectors want to see written records.
Assuming the landlord has it covered. In shared premises, your landlord is responsible for communal areas, but you are responsible for your own unit. Both need a fire risk assessment.

How Often to Review Your Fire Risk Assessment

Your fire risk assessment must be kept up to date. As a minimum, review it:

Annually — even if nothing has changed, an annual review demonstrates that you are maintaining compliance.
When your premises change — any change to the layout, use, or structure of the premises (new partition walls, a change of room use, new storage arrangements).
After an incident — any fire, near miss, or false alarm should trigger a review.
After building work — renovations, refurbishments, or structural changes can alter escape routes, fire compartmentation, and the location of fire hazards.
When your activities change — new equipment, new chemicals, different working hours, or a change in the number of people using the premises.
When new regulations or guidance are published — fire safety guidance is updated periodically, and your assessment should reflect current best practice.

Each review should be dated and any changes recorded. Keep previous versions of the assessment so you can demonstrate a history of compliance.

Your fire risk assessment sits alongside your other compliance documents — your health and safety policy, your general risk assessments, and your compliance checklist. Together, they form the backbone of your health and safety management system.

Summary

A fire risk assessment is a legal requirement for any business operating from non-domestic premises in the UK and Ireland. It does not matter whether you are a sole trader or employ a handful of staff — the obligation is the same.

The process is straightforward:

Identify fire hazards — ignition sources, fuel sources
Identify people at risk — employees, visitors, vulnerable persons, lone workers
Evaluate, remove, and reduce risk — eliminate what you can, control what you cannot
Record your findings — document everything, create an action plan, train your staff
Review regularly — at least annually, and whenever something changes

The consequences of getting it wrong are severe: unlimited fines, imprisonment, enforcement notices, and — most importantly — the risk of someone being seriously injured or killed in a fire that could have been prevented.

The consequences of getting it right are simple: a safer workplace, legal compliance, and the peace of mind that comes from knowing you have done what is required.

If you are not sure where to start, begin with a walkthrough of your premises using the five-step process above. Take notes as you go, be honest about what you find, and write it up. It does not need to be perfect — it needs to be genuine, thorough, and acted upon.

Download a free sample to see how our documents work. Our fire risk assessment templates are pre-filled for specific trades, so you are not starting from a blank page. Review it, customise it to your premises, and you have a compliant fire risk assessment in an afternoon.