The fire risk assessment is where every other fire safety decision starts. It decides the alarm category, the emergency lighting coverage, the extinguisher provision, the compartmentation standard and the evacuation strategy. It is also the document the enforcing authority will ask for first, and since October 2023 it must be recorded in full for every premises.
What we assess
- Workplaces, offices, retail, industrial and warehousing.
- Common parts of blocks of flats, including external walls and flat entrance doors as required by the Fire Safety Act 2021 (PAS 79-2).
- Schools, colleges and public buildings.
- Hospitals, care homes and supported housing.
- Places of assembly, licensed premises and community buildings.
Our method
We follow PAS 79: identify the hazards, identify the people at risk, evaluate the existing controls, record the significant findings and produce an action plan with each item prioritised and timescaled. The report is written for the responsible person, in plain English, with photographs. Where an item needs a specialist survey, such as a compartmentation survey, an external wall appraisal or a fire door inspection, we say so rather than guess.
For housing providers
We programme Type 1 assessments across blocks by risk, feed the findings into your compliance system in the format you specify, and can carry out Type 3 and Type 4 assessments where intrusive inspection is needed. Reports are structured so residents can be given the summary the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 require.
Frequently asked
Is a fire risk assessment a legal requirement?
Yes. Article 9 of the Fire Safety Order requires the responsible person for almost every non-domestic premises, and the common parts of blocks of flats, to carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment. Since October 2023 it must be recorded in full, whatever the size of the organisation, following section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022.
What did the Fire Safety Act 2021 change?
It confirmed that in multi-occupied residential buildings the assessment must cover the structure, external walls (including cladding, balconies and windows) and the flat entrance doors. Assessments written before 2021 that ignore these are no longer suitable.
How often should it be reviewed?
The Order says regularly and whenever there is reason to suspect it is no longer valid, or after a significant change. In practice: an annual review, a full reassessment every three years for lower-risk premises and more often for higher-risk and residential buildings.
Who carries out your assessments?
Assessors with fire engineering and risk assessment qualifications, working to PAS 79 and the Fire Sector Federation competency criteria. We are happy to provide CVs and sample reports.
Do you also do the remedial work?
We can, but the assessment stands on its own. The report is written independently of any works quotation and you are free to take it to any contractor.
