Can I Carry Out My Own Fire Risk Assessment?
If you’re responsible for fire safety within a business or other non-domestic premises, you may be wondering whether you can carry out the fire risk assessment yourself or whether you need to appoint a professional.
The short answer is yes, you can carry out your own fire risk assessment, provided you are competent to do so. Government guidance confirms that Responsible Persons can undertake their own assessment, particularly for simple, low-risk premises, but the assessment must still be suitable and sufficient.
So, how do you know whether completing your own fire risk assessment is appropriate?
Who is Responsible for a Fire Risk Assessment?
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, responsibility for fire safety falls to the Responsible Person.
Depending on the premises, this could be an employer, owner, landlord, occupier, facilities manager, building manager or another person with control of the premises. Where there is more than one Responsible Person, they must work together to meet their fire safety responsibilities.
One of those responsibilities is ensuring that a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment is carried out and regularly reviewed.
Importantly, this doesn't necessarily mean you personally have to complete the assessment.
Can I Legally Do My Own Fire Risk Assessment?
Yes. There is no general requirement to employ a professional fire risk assessor to carry out your assessment.
Government guidance specifically states that Responsible Persons can complete their own fire risk assessments if they are competent to do so. There are also government guides designed to help those responsible for simple premises undertake an assessment themselves.
However, being legally permitted to complete an assessment and being competent to complete one correctly are two different things.
What Does a Fire Risk Assessment Involve?
A fire risk assessment requires you to systematically examine the premises, identify potential fire hazards and determine what needs to be done to protect people from fire.
The five main stages are:
- Identify fire hazards.
- Identify people at risk.
- Evaluate, remove or reduce the risks.
- Record the findings, prepare an emergency plan and provide appropriate information and training.
- Regularly review and update the assessment.
You'll also need to consider areas such as escape routes, fire detection and warning systems, firefighting equipment, emergency lighting, vulnerable occupants and evacuation arrangements.
When Can I Carry Out My Own Fire Risk Assessment?
Completing your own assessment may be appropriate where the premises are small, straightforward and relatively low risk, and you have sufficient knowledge to identify and understand the fire risks involved.
Government guidance specifically recognises that owners or occupiers commonly undertake their own assessments in small, low-risk premises where they are competent to do so.
For example, this could include a small office, shop or other straightforward commercial premises.
You should still be confident that you understand the relevant fire safety requirements and can identify where existing precautions may not be adequate.
When Should I Use a Professional Fire Risk Assessor?
As buildings become larger or more complex, completing a suitable and sufficient assessment can require considerably more fire safety knowledge.
You should consider appointing a competent professional if you don't have the necessary knowledge or experience, aren't confident that you can identify all of the relevant risks, or simply don't have the time to undertake and maintain the assessment properly. Government guidance specifically advises appointing a competent person where you lack the expertise or time to carry out the assessment yourself.
Professional support can be particularly valuable for larger or more complex premises, buildings with sleeping accommodation, unusual layouts, vulnerable occupants or more complicated fire safety arrangements.
What Happens if My Fire Risk Assessment Isn't Suitable?
The important consideration isn't simply who completed the assessment, it's whether the assessment is suitable and sufficient.
As the Responsible Person, you remain responsible for ensuring that your fire safety duties are met. This means that completing the assessment yourself doesn't reduce the standard required.
If important hazards are overlooked, precautions aren't properly assessed or necessary actions aren't identified, people could be placed at risk and the Responsible Person could fail to meet their legal duties.
Professional Fire Risk Assessments
If you're unsure whether you have the knowledge or experience to carry out your own fire risk assessment, seeking professional support can provide greater confidence that the premises and its fire safety arrangements have been properly assessed.
At Fire Risk Assessments North West, our experienced assessors carry out comprehensive fire risk assessments across a wide range of premises, providing clear findings and practical recommendations where improvements are required.