Fire Safety Risk Assessment

Introduction

A fire safety risk assessment is an organised and methodical look at the premises, the activities within the premises, the potential for a fire to occur and the harm it could cause to the people in and around the premises.

Aims

• To identify hazards and to reduce the risk of those hazards causing harm to as low as is reasonably practicable;
• To determine what fire safety measures and management policies are necessary to ensure the safety of people in the building, should a fire occur.

Key Outcomes

• Identifying people at risk – the number and capability of people occupying or working on the premises.
• Identifying fire hazards – the materials that might fuel a fire and the oxygen supplies which will help it burn
• Evaluate the risk and decide if existing fire safety measures are adequate – premises are examined to identify any potential accidents and any acts or omissions which might allow a fire to start.  Evaluate the people likely to be at risk and the actual extent of risk to those people.
• Record fire safety risk assessment information – having carried out the risk assessment all findings must be recorded.
• Review of fire safety risk assessment – a review of the fire risk assessment should be carried out regularly.  This should occur if there have been significant changes to the premises, or the organisation.

Content

• Fire safety risk assessment
• Fire safety measures
• Risk reduction principles
• Control and review of the fire safety measures
• Fire safety regulation