What to Include in Your 2025 Fire Risk Assessment: Key Elements Explained
- 225firesolutions
- Mar 14
- 6 min read
What to Include in Your 2025 Fire Risk Assessment: Key Elements Explained
In an era where safety regulations are constantly evolving, understanding the essentials of a fire risk assessment is more crucial than ever. As we step into 2025, the landscape of fire safety is shaped by advancements in technology, heightened awareness of environmental impacts, and a growing emphasis on proactive risk management. This blog post will explore the key components that should be included in a comprehensive fire risk assessment, ensuring that businesses and individuals are well-prepared to mitigate potential hazards.
What to Include in Your Fire Risk Assessment: What is a Fire risk assessment?
Firstly, we need to ask what is a Fire risk assessment?
A fire risk assessment is a systematic evaluation of a premises to identify potential fire hazards and assess the risks they pose to the safety of occupants and property. This process involves a thorough examination of various factors, including the layout of the building, the materials used in construction, the presence of flammable substances, and the effectiveness of existing fire safety measures. By assessing these elements, the fire risk assessment aims to determine the likelihood of a fire occurring and the possible consequences, allowing for the implementation of appropriate preventive and protective measures. The fire risk assessment is also regarded as the foundation of Fire Safety for your premises. The assessment will provide you with an action plan to move your Fire Safety arrangements and management practices within the premises forward.
Now that we understand what a fire risk assessment actually is, we need to look at what structure a fire risk assessment document or template in which it should follow to ensure we cover all areas of the property.
Structure a fire risk assessment document or template.
A fire risk assessment typically follows established guidelines and standards to ensure comprehensive evaluation and compliance with legal requirements. One of the key documents that provide guidance in this area is PAS 79, which stands for Publicly Available Specification 79. This specification, developed by the British Standards Institution (BSI), outlines a structured approach to conducting fire risk assessments in non-domestic premises.
PAS 79 emphasises the importance of a systematic methodology, ensuring that all aspects of fire safety are considered. It provides a framework for identifying fire hazards, evaluating the risks associated with those hazards, and determining appropriate control measures to mitigate risks. The guidance includes practical steps such as identifying sources of ignition, assessing the potential for fire spread, and evaluating the effectiveness of existing fire protection measures.
Additionally, PAS 79 encourages assessors to consider the specific characteristics of the premises, including occupancy types, building layout, and potential vulnerabilities.
The Fire industry Association provides templates which in line with PAS79, for your fire risk assessment template head over and take a look at https://www.fia.uk.com/news/proforma-templates-contained-within-pas-79-1-and-pas-79-2-are-now-freely-available-for-download-from-the-fia-website.html
Fire risk assessment and recent changes to legislation.
The recent amendments to the regulatory framework regarding fire safety in the UK, particularly with the enactment of the Fire Safety Act 2021—which received Royal Assent on 29 April 2021 and is applicable in England and Wales—have significant implications for building owners and designated responsible individuals. The Fire Safety Act 2021 outlines essential changes to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
Here’s an overview of the key changes and what should now be included in Fire Risk Assessments (FRAs).
Key Changes Introduced by the Fire Safety Act 2021
Fire Safety act 2021 amends the The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 to clarify that in buildings with two or more sets of domestic premises the Fire Safety order applies to the two following elements.
1. The structure and external walls to the building, including cladding, balconies and windows.
2. All doors between the domestic premises and the common parts, e.g. the entrance doors to the individual flats which open onto the common parts.
The effect of the Act will be to require fire risk assessments of buildings with two or more sets of domestic premises to be updated to take account of structure, external walls and doors, as described above.
A useful image detailing some of the changes which the act has brought in has been detailed below.
Now that we’ve covered some recent legislation changes and amendments let’s focus on what should be included within your Fire risk assessment.
Included within your Fire risk assessment.
fire risk assessments will be tailored to your property and business therefore certain areas within a template, or your Fire risk assessment document may not be applicable to your property.
key elements to include in a fire risk assessment:
1. Building detail such as a address, stories, heights, external observations.
2. Identification of Fire Hazards Identify potential sources of ignition, fuel, and oxygen in the premises.
3. Assessment of People at Risk: Evaluate who may be at risk, including employees, visitors, and vulnerable individuals.
4. Evaluation of Existing Fire Safety Measures Review current fire safety equipment and procedures, such as alarms, extinguishers, and emergency lighting.
5. Fire Escape Routes and Exits Ensure clear and accessible escape routes and exits are established and maintained.
6. Emergency Procedures Develop and communicate effective emergency plans, including evacuation procedures and assembly points.
7. Fire Safety Training Provide training for staff on fire safety awareness, emergency procedures, and the use of fire-fighting equipment.
8. Maintenance of Fire Safety Equipment Ensure regular checks and maintenance of fire safety systems and equipment.
9. Record Keeping Document findings, actions taken, and any reviews of the fire risk assessment.
10. Review and Update Schedule regular reviews of the fire risk assessment to incorporate changes in the environment or operations.
The list above is not comprehensive and is there to focus on the core elements of the fire risk assessment once again you should refer to PAS 79 templates.
Fire Risk Assessment Action Plans
In your fire risk assessment, it is essential to develop a comprehensive action plan to address any findings that necessitate further work or clarification. It is advisable to organize this action plan according to priority levels, categorising actions as low, medium, or high risk. Additionally, assigning an appropriate timeframe for each action is crucial.
Typically, there are no standardised guidelines regarding the timelines for completing fire safety action plans identified during fire risk assessments; thus, these timelines often rely on the professional judgment of the competent individual conducting the assessment. The timeframes are generally influenced by factors such as the level of risk, occupancy, and other specific characteristics of the business or premises, which help determine the urgency with which a particular action should be executed.
When formulating action plans within your risk assessment, it is also vital to consider the availability of contractors. For instance, if you need to upgrade a substantial fire alarm detection system in a large facility, it may be challenging to secure a qualified contractor in the short term due to contractor availability and their policies, which often require proof of insurance and qualifications before commencing work. These factors can contribute to delays in the process. Therefore, it is important to establish realistic timelines when developing your fire risk assessment action plan.
Incorporating Images in Fire Risk Assessments
Including images in your fire risk assessment can significantly enhance the document's effectiveness. Visuals help to pinpoint areas of deficiency and clearly communicate concerns to the reader regarding specific locations within the premises. Images can be utilised for both actionable items and control measures identified within the assessment.
For example, when documenting positive findings, such as the presence of adequate emergency lighting systems, you can include images of the emergency light installations. This provides visual evidence that supports your assessment.
Furthermore, when finalising your risk assessment action plan, adding supporting imagery can be advantageous. This allows you to substantiate that actions have been completed, accompanied by a relevant statement and corresponding image. It is crucial to ensure that each image included in your document is numbered and referenced appropriately for easy identification.
When to Review Your Fire Risk Assessment.
Best practices suggest that your fire risk assessment, along with your fire safety management, should be reviewed annually. However, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 provides specific guidance on when fire risk assessments should be reviewed. The key circumstances for review include the following:
A fire risk assessment should be reviewed:
1. There is a reason to suspect your Fire risk assessment is no longer valid
2. there has been a significant change in the matters to which it relates including when the premises, special, technical and organisational measures, or organisation of the work undergo significant changes, extensions, or conversions,
3. Changes to legislation
4. A fire or incident
Conclusion.
It is important to highlight that it is not only illegal requirement to have a fire risk assessment in place for your business or commercial property. It is showing a proactive measure towards Fire Saftey and minimising and safeguarding your premises and occupants.
It is always recommended that you seek professional assistance from a competent person to provide a fire risk assessment for your premises to ensure that it remains suitable and sufficient.
Thank you for taking the time to read this blog post; we hope you found it informative.
At 225 Fire Solutions, we specialise in conducting fire risk assessments for both commercial and residential properties. Our team has assisted numerous landlords, property managers, and businesses with expert fire safety guidance and support.
If you would like to receive a no-obligation quote or a sample fire risk assessment, please visit our website's homepage.
We would be delighted to assist you with your inquiry.
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