Fire Risk Assessment Checklist: Complete UK Compliance Checklist

Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO 2005), the responsible person for virtually every non-domestic premises in England and Wales must carry out a fire risk assessment. This checklist walks through each required step in order — from identifying fire hazards and people at risk, to implementing fire safety measures and maintaining an up-to-date written record. Following this checklist ensures your fire risk assessment meets the legal standard of being 'suitable and sufficient' as required by Article 9(1) of the RRO 2005.

Legal requirement for a fire risk assessment

Article 9(1) of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 states: "The responsible person must make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to which relevant persons are exposed for the purpose of identifying the general fire precautions he needs to take." The responsible person is typically the employer, building owner, landlord, or person in control of the premises. For shared premises, responsibilities may be split between multiple parties.

The fire risk assessment must be recorded in writing if the premises employs five or more people, is licensed under certain legislation (such as premises requiring an alcohol or entertainment licence), or is subject to an alterations notice. In practice, all fire risk assessments should be recorded in writing regardless of headcount — enforcement officers will expect to see a written document.

Equivalent legislation applies in Scotland (Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006) and Northern Ireland (Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006). The principles and steps are the same across all UK jurisdictions.

Step 1: Identify fire hazards

A fire hazard is any material, process, or condition that could cause a fire to start or spread. Work through the premises systematically and identify all sources of ignition, sources of fuel, and sources of oxygen.

Sources of ignition checklist

• Electrical equipment — faulty wiring, overloaded sockets, portable heaters, extension leads, equipment left on overnight
• Cooking equipment — deep fat fryers, ovens, hobs, toasters (especially in staff kitchens)
• Smoking materials — cigarettes, lighters, matches (especially in designated smoking areas and near bins)
• Naked flames — candles, gas burners, welding equipment
• Hot work — grinding, welding, cutting, blowtorches
• Heating equipment — boilers, space heaters, radiators near combustible materials
• Lighting — halogen bulbs near fabrics or paper, damaged light fittings
• Arson — deliberate ignition by intruders or disgruntled individuals

Sources of fuel checklist

• Flammable liquids — petrol, solvents, paints, cleaning fluids, aerosols
• Flammable gases — LPG cylinders, natural gas pipework
• Paper and cardboard — storage areas, archives, packaging waste
• Textiles and upholstery — curtains, furniture, bedding (hotels and care homes), clothing
• Wood and timber — furniture, doors, wall panels, structural elements
• Plastics — furniture, equipment casings, wall coverings
• Waste materials — accumulated rubbish, especially if stored near ignition sources
• Flammable decorations — artificial plants, paper banners, seasonal decorations

Sources of oxygen

Oxygen is naturally present in air at 21%. Additional sources to consider include:

• Oxygen cylinders and medical oxygen systems (hospitals, care homes)
• Ventilation systems that may feed a fire
• Oxidising chemicals stored on site

Fires can occur when a source of ignition comes into contact with fuel in the presence of oxygen — the fire triangle. Identify where these three elements are likely to be present together.

Step 2: Identify people at risk

Under Article 9(1) of RRO 2005, you must identify all 'relevant persons' — anyone who may be in or near the premises. Consider the following groups:

People at risk checklist

• Employees — full-time, part-time, shift workers, night workers, maintenance staff
• Visitors — customers, clients, contractors, delivery drivers
• Members of the public — anyone who may be lawfully on or near the premises
• People in adjacent premises — if fire could spread from your building to theirs
• Vulnerable groups:
  • People with disabilities (mobility, vision, hearing impairments)
  • Elderly or frail individuals
  • Children (schools, nurseries, play centres)
  • People unfamiliar with the premises (new employees, first-time visitors)
  • People asleep (hotels, hostels, care homes with overnight residents)
  • People under the influence of alcohol or medication
  • Lone workers (who may not be discovered if a fire starts)

For each group, consider how quickly they could be alerted to a fire, whether they could evacuate without assistance, and whether additional measures (personal emergency evacuation plans, buddy systems, visual alarm devices) are needed.

Step 3: Evaluate the risks and existing fire safety measures

For each fire hazard identified in Step 1, evaluate the likelihood of a fire starting and the severity of harm if it did. Then review what fire safety measures are already in place and determine whether they are adequate.

Existing fire safety measures checklist

• Means of detection and warning — fire alarm system type (L1, L2, L3, L4, L5 under BS 5839-1), smoke detectors, heat detectors, manual call points, alarm sounders
• Means of escape — fire exits clearly marked and unobstructed, sufficient number and width of exits, travel distances compliant with Approved Document B, corridors and stairways clear of combustible storage
• Emergency lighting — functional and tested (BS 5266), illuminates all escape routes and exit signs
• Fire doors — self-closing, correctly maintained, no wedges or holdbacks in use (unless automatic release systems fitted), intumescent strips and smoke seals intact
• Fire-fighting equipment — appropriate extinguishers (water, foam, CO2, powder, wet chemical) sited near specific hazards and at exit points, fire blankets in kitchens, extinguishers serviced annually
• Fire safety signs — fire action notices, exit signs (BS 5499), extinguisher identification signs, assembly point signs
• Structural fire precautions — fire-resisting construction (walls, floors, ceilings), compartmentation to prevent fire spread, cavity barriers, fire stopping around service penetrations
• Housekeeping — waste regularly removed, no accumulation of combustible materials near ignition sources, designated smoking areas controlled
• Maintenance regimes — electrical equipment PAT tested, fire alarm weekly tested and six-monthly serviced, emergency lighting monthly tested and annually certified

Risk evaluation

Rate each hazard as low, medium or high risk based on the combination of likelihood (how likely a fire is to start) and severity (how serious the consequences would be). A high-risk scenario — for example, a fire starting in a single-exit basement storage area containing flammable liquids and no detection system — requires immediate action.

Step 4: Record findings and prepare an emergency plan

Under Article 9(7) of RRO 2005, the fire risk assessment must be recorded. The record must include:

Fire risk assessment record checklist

• Premises details — address, description, use, number of floors
• Assessment date and name of competent person who conducted it
• Significant findings — hazards identified, people at risk, risk ratings
• Existing fire safety measures — detection systems, escape routes, fire doors, extinguishers
• Additional measures required — with priorities, responsibilities, and target completion dates
• Date of next review

Emergency plan checklist

Under Article 15(1) of RRO 2005, the responsible person must establish an appropriate emergency plan. The plan must include:

• Action to be taken on discovering a fire — raise the alarm, call 999, evacuate
• Procedure for calling the fire and rescue service
• Evacuation procedures — where to go, assembly points, roll call procedures
• Arrangements for people requiring assistance — personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs)
• Duties of employees with specific fire safety roles — fire wardens, floor marshals
• Procedures for shutting down plant or processes (if safe to do so)
• Liaison with fire and rescue service on arrival

The emergency plan must be documented and communicated to all employees. Fire action notices should be displayed prominently on each floor.

Step 5: Implement improvements and control measures

Based on the findings in Step 3, implement additional fire safety measures where gaps have been identified. Prioritise high-risk issues.

Typical fire safety improvements checklist

• Upgrade fire alarm system — e.g. from L3 to L2 if bedrooms are present, install additional detectors in high-risk areas
• Install or repair emergency lighting — ensure all escape routes are adequately lit
• Replace or repair fire doors — ensure self-closing mechanisms work, intumescent strips fitted, no gaps around door frames
• Improve means of escape — remove obstructions, widen doorways if needed, install additional fire exits if travel distances exceed Approved Document B limits
• Provide additional firefighting equipment — site extinguishers near specific hazards (e.g. CO2 near electrical panels, wet chemical in kitchens)
• Improve housekeeping — introduce daily waste removal, ban smoking outside designated areas, remove combustible storage from escape routes
• Implement hot work permit system — for welding, grinding, or any activity involving naked flames or sparks
• Install fire-resisting storage — flammable liquids to be stored in fire-rated cabinets
• Train staff — fire safety induction for all new employees, annual refresher training, fire drill at least annually (six-monthly in higher-risk premises)

Step 6: Maintain, test and review

A fire risk assessment is not a one-time exercise. Under Article 9(2) of RRO 2005, the responsible person must review the fire risk assessment regularly and whenever there has been a significant change to the premises or its use.

Fire safety maintenance and testing checklist

• Weekly — test fire alarm (rotate call point tested each week), visual check of escape routes and fire doors
• Monthly — test emergency lighting (flick test), check fire extinguisher pressure gauges
• Quarterly — full functional test of emergency lighting (three-hour drain-down test annually)
• Six-monthly — fire alarm service by competent engineer (BS 5839-1)
• Annually — fire extinguisher service by competent engineer (BS 5306-3), fire drill, emergency lighting certification, review fire risk assessment

When to review the fire risk assessment

Review immediately if:

• A fire or near-miss occurs
• Structural alterations to the building are made
• New equipment or processes are introduced that change the fire risk
• The number or type of occupants changes (e.g. vulnerable residents introduced)
• Enforcement action is taken by the fire and rescue service
• Changes to relevant fire safety legislation or guidance are published

As a minimum, review annually even if no changes have occurred.

Who can carry out a fire risk assessment?

Article 18 of RRO 2005 requires that fire risk assessments be conducted by a 'competent person' — someone with sufficient training, experience, knowledge and other qualities to properly undertake the assessment. For simple, low-risk premises (small offices, retail units), the responsible person may be competent to conduct the assessment themselves after reading appropriate guidance. For more complex or higher-risk premises (hotels, hospitals, large multi-storey buildings, premises housing vulnerable people), an external fire risk assessor with professional qualifications — such as membership of the Institution of Fire Engineers or the Fire Industry Association — should be engaged.

The Fire Safety Order does not specify a required qualification, but courts have found assessors negligent where they lacked demonstrable competence. Many fire and rescue services publish lists of third-party certificated fire risk assessors who they consider competent.

Fire risk assessment templates and tools

The UK government publishes free fire safety guides for different types of premises — offices and shops, factories and warehouses, residential care premises, theatres and cinemas, educational premises, and more. Each guide includes a template fire risk assessment form. These templates are a useful starting point but must be tailored to the specific premises.

AI-powered tools like Anyrisks allow you to generate a premises-specific fire risk assessment in minutes by describing your building, its use, and any fire hazards you have identified. The output is a structured, written document that references the Fire Safety Order and can be used to meet the legal requirement for a recorded fire risk assessment.

Penalties for failing to carry out a fire risk assessment

Failing to carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment is a criminal offence under Article 32 of RRO 2005. On summary conviction in a magistrates' court, the penalty is an unlimited fine. On conviction on indictment in the Crown Court, the penalty is an unlimited fine and up to two years' imprisonment.

According to Home Office fire statistics for 2023, there were 155 prosecutions under the Fire Safety Order, with an average fine of £39,000. In serious cases — particularly where a fire has resulted in death or serious injury and the responsible person had knowingly failed to comply with the Order — fines have exceeded £500,000 and prison sentences have been imposed.

In addition to criminal penalties, fire and rescue authorities can issue enforcement notices requiring immediate improvements, prohibition notices stopping the use of premises until deficiencies are corrected, and alterations notices requiring a fire certificate for certain high-risk premises.

Common fire risk assessment mistakes

• Using a generic template without tailoring it to the premises — assessments that read identically for any building are not 'suitable and sufficient'
• Failing to identify vulnerable people — not considering how people with disabilities, the elderly, or sleeping occupants would escape in a fire
• Not recording the assessment in writing — even if not legally required, a verbal or mental assessment is unenforceable and cannot be reviewed
• Ignoring arson risk — especially for premises with external bins, accessible roofs, or a history of anti-social behaviour
• Failing to test and maintain fire safety systems — an untested fire alarm or blocked fire exit makes the assessment meaningless
• Not reviewing after building changes — a fire risk assessment for a building before refurbishment may no longer be valid after walls are removed or new rooms added
• Relying on outdated assessments — a fire risk assessment dated five years ago with no review record will be challenged by enforcement officers

Fire risk assessment for specific premises types

Different premises types have specific considerations:

• Offices — focus on electrical equipment, means of escape from multi-storey buildings, fire doors in corridors, arrangements for disabled employees
• Retail and hospitality — consider customer numbers, unfamiliarity with premises, cooking equipment, late-night alcohol licensing conditions
• Hotels and sleeping accommodation — L1 fire alarm system typically required, higher standard of fire doors, staff training in evacuation of sleeping guests, personal emergency evacuation plans for disabled guests
• Care homes and hospitals — progressive horizontal evacuation often used instead of full building evacuation, high staff-to-resident ratios required, compartmentation critical
• Schools and nurseries — fire drills each term, high staff supervision ratios, specific arrangements for children with special educational needs
• Warehouses and factories — large quantities of combustible stock, high fire load, need for rapid detection, fire-resisting separation between storage and offices

For more detail on fire risk assessments in specific industries, see: Fire risk assessments overview.

Further reading and related guides

For related health and safety topics, see: Health and safety risk assessments, Construction risk assessments, School and nursery risk assessments, The ultimate guide to risk assessment. For generating a compliant fire risk assessment instantly, see the Anyrisks risk assessment generator.