Fire risk assessment template
A fire risk assessment checks what could start a fire in your premises, who would be at risk, and whether your escape routes, alarm, emergency lighting, signs, extinguishers and training are good enough. This free Word template follows the Home Office's five steps and checklist, and ends with an action plan and a review record.
Running a company of 30 to 200 people? Documents like this are now worth money.
In England and Wales the "responsible person" for a workplace must carry one out and review it regularly. Since 1 October 2023 they must also record it in full, however few people they employ.
What's in the template
Fire risk assessment
| Responsible person | |
|---|---|
| Address of premises | |
| Assessor | Name, and organisation if any |
| Date of assessment | |
| Use of premises | e.g. first-floor offices, showroom below |
| Floors and construction | |
| Most people present at once | |
| Other responsible persons in the building | Landlord, managing agent, other tenants |
Step 1: Fire hazards
What could start a fire, and what could burn?
| Source | What we found | Control or action |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical installation and equipment | ||
| Smoking | ||
| Arson | ||
| Heating and portable heaters | ||
| Cooking | ||
| Housekeeping, stock and waste | ||
| Contractors and hot work | ||
| Dangerous substances |
Step 2: People at risk
| Who | Where and when | Why at greater risk | Arrangements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employees | |||
| Visitors and customers | |||
| Lone, night or temporary workers | |||
| Anyone who needs help to escape |
Step 3: Evaluate and act
| Check | Yes or no | Details, or action needed |
|---|---|---|
| Escape routes clear and fire exits easy to open | ||
| Distances to an exit reasonable | ||
| Stairways protected by self-closing fire doors | ||
| Fire alarm suitable, with detection where needed | ||
| Emergency lighting on escape routes | ||
| Fire exit signs and fire action notices in place | ||
| Enough extinguishers, in the right places | ||
| Plan for evacuating disabled people |
Step 4: Record, plan and train
| Routine | How often | Who | Last done |
|---|---|---|---|
| Check exits and escape routes | Daily | ||
| Test the fire alarm | Weekly | ||
| Test emergency lighting | Monthly, plus a yearly test | ||
| Service extinguishers | Yearly | ||
| Fire drill | |||
| Train new and temporary staff | On arrival | ||
| Train fire wardens |
Action plan
| Item | Deficiency | Proposed action | Timescale | Person responsible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||
| 2 | ||||
| 3 | ||||
| 4 | ||||
| 5 |
Step 5: Review
| Date of review | Reviewed by | What prompted it | What changed |
|---|---|---|---|
How to do a fire risk assessment
- Identify the fire hazards: what could start a fire (heaters, electrical equipment, cooking, smoking, hot work such as welding) and what could burn (stock, packaging, waste). Check outside bins and storage for arson risk.
- Identify the people at risk. Everyone is, but especially visitors who don't know the building, night and lone workers, and anyone who would need help to get out.
- Evaluate, then remove or reduce the risks. Keep ignition sources away from things that burn, then check the escape routes, exits, alarm, emergency lighting, signs and extinguishers.
- Record, plan and train. The emergency plan should show clear, well-marked escape routes, enough exits, emergency doors that open easily, emergency lighting where needed and a safe meeting point. Train all staff, temporary ones included, and run drills.
- Review it regularly and after building work, a big change in stock, starting to store chemicals, or a fire or near miss, and record each review with its date.
What the law requires in England and Wales
- Who: the responsible person, meaning the employer, owner, landlord, occupier or anyone else in control of the premises, such as a facilities manager or managing agent. Where several people share responsibility, they must work together.
- What: assess and regularly review the fire risks, tell staff about them, put fire safety measures in place and maintain them, plan for an emergency, and train staff.
- Recording: since 1 October 2023 the full assessment and the fire safety arrangements must be recorded in every case, not only where there are five or more employees, a licence or an alterations notice. Record the name and organisation of any fire risk assessor you use.
- Shared buildings: take reasonable steps to identify the other responsible persons, exchange names and UK addresses, and record who is responsible for what.
- Enforcement: fire and rescue authorities inspect premises and can issue notices; breaking the rules can lead to a fine or prison.
Example: a fictional 55-person design agency
Part of the action plan for a fictional agency on two floors of a converted warehouse, where the landlord looks after the shared stairs and the fire alarm.
| Item | Deficiency | Proposed action | Timescale | Person responsible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fire door to the stairwell wedged open on hot days | Remove the wedges; explain to staff why the door must close | Today | Office manager |
| 2 | Archive boxes stored under the ground-floor stairs | Move them to the locked store room | 1 week | Office manager |
| 3 | Landlord's alarm servicing record not seen | Ask the managing agent for the latest service record | 1 month | Office manager |
Item 3 matters because the agency's assessment relies on equipment it doesn't control.
Common mistakes
- Assessing the building but not what happens in it: chargers left on overnight, the kitchen toaster, a contractor's hot work.
- Escape routes that slowly fill up with deliveries and recycling, which is why the Home Office checklist asks about daily checks.
- Forgetting people who aren't there every day: temporary staff, evening cleaners, visitors.
- Filing a consultant's report without working through its action plan. The responsible person stays responsible.
- No record of reviews, so nobody can show when the assessment was last checked.
Frequently asked questions
Does a fire risk assessment have to be in writing?
Yes, in England and Wales. Since 1 October 2023 the full assessment and the fire safety arrangements must be recorded whatever the number of employees, and so must each review and its date.
How often should a fire risk assessment be reviewed?
Regularly, and particularly when it may no longer be valid or after a significant change such as building work or a new layout. The law sets no fixed interval, so put a review date on it.
Can we do it ourselves, or do we need a fire risk assessor?
You can do it yourself with the government's fire safety risk assessment guides. If you lack the expertise or time, appoint a competent person to help. Your local fire and rescue authority may give advice, but it can't carry out the assessment for you.
Either way the responsible person answers for it, so treat this template as a practical starting point, not legal advice.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Fire safety in the workplace
- GOV.UK: Fire risk assessments
- GOV.UK: Fire safety and evacuation plans
- GOV.UK: Fire safety risk assessment, 5-step checklist
- GOV.UK: Check your fire safety responsibilities under section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022
- legislation.gov.uk: Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, article 9
- Scottish Government: non-domestic fire safety
- Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service: business fire safety