Fire Risk Assessment Template for England and Wales
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What is a Fire Risk Assessment?
The Fire Risk Assessment Template is a crucial document required under English and Welsh law to ensure compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. It serves as a systematic tool for identifying, assessing, and mitigating fire risks in various premises. This template is designed to guide assessors through the evaluation process, ensuring all relevant aspects of fire safety are considered and documented. It includes sections for hazard identification, risk evaluation, and action planning, making it suitable for both initial assessments and periodic reviews. The document helps organizations meet their legal obligations while maintaining a comprehensive record of fire safety measures.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does the assessment have to be written down?
Yes. Since 1 October 2023, section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 has required every responsible person to record the fire risk assessment and the fire safety arrangements in full, whatever the size of the premises. The earlier exemption for employers with fewer than five staff no longer exists. Recording it in full means more than filing the completed form: the arrangements for prevention, for maintaining the fire safety measures and for evacuation all have to appear in the record. A verbal walk-round, however competent, leaves the responsible person unable to show the duty was met.
How often does it need to be reviewed?
No fixed interval is set in law. The duty is to keep the assessment up to date, so it should be revisited whenever the building, its use, its occupants or the fire safety measures change, and at planned intervals in between. The triggers people miss are the small ones: a change of tenant on one floor, a stored delivery narrowing an escape route, a new door propped open, or works that breach a compartment wall. Record the date of each review and what changed, so an inspector can see the assessment tracked the building rather than sitting still.
Can I carry out the assessment myself?
The responsible person may do it where they are competent to do so, and for small, simple premises many do. The record must name the individual who carried out or reviewed it, and the organisation engaged where an outside assessor was used. Competence is judged against the building rather than the person's job title, so premises with sleeping accommodation, complex layouts or an unusual use call for more than general familiarity with fire safety. Engaging an assessor does not move the duty: it stays with the responsible person, who has to act on what the assessment finds.
Does it cover the inside of individual flats?
For a block of flats the assessment covers the common parts and the building's structure, not the interior of a private dwelling. A flat's entrance door and the compartmentation around it do fall within scope, because they affect escape from the shared areas. That distinction is where disagreements with leaseholders usually start, since the responsible person needs access to inspect the door while the interior beyond it is not theirs to assess. Set out in the record which doors were checked, which were not accessible on the day, and what was done to arrange access.
Does the same guidance apply in Scotland and Northern Ireland?
Fire safety in Scotland and Northern Ireland rests on separate legislation, so the recording duty described here does not extend to premises there. Scotland has its own statutory fire safety duties and its own guidance for different premises types, and Northern Ireland its own order, so neither the responsible person label nor the recording requirement reads across unchanged. For buildings in either, start by identifying the governing instrument, then check whether a written record is required and in what form, before reusing an assessment written for England or Wales. The practical hazards are the same building to building; only the duty and the record differ.
About the Fire Risk Assessment
A fire risk assessment is a legal requirement for most premises in England & Wales, set out in the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. This template gives the responsible person a structured framework to evaluate fire hazards, assess the risk to people, and record the control measures in place. You work through the ignition and fuel sources on site, the people who could be harmed, the detection and alarm provision, and the emergency procedures, then save the completed record (commonly exported as a PDF) for inspection and future review.
What is a fire risk assessment template?
It is a pre-structured form that follows the recognised five-step method and the condition checks an enforcing authority expects to see. Rather than starting from a blank page, you complete prompted sections for hazards, people at risk, existing precautions, findings and an action plan. The template keeps your records consistent across multiple buildings and makes it straightforward to produce a dated PDF record that a fire and rescue service inspector can follow.
What is a fire risk assessment in Wales?
In Wales, fire safety in non-domestic and shared residential premises is governed by the same Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 that applies across England & Wales. The local fire and rescue service (for example South Wales Fire and Rescue Service or Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service) is the enforcing authority. A suitable and sufficient assessment gives them, and you, a clear record of the hazards on site, who is at risk, and how people will reach a place of safety. The legal basis is not jurisdiction-specific, but naming your Welsh premises and the relevant fire service keeps your records accurate for any inspection.
When do you need this document?
You need a fire risk assessment if you are the responsible person for any non-domestic premises in England & Wales. This includes offices, shops, factories, warehouses, hotels, restaurants, schools, hospitals, and residential buildings with common areas. The assessment is required before opening new premises, when making significant changes to an existing building, or when occupancy patterns change. You must also review it regularly. There is no single statutory interval, but a common policy is to review at least annually and whenever circumstances change, so an assessment dated 2023 should be revisited and brought up to date for 2026 if the building, its use or its layout has altered. Multi-occupied and commercial buildings need particularly detailed assessments covering every area, alarm zone, and escape route.
Who should carry out the assessment?
The responsible person must appoint a competent person to complete it. For simple, low-risk premises this can be the responsible person themselves, following published guidance. For larger, complex or higher-risk buildings (for example HMOs, care homes and multi-storey premises), it is common to engage a professional fire risk assessor. Whoever completes it, the template captures the same findings in a consistent format, so a professional report and an in-house review read the same way on file.
What does a fire risk assessment cover?
A thorough assessment works through a consistent set of steps for the premises:
- Identify fire hazards, including ignition sources such as electrical equipment, heating and cooking, and fuel sources such as flammable storage.
- Identify people at risk, including staff, visitors, and anyone who may need help to reach safety.
- Evaluate the risk and record the control measures in place, such as alarms, detection, emergency lighting, signage, and firefighting equipment.
- Record your findings, your evacuation plan, and the action plan for any improvements needed.
- Review and update the assessment when the building, its use, or occupancy changes.
The record must be suitable and sufficient, proportionate to the risk and complexity of your premises. You must record the significant findings if you employ five or more people or hold a licence for the site. For wider workplace hazards alongside fire, a general risk assessment form covers the broader picture, and a risk assessment report helps you present the findings for sign-off.
How do I complete a residential or HMO assessment?
Residential buildings with common areas, and Houses in Multiple Occupation, need the assessment to cover the shared parts rather than individual private flats: entrance halls, stairwells, escape routes, the alarm and detection system, and any protected lobbies. For an HMO, the condition and provision of fire doors, interlinked detection, and clear escape routes carry extra weight because occupants may not know each other or the building. Use the mandatory sections for the shared areas and the optional schedules to document each floor, flat entrance and escape route in turn.
Fire doors, extinguishers and physical measures
Physical measures are a core part of any assessment and should be checked and recorded alongside the hazards. Inspect each fire door for correct fitting, intact seals, self-closing devices, and clear signage, since a compromised fire door lets fire and smoke spread through escape routes. Confirm every extinguisher is the correct type for the risk (water, foam, CO2, powder or wet chemical), reachable, and in service. Record the location, type, and condition of each fire door and extinguisher, along with alarm zones, detection, and emergency lighting, so the fire and rescue service can follow a complete record at inspection.
Who is responsible for fire safety?
The responsible person carries the legal duty for compliance. In a workplace this is the employer; in other premises it may be the owner, landlord, or occupier who controls the building. Where several businesses share a site, each responsible person must cooperate and the assessment should reflect shared escape routes and alarm systems. They must appoint a competent person to complete the assessment, keep it under review, and act on its findings. It also falls to them to communicate the evacuation plan, name a fire warden, and keep an emergency contact list current. Keep records of training, drills, and equipment maintenance available to the fire and rescue service on request.
Legal requirements in England and Wales
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the responsible person must ensure the assessment is completed by a competent person and kept under regular review. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 reinforces your duty to protect employees and visitors. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require you to assess risks and implement control measures systematically. Building Regulations 2010 Approved Document B sets standards for fire safety in building design and construction that may affect your assessment. Enforcing authorities can inspect your premises and review your record, with action possible for non-compliance. Updates are required when you make material changes to premises, processes, or occupancy levels.
GOVERNING LAW
Applicable law
This Fire Risk Assessment is drafted to comply with England and Wales law. Key legislation includes:
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