Fire Safety Order 2005
Requires a current assessment and suitable general fire precautions for the people on and around the site.
Principal contractors, developers and refurbishment teams
Fire risk assessment for construction and refurbishment sites
Assess changing escape routes, temporary alarms, hot work, combustible materials and occupied-building interfaces, then request a site-specific quote.
Key points
Construction or refurbishment site fire risk assessment at a glance
- Changing layouts and temporary escape routes
- Hot work and combustible materials
- Temporary alarms, power and accommodation
- London and Surrey assessment enquiries
- The responsible person must arrange a suitable and sufficient assessment and record its findings in full.
- Review the assessment when changes, an incident or new information could affect its validity.
Property-specific guidance
Why this premises type needs its own assessment
Construction and refurbishment fire risk changes continuously. Permanent compartmentation and systems may be incomplete or impaired while temporary power, heating, hot work, waste and combustible materials are introduced. Escape routes that worked last week may be obstructed or altered by the next phase.
The assessment must match the current phase and planned changes. It should coordinate the Fire Safety Order, construction-phase plan, site rules, permits, temporary precautions and the fire arrangements of any occupied parts that remain in use.
Legal responsibility
Who must arrange the assessment?
HSE states that the responsible person for construction-site general fire safety will usually be the main or principal contractor in control of the site. Clients, owners, occupiers and other contractors may retain control over parts or shared systems and must cooperate and coordinate.
Read the main fire risk assessment guideLegal framework
Fire-safety duties affecting this property
The Fire Safety Order is the core life-safety regime in England. Other laws and sector requirements can overlap, so the assessment and action plan should not be managed in isolation.
CDM Regulations 2015
Require clients, designers and contractors to plan, manage and monitor construction health and safety, including emergency arrangements.
DSEAR 2002
May apply to fuels, gases, solvents, dusts and other dangerous substances used or created on site.
Building regulations and fire strategy
Temporary work and sequencing must protect the intended permanent fire strategy and occupied areas.
Assessment scope
What the assessor should examine
The final scope should reflect the actual building and any limitations. A site visit and a prioritised written report are fundamental for a professional assessment.
Current site phase
Record structure, floors, access, work fronts, occupancy, temporary accommodation and foreseeable changes.
Temporary escape
Check routes, stairs, lighting, signs, edge protection, final exits and how arrangements change as work progresses.
Warning and communication
Assess temporary alarms, call points, audibility, radio or air-horn arrangements and the means to summon assistance.
Hot work and ignition
Review avoidance, permits, gas cylinders, isolation, fire watch, inspection and subcontractor control.
Fire loading and separation
Consider timber frame, insulation, waste, packaging, temporary linings, storage and incomplete compartmentation.
Occupied-building interface
Protect existing exits, alarms, risers, sprinklers, fire separation, residents or workers during refurbishment.
Property-specific hazards
Risks that deserve particular attention
These examples are prompts, not a complete checklist. The assessment must identify all significant hazards and how they could affect people in and around the premises.
Hot work
Cutting, welding, roofing and grinding can ignite concealed materials and start fires after work ends.
Incomplete fire protection
Doors, walls, alarms, stairs, water supplies and firefighting facilities may not yet be operational.
Temporary power and heating
Cables, distribution boards, chargers and heaters are vulnerable to damage and misuse.
Combustible construction and waste
Timber, insulation, packaging and accumulated waste can allow rapid fire spread.
People at risk
Who may need additional consideration?
The assessment must consider everyone lawfully on or near the premises, including people who may be unable to recognise danger, respond quickly or use the standard escape route without help.
Site workers and subcontractors
Trades change frequently and may work in unfamiliar or isolated areas.
People in occupied parts
Residents, staff or visitors may rely on systems and exits affected by the work.
Lone and out-of-hours workers
Reduced supervision and incomplete systems can make warning and assistance more difficult.
Neighbours and the public
Fire, smoke, falling material and blocked emergency access may affect adjoining premises or streets.
Emergency planning
Evacuation points to test
A written plan is only useful if it matches the building, occupants, available staff and fire precautions and can be carried out under foreseeable conditions.
- Update routes, signs, alarms and assembly arrangements as each phase changes.
- Account for incomplete stairs, temporary coverings, hoists, security and work at height.
- Coordinate any system isolation or exit closure with occupied premises before work starts.
- Make induction, roll call and emergency information work for every subcontractor and visitor.
What to expect
The five-stage assessment process
- 1
Prepare
Confirm the areas in scope, responsible persons, occupancy, plans, previous reports and relevant fire-safety records.
- 2
Inspect
Walk the premises and examine hazards, people at risk, escape, fire protection and management arrangements.
- 3
Evaluate
Judge whether precautions are suitable for the actual use, occupants, construction and emergency strategy.
- 4
Record and prioritise
Document findings in full and provide a clear, risk-prioritised action plan with responsible owners.
- 5
Review
Keep the assessment current and revisit it when change, an incident or new information may affect its validity.
Evidence and management
Records to prepare and retain
Good records help an assessor understand the premises, allow defects to be tracked and demonstrate that significant findings have been acted on.
- Current FRA and phase-specific action plan
- Construction-phase plan and site fire plan
- Hot-work and system-impairment permits
- Temporary alarm and equipment test records
- Induction, drill and subcontractor records
- Daily or weekly fire-safety inspection findings
Keeping it current
When to review the assessment
There is no single fixed review interval suitable for every premises. Set a proportionate programme and review sooner whenever there is reason to think the assessment may no longer be valid.
- Each significant construction phase or access change
- Commissioning or impairment of alarms, sprinklers, risers or doors
- Introduction of hot work, timber frame or significant combustible materials
- Occupation or handover of part of the building
- Fire, near miss, alarm failure or serious housekeeping concern
- Evidence the current assessment no longer matches the site
Quote planning
What affects assessment cost?
A useful quote reflects assessor time, competence, site access and reporting complexity. A low headline price is not meaningful without a clear scope.
Project scale and phase
Floors, work fronts, programme, structures and simultaneous trades.
Occupied interfaces
Residents, businesses, shared systems and phased handovers.
Temporary arrangements
Alarms, stairs, accommodation, power, heating and firefighting water.
High-risk work
Hot work, timber construction, fuels, gases and system impairments.
Choosing an assessor
Check the person as well as the company
BAFE SP205 provides third-party certification for organisations delivering life-safety fire risk assessments. The National Fire Risk Assessors Register (NFRAR), administered by the Institute of Fire Safety Managers, records individually assessed fire risk assessors and their competency level.
Use both as complementary evidence: verify the organisation’s current BAFE SP205 status where applicable and the individual’s current NFRAR registration and assessed level. Also check direct experience with construction or refurbishment site premises, insurance, report scope, site visit, exclusions and how follow-up questions are handled.
Related fire-safety services
Acting on the assessment
The FRA should define outcomes and priorities. Any design, installation, inspection or maintenance work must then be scoped and completed competently.
Local coverage
Find and compare assessment support across London and Surrey
Explore local assessor information and quotation guidance, or use the form below to request a property-specific quote.
Frequently asked questions
Fire risk assessment for construction and refurbishment sites FAQs
Does a construction site need a fire risk assessment?
Yes. The responsible person must keep a suitable assessment current and implement appropriate measures for fire prevention, warning, escape and firefighting.
Who is responsible for construction-site fire safety?
The responsible person will usually be the main or principal contractor in control of the site. Other parties may also have duties where they control occupied parts, shared systems or specific activities.
How often should the site FRA be updated?
It should be reviewed whenever the work phase, layout, access, systems, materials, occupancy or risks change. On a fast-moving project this can require much more frequent review than at a stable completed building.
Can a hot-work permit replace the FRA?
No. A permit controls a particular task. The FRA considers the site-wide arrangements and should define the permit system, precautions, supervision, fire watch and coordination required.
What changes when refurbishment happens in an occupied building?
The work must not compromise existing escape routes, compartmentation, alarms, sprinklers, dry risers or emergency access. Responsible persons must coordinate isolations, temporary measures and information before work begins.
Property-specific enquiry
Request a quote for your construction or refurbishment site
Provide the essential building and occupancy details. Your enquiry can be reviewed and passed to an assessor serving London or Surrey.
- No obligation to book
- Telephone number required
- Use the details box for unusual risks or deadlines
Sources and limitations
Guidance reviewed 21 July 2026
This page provides general information for England. It is not legal advice, a building-specific assessment or a guarantee of compliance. Fire Safety Services is independent and is not affiliated with BAFE, NFRAR, IFSM, the Government or fire and rescue services.
Other property guides