Step one
Identify fire hazards
Find credible sources of ignition, fuel and oxygen and consider how normal work, faults, misuse and foreseeable abnormal conditions could bring them together. Inspect the premises rather than relying only on an asset list.
Consider electrics, heating, cooking, smoking, hot work, arson, machinery and dangerous substances alongside waste, stock, furnishings, construction materials and hidden combustible build-ups.
- Electrical installations, equipment and charging
- Heating, cooking and naked flames
- Hot work, maintenance and contractors
- Smoking and deliberate ignition
- Combustible stock, waste, linings and furnishings
- Flammable liquids, gases and oxygen-enriched environments
Step two
Identify people at risk
Everyone lawfully on or near the premises may be relevant. Identify how many people may be present, where they are likely to be and whether they can recognise the warning and reach safety without assistance.
Pay particular attention to sleeping occupants, children, older people, disabled people, lone workers, contractors, visitors unfamiliar with the layout and people in adjoining premises. Avoid assuming a diagnosis automatically determines an evacuation need; consider the actual person, environment and support available.
Employees and contractors
Work patterns, lone work, hazardous tasks and unfamiliar areas.
Residents and guests
Sleeping risk, unfamiliarity, night staffing and changing occupancy.
Visitors and the public
Wayfinding, crowd behaviour, language and reliance on staff.
People needing assistance
Mobility, sensory, cognitive, communication or health-related evacuation needs.
Step three
Evaluate, remove, reduce and protect
Evaluate both the likelihood of fire and the consequences for people. Remove avoidable hazards, separate ignition and fuel, control dangerous activities and judge whether detection, warning, escape, compartmentation and other protection are adequate.
Measures must work together for the actual premises. Counting alarms, exits or extinguishers is not enough without considering coverage, capacity, maintenance, human behaviour and the intended emergency strategy.
| Question | Examples of evidence |
|---|---|
| Can fire be prevented? | Electrical controls, housekeeping, hot-work permits, storage and security. |
| Will people receive warning? | Alarm design, audibility, visual or tactile warning, testing and fault history. |
| Can everyone escape? | Travel distances, exits, doors, stairs, lighting, signs and assistance. |
| Can fire and smoke be controlled? | Fire doors, compartmentation, smoke control, suppression and maintenance. |
| Can the arrangements be managed? | Roles, training, drills, contractors, defects, cooperation and action tracking. |
Step four
Record, plan, inform, instruct and train
The responsible person must keep a written record of the completed FRA. The record should define the premises and responsible persons, document findings and measures, and provide a prioritised action plan. Since October 2023, the assessment must be recorded in full rather than only when an older employee or licensing threshold is met.
Turn the findings into a workable emergency plan. Relevant people need understandable information and instruction, while staff with duties need training appropriate to their role. Coordinate with other responsible persons in shared premises.
- Record the premises, use, occupancy and scope
- Record hazards, people, evaluation and precautions
- Prioritise actions with owners and timescales
- Prepare and communicate the emergency plan
- Provide suitable information, instruction and training
- Retain evidence of maintenance, drills, defects and completed actions
Step five
Review and revise
Keep the assessment under regular review and update it when risks or hazards change. Review sooner where there has been a significant change, a fire or near miss, new construction information, significant defects or reason to suspect the assessment is no longer valid.
A review should test whether the recorded building, occupants, hazards, precautions, actions and emergency plan remain accurate. Record the review decision, evidence and any revision; do not merely change the date.
Competence boundary
Know when the five-step checklist is not enough
Government’s checklist can support relatively simple premises, but it cannot provide missing technical knowledge. Complex construction, sleeping risk, vulnerable occupants, dangerous substances, high-rise buildings, mixed use and uncertain fire engineering commonly require competent professional assistance.
If appointing an assessor, confirm the named person’s relevant experience and the organisation’s scope. The responsible person still needs to supply accurate information, understand the findings and make sure actions are completed.