In 2006, the major changes introduced by the UK government to existing fire safety legislation have caused an equivalent transformation to the responsibilities of a business owner in the UK.

Initially, having a fire risk assessment conducted for a business appears to be a complicated job, as it requires specialized knowledge and training. There are several ways you can have a risk assessment conducted in your business premises. The most obvious one is hiring professional fire risk assessors to perform it for you. Of course, this will be quite costly, but you can be confident that highly experiences assessors will guarantee your business is absolutely compliant with the legal requirements.

However, for a new business struggling to establish itself, or a small business with limited funds, coming up with the funds to hire an expensive fire risk assessment expert is next to impossible. An alternative for these businesses is to carry out the assessment themselves. However, it is necessary to be equipped with the proper knowledge and training before proceeding with this plan. Fortunately, there is an assortment of fire training and fire risk assessment packages available for the small business to aid in this aspect. These packages come complete with useful guidance notes, simple to understand templates, a CD containing all necessary details and layouts, prepared check sheet, staff training record forms, fire safety log book, and fire management plan templates. Thus, you can be certain the assigned individual or people to do the assessment can develop the appropriate competence to perform their task, and have the right tools to accomplish it. Most importantly, the information provided are UK-based, making it easier for your business to fulfill the conditions of The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, or more popularly known as the Fire Regulations. 

There are five major steps in conducting a fire risk assessment.

Step 1: Locate fire hazards such as ignition sources, fuel sources, and work flow

Step 2: Find out the location of employees or people who are at risk

Step 3: Evaluate existing fire precautionary measures; test their adequacy. These measures can include employees’ fire safety knowledge and training; control of ignition and fuel sources; adequate fire protection equipment, warning, and signage; maintenance and regular checks on fire precautions, and means of escape.

Step 4: Generate a report on findings and plan of action. It is necessary that a plan of action be devised based on the findings. Likewise, the business employees have to be informed, educated, and trained in the practical aspects of the precautionary measures

Step 5: Conduct regular review of fire risk precautions to ensure perfect compliance.

Training your employees properly can mean the difference between a minor fire incident and a major disaster. Complying with the requirements of fire risk assessment need not be a burden to a business owner. With the proper training and tools, and the right persons to do the job, a small business can save both time and money, without any increased risk to the safety of its employees.