If you have no idea where to start with a fire risk assessment, how often it needs to be done or what should be included don’t panic – read on and all will be revealed.
This simple fire risk assessment guide will point you in the right direction.
Why Bother with a Risk Assessment?
Not only will a fire risk assessment help to safeguard your employees and your property, it will also keep you on the right side of the law. A fire risk assessment is vital for the health and safety of your staff and premises.
What to Include in a Risk Assessment?
Here are a few of the general principles to follow when doing a fire risk assessment.
- Identify hazards. A hazard is something which has the potential to cause harm. You can spot these by simply walking around the property and talking to staff about the hazards they see.
- Decide who these hazards may harm. You must identify who is at risk from the hazards. It may be staff working in a particular area, customers or members of the general public.
- Decide upon the steps you can take to reduce these hazards. This might be something as simple as removing something or controlling the situation to minimise the chances of someone getting injured.
- Write down what you have discovered. You must do this by law if you employ five or more people. If you record the hazards you have found it proves that you have not only identified them, but also taken the steps to eliminate any risks which may be caused by the hazards.
- Regular reviews of your Risk Assessment are essential. Remember that no two workplaces are the same and situations can change rapidly in the workplace. That is why your first risk assessment must be reviewed on a regular basis and updated as needed.
The potential hazards will depend on the business, the property, the number of employees and the type of work that is carried out within the business. Although there is no such thing as a “one size fits all” fire risk assessment, the basic needs and principles are always the same.
Make sure that you carry out your Fire Risk Assessment. How often you update it will depend upon the changing nature of your business but you will need to review the risk assessment on a regular basis.
Have you reviewed your Fire Risk Assessment lately?
Or, if you want to save yourself a headache, hire a professional fire risk assessor.