The Importance of a Fire Risk Assessment
By law, all organisations must complete an annual fire risk assessment to identify areas of risk within their operation and premises. However, fire risk assessments are more than simply a box-ticking exercise; their findings are of vital importance to the safety of your employees and premises.
At Lee Security, we’ve been helping businesses throughout North London stay compliant and protected against fire since 1983. With the help of a comprehensive risk assessment, your business can pinpoint exactly where your fire safety risks lie and guide you through the implementation of measures to mitigate the likelihood of fire and protect the occupants of your building.
Stay Compliant
For any busy company owner or senior manager, completing a fire risk assessment is unlikely to be at the top of the to-do list, but if you do not keep your assessments up to date, you could risk a heavy fine or even jail time for non-compliance under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO). Ensuring that a responsible person completes the assessment is key, so whether you choose a qualified and experienced employee or a professional fire risk assessment company such as Lee Security, you can have peace of mind that your premises is compliant.
How Often Does a Fire Risk Assessment Need to be Renewed?
A fire risk assessment cannot simply be done once and then forgotten about. Hazards and potential risks in an office, industrial, or retail space often change regularly, with structural or layout amendments, change of use or purpose, and fluctuating occupancy levels. Even subtle alterations to your premises can impact upon fire safety.
With this in mind, we would recommend carrying out a fire risk assessment every 12 months, with a more thorough, professional fire risk assessment completed at least once every 5 years.
Disaster Recovery
25% of organisations that suffer a disaster such as fire or flood never re-open, and 80% that don’t recover from fire within a month are likely to go out of business. Identifying those areas of your premises and operation which are most at risk of fire will allow you to confidently mitigate these risks, minimising the likelihood of critical business downtime in the event of an incident.
It is also worth considering the loss of reputation and/or customers that you may experience following a major fire, and the subsequent increase in insurance premiums.
Finally, and most importantly, without a comprehensive assessment of fire risk, and the implementation of remedial or risk-minimisation measures, there is an increased chance that a major incident could result in the loss of life – be it of your employees, customers, visitors, or Fire Service personnel. Complying with your legal duty to regularly assess your risk is a simple way to avoid such appalling consequences.
Which Premises Require a Fire Risk Assessment?
Every commercial premises and block of flats has a legal duty and responsibility to complete a Fire Risk Assessment and ensure fire safety within the premises. Whether you are a landlord, business owner, or manager of a commercial premises, there is no escape from fire safety legislation.
Provide Peace of Mind
By completing a comprehensive fire risk assessment, you can have peace of mind that your premises are protected both materially and legally. Taking steps to reduce the risk of fire wherever possible means that your business and employees are much less likely to suffer from loss of assets, damage, or injury, and by investing in your fire safety measures, you can rest assured that in the event of a fire, your business is prepared.
With over 35 years of experience in the fire safety and security sectors, Lee Security provides comprehensive fire risk assessments, fire safety services, and security services for businesses and homes throughout North London. To keep your premises compliant and protected from fire, contact us today using our contact form, or alternatively, call 0800 731 3365.