Fire Risk Assessment Template UK: Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Under UK law, if you're responsible for a building (owner, employer, landlord, or managing agent), you must complete a fire risk assessment. There's no getting around it—it's a legal requirement under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

This guide walks you through every step of creating a compliant fire risk assessment, with a template you can use immediately.

Legal Requirement

Failure to conduct a suitable fire risk assessment can result in unlimited fines and up to 2 years imprisonment. In 2024, the average fine for fire safety breaches was £147,000.

Who Needs a Fire Risk Assessment?

You need a fire risk assessment if you are:

An employer with any business premises
A building owner or landlord of commercial property
A facilities manager responsible for a building
A managing agent for flats or HMOs
A charity or voluntary organization with a building

The only exception is single private dwellings (your own home if you live alone). Everything else requires an assessment.

The 5-Step Process

The UK Fire and Rescue Services recommend a 5-step approach to fire risk assessment. Here's how to complete each step properly:

Step 1: Identify Fire Hazards

A fire needs three things: ignition source, fuel, and oxygen. Your job is to identify all potential sources of ignition and materials that could burn.

Sources of Ignition

Walk through your premises and note every potential ignition source:

Electrical equipment (computers, kettles, heaters)
Faulty or overloaded wiring
Cooking equipment (kitchens, break rooms)
Smoking materials (designated smoking areas)
Heating systems and boilers
Naked flames (candles, bunsen burners)
Hot work (welding, grinding)
Static electricity in certain environments
Arson (deliberately lit fires)

Sources of Fuel

Identify everything that can burn:

Flammable liquids (cleaning products, solvents)
Flammable gases (LPG cylinders)
Combustible materials (paper, cardboard, packaging)
Furnishings (curtains, upholstery, carpets)
Waste materials (rubbish accumulation)
Wooden fixtures and fittings
Stock and stored goods

Action Required

Create a table listing each hazard, its location, and how likely it is to cause a fire. Rate each as Low, Medium, or High risk.

Step 2: Identify People at Risk

Not everyone faces the same level of risk in a fire. You must identify who is in your premises and any particular vulnerabilities.

People to Consider

Employees: Including part-time, contractors, temporary staff
Visitors: Customers, clients, delivery drivers
Vulnerable people: Elderly, young children, disabled persons
Lone workers: People working alone or in isolated areas
Sleeping residents: Hotels, care homes, hospitals, student accommodation
Members of the public: In retail, hospitality, or public buildings

Particular Risks For:

People with disabilities: Mobility issues, hearing/visual impairment, cognitive disabilities
People unfamiliar with the building: First-time visitors, temporary workers
People working at height or in basements: Limited escape routes
People working near hazards: Proximity to ignition sources

Action Required

Document the maximum number of people likely to be present at any time, noting any with special considerations. Include their typical locations within the building.

Step 3: Evaluate, Remove, Reduce, and Protect

Now you know the hazards and who's at risk, you must evaluate the actual level of risk and take action to reduce it.

Hierarchy of Control Measures:

1. Eliminate the hazard: Can you remove it completely?

Replace flammable materials with non-flammable alternatives
Remove unnecessary ignition sources
Eliminate storage of combustible waste

2. Reduce the hazard: If you can't eliminate it, minimize the risk:

Store flammable materials in fire-resistant cabinets
Limit quantities of flammable substances on site
Improve housekeeping to reduce fuel sources
Maintain electrical equipment properly
Implement no-smoking policies

3. Protect people from the hazard:

Install fire detection and alarm systems
Provide fire extinguishers and blankets
Install emergency lighting
Maintain clear escape routes
Install fire doors and compartmentation
Provide personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs)

Action Required

For each hazard identified in Step 1, document what control measures are in place and what additional measures are needed to reduce risk to an acceptable level.

Step 4: Record, Plan, Inform, Instruct, and Train

A fire risk assessment isn't complete until everyone knows what to do in an emergency.

Record Your Findings

If you employ 5 or more people, you must record your fire risk assessment in writing. Best practice is to record it even if you have fewer employees.

Your written assessment must include:

Significant findings (hazards and people at risk)
Action taken or planned to reduce/eliminate risk
Arrangements for ongoing fire safety management
Details of anyone especially at risk
Review date

Create an Emergency Plan

Your emergency plan should cover:

How people will be warned (alarm system)
What they should do when they hear the alarm
Escape routes and assembly points
Who will call the fire brigade
Responsibilities of fire wardens/marshals
Arrangements for people with disabilities
Procedures for visitors and contractors

Inform, Instruct, and Train

Everyone in the building must know:

What the fire alarm sounds like
Location of escape routes and exits
Assembly point location
Their role in an evacuation
Location of firefighting equipment

Training requirements:

All staff: Fire safety induction upon starting
Fire wardens: Dedicated training in evacuation procedures
Refresher training: At least annually for all staff
Fire drills: Conducted at least annually (6-monthly for higher-risk premises)

Action Required

Complete a written fire risk assessment document, develop an emergency evacuation plan, and schedule training sessions and fire drills. Keep records of all training provided.

Step 5: Review and Update Regularly

Fire risk assessments are living documents. They must be reviewed regularly to remain valid.

When to Review

You must review your fire risk assessment:

Regularly: At least annually as a minimum
After any significant changes: Building alterations, change of use, new processes
After an incident: Fire, near-miss, or fire authority visit
If you suspect it's no longer valid: New hazards identified, change in occupancy

What to Review

Are all previously identified hazards still controlled?
Have any new hazards been introduced?
Has the number or type of people at risk changed?
Are fire safety systems still adequate and maintained?
Have there been any changes to the building layout?
Is the emergency plan still appropriate?
Are staff adequately trained?

Action Required

Set a review date (maximum 12 months from completion). Document all reviews and any resulting changes to your assessment or control measures.

Common Fire Safety Measures

Based on your risk assessment, you'll likely need some or all of these measures:

Detection and Warning

Fire alarm system: Must be audible throughout premises. Manual call points at exits.
Smoke/heat detectors: Automatic detection in high-risk areas or sleeping accommodation.
Weekly testing: Test alarm system every week and record results.
Annual servicing: By a competent person (BS 5839 standard).

Escape Routes

Clear routes: Kept free of obstructions at all times.
Adequate width: Minimum 750mm for escape routes.
Emergency lighting: On all escape routes and exits (tested monthly).
Fire exit signs: Illuminated or photoluminescent, conforming to BS 5499.
Final exits: Must open in direction of escape, ideally with panic hardware.
Alternative routes: Ideally two escape routes from every area.

Fire Doors and Compartmentation

Fire doors: FD30 (30 minutes) minimum. Kept closed or fitted with self-closers.
Intumescent strips: Must be intact and functional.
Fire door signs: "Fire door keep shut" or "Fire door keep locked".
Regular inspection: Check doors close fully and seals are intact.
No wedging open: Unless fitted with electromagnetic hold-open devices linked to fire alarm.

Firefighting Equipment

Fire extinguishers: Appropriate types for fire risks present (water, CO2, foam, powder).
Positioning: On escape routes, near fire risks, at exits.
Signage: Location signs for extinguishers.
Annual servicing: By competent person with certificate issued.
Fire blankets: In kitchens and areas with cooking equipment.

Fire Risk Assessment Template

Your written fire risk assessment should include these sections:

1. Premises Information

Building address and description
Number of floors and layout
Type of construction
Occupancy type and use
Maximum occupancy numbers

2. Assessment Details

Date of assessment
Name and position of assessor
Review date (maximum 12 months)
Revision history

3. Fire Hazards Identified

Sources of ignition (with locations)
Sources of fuel (with locations)
Risk rating for each hazard

4. People at Risk

Number and type of occupants
People especially at risk
Lone workers
Typical locations of people

5. Existing Fire Safety Measures

Fire detection and alarm systems
Escape routes and emergency lighting
Fire doors and compartmentation
Firefighting equipment
Emergency procedures and training

6. Action Plan

Actions needed to reduce risk
Priority (high/medium/low)
Person responsible
Target completion date
Actual completion date

How RiskGen Simplifies Fire Risk Assessments

RiskGen's AI-powered platform walks you through the 5-step process with guided prompts, automatically generating a compliant fire risk assessment in under 15 minutes.

Features include:

Building-type specific templates (office, retail, warehouse, etc.)
Automatic hazard identification based on your premises type
Pre-populated control measures following Fire Safety Order guidance
Action plan tracking with automatic review reminders
PDF export in fire authority-approved format

Plus, the platform updates automatically when fire safety legislation changes.

When Do You Need a Professional Fire Risk Assessor?

You can complete your own fire risk assessment if you feel competent to do so. However, you should consider hiring a professional assessor for:

Complex buildings: Multi-story, mixed-use, historical
High-risk premises: Sleeping accommodation, large public venues
After fire authority enforcement: If issued with an enforcement notice
For peace of mind: Independent verification of your own assessment

Conclusion

A fire risk assessment doesn't have to be complicated, but it must be thorough. Follow the 5 steps, document your findings properly, and review regularly.

The goal isn't just legal compliance—it's ensuring everyone in your building can escape safely if fire breaks out.

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