What to Bring to a Fire Risk Assessment

Having the relevant documentation ready prior to the assessor arriving will make the whole process more efficient and allow for a more accurate fire risk assessment report to be produced.

Building Plans and Floor Layouts

Retain any available copies of building plans, site plans and other relevant drawings for the building. These will help the fire risk assessor to produce a more accurate fire risk assessment by enabling him to draw a plan of the premises and highlight possible routes of escape, and assess the extent to which compartmentation has been created using fire resisting construction to create fire compartments and to check the location and operation of fire doors.

Previous Assessment Reports

Reports from previous fire risk assessments for the building will highlight what action was recommended and what has or hasn’t been done since to aid the fire risk assessor.

Maintenance and Inspection Records

Make sure you have a list of the following service records for fire safety equipment to present to your fire risk assessor prior to the visit: Fire alarms, Fire extinguishers, Emergency lighting, Fire suppression systems etc. Also, make sure you have a list of the latest electrical and gas safety inspections for your premises. See also Fire Risk Assessment Northamptonshire.

Staff and Occupancy Information

Record the typical number of people occupying the premises at different times, details of the occupants’ shift patterns and any individuals who require assisted evacuation. This information is used by the fire risk assessor and forms part of the fire safety risk assessment in line with guidelines provided by the government’s fire safety risk assessment guides.

Hazardous Materials Records

Flammable liquids, gases or other hazardous materials that may create a fire risk at your premises should also be noted. If you store such materials, the assessor will want to know the quantities of each that you hold and where they are stored. COSHH assessments and records of the storage of hazardous materials should be brought to the assessment as these will affect the fire risk found by the assessor.

Gather all of the documents the day before the visit and then the Fire Risk Assessor can get straight down to work!