Fire risk assessment that holds up to inspection
Suitable and sufficient FRAs for offices, multi-occupancy residential, factories, warehouses and higher-risk buildings. Aligned with PAS 79-2:2023 and the post-Grenfell regulatory regime.
The four pieces of legislation that drive your duties
UK fire safety has been comprehensively restructured since 2020. We work to all of the current regime, not the pre-Grenfell baseline.
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
The foundation legislation for England and Wales. Places duties on the Responsible Person to assess and manage fire risk in all non-domestic premises.
Fire Safety Act 2021
Clarifies that the FSO applies to the structure, external walls and individual flat entrance doors of multi-occupancy residential buildings.
Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022
Imposes specific duties in residential blocks (signage, wayfinding, evacuation plans, monthly checks on firefighting lifts and PEEPs in HRBs).
Building Safety Act 2022
Sets the higher-risk building (HRB) regime for residential blocks of 18m or 7+ storeys, with safety case reports and a duty to engage residents.
Type 1 to Type 4 for multi-occupancy buildings
The four-type BS 8580-1 framework for residential blocks. We help duty holders pick the right depth for the risk and budget.
Non-destructive inspection of common parts only. The default for most blocks of flats.
Destructive inspection of common parts. Used where compartmentation cannot be visually verified.
Non-destructive inspection of common parts and a sample of dwellings. For higher-risk residential or post-incident.
Destructive inspection of common parts and a sample of dwellings. Most thorough, usually post-incident or pre-major-works.
The five-step approach, applied rigorously
- 1Identify fire hazards: sources of ignition, fuel and oxygen across the premises
- 2Identify persons at risk, with attention to those with mobility, sensory or cognitive needs
- 3Evaluate, remove, reduce and protect: hierarchy of controls applied per FSO Article 9
- 4Record findings in a written FRA aligned with PAS 79-2:2023 or BS 9997:2019
- 5Plan, instruct, train and review: fire safety arrangements, drills, evacuation strategy, PEEPs
- 6Annual review, post-incident re-assessment, and updates after material change
Common questions about fire safety
Who is the Responsible Person?
Under FSO Article 3, the Responsible Person is the employer (for workplaces) or the person who has control of the premises (for non-workplaces). In multi-occupancy buildings, duties are shared among all Responsible Persons.
How often should the FRA be reviewed?
There is no fixed frequency in the FSO. Best practice is an annual review, plus a re-assessment after any material change (refurbishment, change of use, new occupier group, post-incident).
Do small businesses really need a written FRA?
Under FSO Article 9(7), only Responsible Persons of premises with five or more employees must record the significant findings of the FRA. In practice, recording it is the only way to evidence compliance to a fire inspector, regardless of headcount.
Do you cover higher-risk buildings (HRBs)?
Yes. We work alongside the Accountable Person and the Building Safety Regulator regime, including safety case reports, mandatory occurrence reporting, and resident engagement strategies under the Building Safety Act 2022.
Need an FRA renewed or reviewed?
Tell us the building type, size and what you have in place already. We'll come back with a scoped quote and an inspection date within a week.