Your fire safety responsibilities.
What the law asks of businesses and the people who run buildings, explained without scare tactics, with links to the official guidance.
The short version
In England and Wales, fire safety in non-domestic premises is governed by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. It places duties on the responsible person. There is no single rule that says every building must have a fire alarm. Instead, the responsible person must assess the fire risk and then provide whatever measures that assessment shows are needed, which very often includes a fire detection and warning system.
Who is the responsible person?
According to GOV.UK, you are the responsible person if you are an employer, owner, landlord, occupier or anyone else with control of the premises. If there is more than one, they must work together. In shared buildings, the landlord, freeholder or managing agent is usually responsible for common areas.
What you must do
- Carry out a fire risk assessment, and review it regularly. GOV.UK says you may appoint a competent person if you lack the time or expertise.
- Tell people about the risks that you identify.
- Put in place and maintain appropriate fire safety measures.
- Plan for an emergency, including evacuation.
- Give staff information, instruction and training.
Detection and warning
GOV.UK states: you must have a fire detection and warning system, and you may need different types of detectors depending on the building and the work carried out in it. What that means for your premises, how extensive the system should be and which standard applies, is what the risk assessment and a proper system design settle. See BS 5839 explained.
Equipment and checks
GOV.UK also says you must carry out regular checks of alarms, emergency lighting, escape routes, fire doors and exit signs, and record faults. Fire-fighting equipment must be properly installed, tested and maintained.
Enforcement
Fire and rescue authorities inspect premises and can issue notices. Penalties for serious failures include fines and, in some cases, imprisonment, which is a good reason to understand what you are responsible for, but not a reason to buy equipment you do not need.
Different rules elsewhere in the UKThis applies to England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own legislation, and GOV.UK links to their guidance.
Official guidance
We recommend reading the source material. These are the pages we point customers to:
Where we help
We do not carry out formal fire risk assessments. We install and maintain the fire alarm and equipment those assessments call for, and our fire safety checks help you understand what you have and what is missing.
Common questions.
Does UK law say every property must have a fire alarm?
No, not in those words. For non-domestic premises in England and Wales, the responsible person must carry out a fire risk assessment and provide appropriate fire safety measures, which, according to GOV.UK, includes a fire detection and warning system. For homes, different rules apply, including requirements for smoke alarms in rented property.
Who is the responsible person?
The employer, owner, landlord, occupier or anyone with control of the premises. Where there are several, they must cooperate.
Do I need a written fire risk assessment?
GOV.UK says you must keep a written record of the fire risk assessment. Read the GOV.UK guidance on fire risk assessments, or appoint a competent person.
Do you carry out fire risk assessments?
No. We install and maintain fire alarms and equipment, and our fire safety checks help you understand them. If you need a formal assessment, we can say so and point you in the right direction.
Speak to a fire engineer.
Call, message or send the form. We reply the same working day wherever we can.
