Commercial Fire Risk Assessments in Hampshire, West Sussex and the South Coast

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 places a legal duty on the responsible person for any non-domestic premises to carry out or arrange a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment. Any organisation employing five or more people must record the significant findings of that assessment in writing. The responsible person is typically the owner, employer or managing agent - whoever has control of the premises.

The law requires that the assessment is carried out by a competent person - someone with the appropriate knowledge, training and experience. Appointing an unqualified person to carry out an FRA does not reduce your legal exposure; if that assessment is inadequate and an incident occurs, the responsible person remains liable.
Your FRA must be reviewed annually and whenever material changes occur - including changes to the building structure, the activities carried out, the number of staff or occupants, or any changes to fire safety systems.

Not sure when your last FRA was completed or whether it remains valid? Call us and we will advise.
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A thorough commercial fire risk assessment will examine and report on the following areas:

• Identification of all fire hazards - sources of ignition, fuel and oxygen
• People at risk - staff, visitors, contractors and any vulnerable persons
• Evaluation of existing fire safety measures - alarms, extinguishers, emergency lighting, signage and escape routes
• Assessment of escape routes and evacuation procedures
• Review of fire safety management procedures, staff training and fire drill records
• Condition and maintenance of fire doors and passive fire protection
• Storage and use of flammable materials
• Electrical installation safety
• Prioritised action plan - immediate, short-term and long-term actions required

Following the assessment, our New Path Group sister company provides a detailed written report. Should any remedial works be required - whether fire alarm upgrades, additional extinguishers, improved signage or passive fire protection work - we manage and deliver those works directly, removing the need to coordinate multiple contractors.

Different premises require different types of fire risk assessment. Our specialist sister company is experienced across all categories:

• General commercial fire risk assessment: for offices, retail premises, warehouses, factories and most standard commercial buildings. Covers the full range of fire hazards and safety measures.
• Sleeping risk fire risk assessment: required for any premises where people sleep, including hotels, B&Bs, care homes, student accommodation and HMOs. These assessments are more detailed and apply stricter standards, as the risk to occupants who may be asleep and unaware of a fire is significantly greater.

Houses in Multiple Occupation have specific fire risk assessment requirements under the Housing Act 2004, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and local authority HMO licensing conditions. An HMO fire risk assessment examines fire detection and warning systems, escape routes, fire doors, means of escape signage and the specific risks associated with shared accommodation - including communal kitchens, shared corridors and multiple occupants who may not know each other. Our New Path Group sister company carries out HMO fire risk assessments across Hampshire, West Sussex and the South Coast.

• Landlord fire risk assessment: for commercial landlords and managing agents responsible for common areas of multi-occupancy buildings, including shared corridors, stairwells and communal spaces.
• Phased or multi-site assessments: for organisations managing multiple buildings or sites, we can arrange phased programmes of assessment to manage cost and minimise disruption.

Most fire risk assessment reports have no major compliance shortcomings - particularly for premises that are already maintaining their fire safety equipment properly. Where action points are identified, they are categorised by priority:

• Immediate actions: serious hazards that must be addressed without delay.
• Short-term actions: improvements to be completed within one month.
• Longer-term actions: recommendations for planned improvement over a reasonable period.

As your single point of contact within the New Path Group, we take responsibility for delivering the remedial works identified in your assessment - from fire alarm upgrades and extinguisher provision to passive fire protection works and emergency lighting installation. You will not need to manage multiple contractors or chase multiple quotes. We handle it.

Speak to us about acting on your existing FRA findings - call 01903 716445.

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