Undertake fire risk assessment

​This standard is for those who assess fire risk for the responsible person, or their designated representative. It sets out the skills, knowledge and understanding for you to identify fire hazards on a premises, liaise with the responsible person or their designated representative, identify particular site characteristics, identify occupancy profiles and ensure compliance with legislation and regulatory requirements.

P1. confirm that the individual that you are liaising with is the responsible person, or their designated representative, for making any decisions you may require to be made **

P2.* * confirm the requirements of the fire risk assessment to be carried out and ensure all relevant parties understand and accept them

P3. obtain any permissions that will be needed to carry out an investigation of the premises and confirm that they are valid before the investigation starts

P4. liaise with the responsible person, or their designated representative, to ensure access to the site and relevant personnel is available

P5. identify the fire hazards that exist and the measures in place to protect against them, manage them and control them

P6. use assessment methods that are appropriate to the type of site, and the responsible person's, or their designated representative's requirement

P7. carry out fire risk assessments within agreed timescales, following relevant guidance, standards, regulations, and best practice for the environment being assessed

P8. record any breaches in the policies and practices relating to the reduction of fire risk

P9. consult with experts for advice where additional specialist information is needed

P10. confirm that actions from previous fire risk assessments have been implemented in accordance with current and relevant legislation and regulations and industry standard guidelines

P11. maintain the confidentiality of information on sites and systems in line with current and relevant legislation and regulations; industry standard guidelines; your organisation's quality management procedures and health and safety codes of practice

P12. identify safety issues where there are no mitigating actions and inform relevant parties, including the responsible person, or their designated representative, and regulators

P13. establish that you have sufficient information from which to make a fire risk assessment and fire management proposals

K1. communication methods and why it is important to communicate with the responsible person, or their designated representative, effectively and promptly

K2. how, why and when to use different communication methods

K3. the scope and limitation of the services that your organisation can provide and of actions that you can take

K4. the reasons why you must confirm the person you are liaising with is deemed to be the responsible person, or their designated representative, with the authority to make necessary decisions

K5. when, where and how to obtain specialist assistance

K6. how and why you should maintain security and confidentiality of the responsible person's, or their designated representative's, information

K7. where and how to access sufficient, relevant and accurate information from other sources if needed

K8. how to test fire protection systems and interpret fire protection product datasheets

K9. the legal and organisational requirements regarding data protection

K10. the information that you need to make an accurate fire risk assessment

K11. why and when you might need to liaise with other people to assess sites

K12. how to recognise factors that could affect fire risk, and how to record such details fully and accurately

K13. the principles of fire management systems and fire strategies and the elements that influence them

K14. elementary aspects of building construction, utilities and services

K15. current relevant legislation and regulations; industry standard guidelines and best practice; your organisation's quality management procedures and health and safety codes of practice

K16. how human behaviour can affect judgement and influence how people act in a fire emergency

K17. the requirements of vulnerable occupants and the impact their vulnerabilities will have on evacuation

K18. when to refer upwards and to whom, when limit of responsibility is reached.

K19. how and when to take account of risk perceptions, behaviours and biases when identifying risks

K20. the mechanism of combustion, smoke behaviour and flame sustainability, and the way that fire spreads

K21. what utilities and services may be needed to form an integral part of the fire safety system, and how to ensure that they are suitable

​fire hazard: source, situation or act with potential to result in a fire (e.g. an ignition source or an accumulation of waste that could be subject to ignition.)

fire hazard identification: process of recognizing that a fire hazard exists and defining its characteristics Fire Risk Combination of likelihood and consequence(s) of fire.

fire risk assessment: a methodical approach of qualitative and quantitative measures with recorded findings on fire risk management.

fire risk assessor: a competent person who, when instructed, is capable of undertaking a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment and effectively communicating advice on the findings.

premises: any building used for either domestic or non-domestic purposes.

responsible person: in relation to a workplace, the employer if the workplace is to any extent under their control; or in relation to any other premises the person who has control of the premises such as the owner, manager or landlord. The responsible person may also be referred to as the duty holder.

site characteristics: the buildings intended physical usage characteristics that may impact on the integrity of the ­­­fire protection system e.g. the addition of ceiling high cupboards, the storing of flammable materials.

assessment methods: the collection of data and information pertaining to the assessment of fire risk.

stakeholders: including but not limited to, local fire authority; water undertaker; building control; insurers; government departments; environmental agencies; third party certification bodies.