Report on fire risk assessment and recommended actions

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 report on issues related to fire risk and make recommendations on the action that should be taken to reduce fire risk to a level that is regulatory and legally compliant. It involves liaising with the responsible person, or their designated representative, taking account of site and occupancy characteristics and assessing the level of fire risk, whilst ensuring compliance with legislation and regulatory requirements. The outputs of any fire safety system management audit into fire safety practices should also be taken into consideration.

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. assess the consequences of the fire hazards that exist and what might happen if the measures in place to protect against them, manage them and control them fail

P3. assess the level of fire risk at premises, and decide if the fire risk meets regulatory and legal requirements

P4. produce fire safety risk assessment documentation in accordance with business policies and procedures and in agreed formats

P5. 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

P6. identify actions to improve fire hazard controls, including temporary controls that might be required until a permanent control is implemented

P7. recommend solutions and the measures required to reduce risk from fire to a level as low as reasonably practicable following relevant guidance, standards, regulations, and best practice for the environment being assessed.

P8. prioritise fire safety actions and give timescales for completion, taking account of the factors limiting the ­­­responsible person's, or their designated representative's, ability to implement

P9. confirm that the appropriate quality control checks are undertaken on the fire risk assessment findings and report

P10. identify any actions that have not been implemented since the last risk assessment and agree a timeframe for implementation with the responsible person, or their designated representative

P11. present the findings of the fire risk assessment to the responsible person, or their designated representative, explaining the fire risks critical to life safety that they must action and any actions requiring immediate prohibitive action

P12. report safety issues and inform relevant parties, including the responsible person, or their designated representative, and regulators

P13. confirm the timescale for a review of the fire risk assessment with the responsible person, or their designated representative

P14. provide technical input and advice, within the limit of your responsibility and commensurate with the requirements of the responsible person, or their designated representative, up to and including fire engineering solutions

P15. assess future fire safety concerns, provide fire safety advice on request and make decisions to instigate improvements to meet regulatory and legal compliance

​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 designated responsible person with the authority to make necessary decisions

K5. how and why you should maintain security and confidentiality of the responsible person's, or their designated representative's, information

K6. the legal and organisational requirements regarding data protection

K7. the information that you need to prepare accurate fire risk assessment reports

K8. how to calculate the category of risk using a combination of risk impact and risk likelihood

K9. the principles of fire management systems and fire strategies and the elements that influence them

K10. elementary aspects of building construction, utilities and services

K11. current relevant legislation and regulations; industry standard guidelines and best practice; your organisation's quality management procedures and health and safety codes of practice

K12. relevant validation procedures and processes that relate to fire risk assessment

K13. the requirements of vulnerable occupants and the impact their vulnerabilities will have on evacuation

K14. when to refer upwards and to whom, when compliance with fire safety legislation and regulations has been breached

K15. how and when to take account of risk perceptions, behaviours and biases when analysing and assessing risks

K16. the mechanism of combustion, smoke behaviour and flame sustainability, and the way that fire spreads

K17. the role, responsibilities, and powers of fire safety regulators and when these powers can be enforced

K18. how and when to advise the responsible person, or their designated representative, of the outcome of the fire risk assessment and explain the benefits to them of any fire safety solutions that are applicable

K19. what the responsible person needs to be aware of in terms of their responsibilities, as well as your organisation's responsibilities and those of relevant stakeholders

K20. how and when to schedule a periodic fire risk assessment review

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.

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