Fire risk assessment - Don't cut corners
Fire risk assessments (FRA) have been a legal requirement since 1997, but the Fire Service are now enforcing them vigorously under the new legislation.
A fire risk assessment is carried out by the owner/occupier of a premises, and takes into account a number of factors to assess the risk to the employees, visitors, contractors or others that may be affected in the event of a fire. More often than not, this assessment is outsourced to a competent third party, such as Safety Management (UK).
You need to complete a fire risk assessment for several reasons:
- To ensure you do not harm or injure anyone in the event of fire
- To reduce the possibility of a fire to the absolute practical minimum
- To comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO)
You may feel you get your fire risk assessments done cheaply, perhaps in house, but does that mean the advice you are getting is practicable, reasonable and cost effective to your business?
It is easy for an assessor to quote a relevant British Standard or Regulations when quoting a significant finding in the assessment report. This can end up costing you 10s, 100s of thousands or even millions of pounds in remedial works from your fire risk assessment.
All of a sudden that bargain price fire risk assessment is not such a bargain.
Can you afford not to have your fire risk assessment looked at by the professionals?
