According to The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO), employers have a legal duty to ensure fire risk assessments are carried out, and that appropriate fire safety precautions are in place at all times.
This legal responsibility applies to offices of all sizes. So, whether you are managing a single room office, or a large office complex that contains multiple rooms across multiple floors, you have a legal responsibility to arrange for a fire risk assessment.
Who is Legally Responsible For Carrying Out Office Fire Risk Assessments?
The RRO places the responsibility for carrying out fire risk assessments on whichever “responsible person” has control of the premises.
As an employer, you will be responsible for whichever portion of a commercial building contains your office
The building’s owner or manager will be responsible for any common areas, including stairwells and corridors.
In a serviced office or a co-working space, you will share this fire safety responsibility with other employers, or with the building manager, depending on the nature of your contract.
Office Fire Risk Assessments: What To Include
There are five basic steps to any fire safety plan:
- Identify fire hazards
- Identify people at risk
- Evaluate the risk
- Identify any steps you need to take to manage, mitigate, or eliminate the risk
- Record your actions, and establish a schedule for reviewing them
Identify All Possible Fire Hazards
This should include all sources of ignition, such as electrical and heating equipment, along with all sources of fuel, including your office furniture and your stored materials. Also identify any sources of oxygen, such as doors, windows, and air conditioning systems, which could help a fire to spread.
Identify Who Is At Risk
If a fire were to break out in your office, who exactly would be at risk? Think beyond your employees, and also consider contractors, delivery drivers, visiting clients and customers, and any other members of the public who may happen to be on the premises at the time.
Also consider that some may be at greater risk than others. People with mobility, hearing, or visibility issues may struggle to evacuate, and anyone who is unfamiliar with the building will also be unfamiliar with your evacuation plan.
Evaluate The Risk
Once you have identified any possible fire hazards, and once you have determined who would be most at risk from a fire, you need to assess how likely it is that a fire might break out.
You also need to consider the possible severity of any outbreak. This means identifying any measures that are currently in place to prevent fires, along with any measures that you need to introduce to keep people safe.
Identify Steps To Manage, Mitigate, or Eliminate the Risk of Fire
This might include:
- Staff Training – All onsite staff should understand the fire risks that exist in the office, along with the steps they should take in the event of a fire. Among other things, you should set an evacuation plan, and a place for people to assemble after they leave the building, so you can ensure that nobody has been left behind.
- Appointed Responsibilities – You should appoint a fire warden, who can be responsible for monitoring all possible fire risks, for running fire drills, and for enacting emergency plans in the event of a fire. You should also ensure that everybody knows who to report to, and what other actions to take, should a fire break out.
- Emergency Signage – Remember that not everybody will be familiar with your emergency plans. This is why you will need adequate emergency signage throughout your office, along with emergency lighting should there be a power cut.
- Fire Safety Equipment – This should include fire alarms, fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems, and evacuation equipment to assist anyone with mobility issues.
Record And Review Fire Precautions
You should keep a written record of:
- Your fire risk assessment, along with any steps you carry out to mitigate risks. You should also specify who is responsible for carrying out these steps, along with a timeframe for completion.
- Your fire drills, including the dates and times they take place, along with any issues you identify throughout the process.
- Any servicing, tests, or inspections for your fire alarms, fire extinguishers, fire doors, and emergency lighting.
- Any specialist training you arrange either for your staff, or for your designated fire warden.
Get The Right Insurance Cover For Your Office
James Hallam is an independent Lloyd’s broker with a dedicated team of experienced insurance professionals who care about protecting your business.
We can help you get the dedicated cover you need for your office. We can also show you how to evidence your fire risk management procedures to your insurer, which could help you make a saving on the cost of cover.
Learn more about our specialist office insurance services, or to speak to someone call us on 0330 024 0755, or email enterprisenb@jameshallam.co.uk.