What do you need to know to conduct a fire risk assessment?
In any workplace or business premises, a fire risk assessment must be carried out in order to remove or reduce risks, protect employees and visitors and safeguard against emergency situations. It is a very important procedure, one that you are required by law to carry out.
There are two options for conducting a fire risk assessment – you can hire a trained and experienced consultant to do it for you, or you can undertake some fire safety training and learn how to do it yourself. This last option may turn out to be the most cost-effective in the long-term, as you and your colleagues will learn vital skills to benefit you in the future.
To conduct a fire risk assessment, you need to know how to:
- Identify fire hazards and people who are most likely to be at risk (i.e. disabled or elderly people, or visitors on the premises who have children with them)
- Evaluate risks and find ways to reduce or remove hazards
- Implement fire safety measures
- Monitor the maintenance of early warning systems (i.e. fire alarms)
- Accurately record the findings of your fire risk assessment
- Review the risk assessment on a regular basis, updating it if required