A fire risk assessment (FRA) reviews the dangers of a fire breaking out in your building and recommends ways to reduce risks and protect residents.
Controlling fire risks is an important part of building management and the FRA is like the guidebook for fire safety measures in your building.
The assessment looks at:
- how likely a fire is to start
- what would happen if a fire did start
- measures to minimise the risk of fire starting or spreading
- measures to keep people safe
What does a fire risk assessment cover?
An FRA covers the shared parts of a building, such as common stairwells and entrance halls, external walls and front doors to flats that open on to common areas.
It also includes ‘general fire precautions’ to keep people safe, with measures to:
- reduce the risk of fire starting, such as ‘no smoking’ signs or regular safety checks of electrical sockets or lights
- reduce the risk of fire spreading, such as fire doors
- alert people to a fire, such as smoke alarms
- help people get out of the building, such as clear escape routes
- tell people what to do if a fire starts, such as an emergency plan
- reduce the harm caused if a fire starts, such as fire extinguishers or sprinklers
The general fire precautions must protect:
- people in the building
- people who are near the building who may be at risk if a fire started
Does my building need a fire risk assessment?
In England and Wales, in all buildings containing flats there is a requirement to have an FRA which should be reviewed ‘regularly’.
The law says the assessment must be ‘suitable and sufficient’ for the building.
More information you might find useful
- Who is responsible for carrying out a fire risk assessment?
- Who is allowed to carry out a fire risk assessment?
- How often must fire risk assessments be done?
- My building has no fire risk assessment. What should I do?
- What are the leaseholder protections in the Building Safety Act 2022?
- More Frequently Asked Questions on fire safety
Still not found the answer?
Contact LEASE to have your enquiry dealt with by one of our experienced advisers.
