What is FRA
A fire safety risk assessment is an organised and methodical look at the premises, the activities within the premises, the potential for a fire to occur and the harm it could cause to the people in and around the premises.
The assessment must be systematic, thorough and follow a logical pattern through a number of stages. It must be specific to fire safety and to the premises concerned.
To comply with fire safety legislation, primary care organisations have a statutory duty to ensure that risk assessments are conducted which specifically cover fire risks and hazards.
A fire risk assessment identifies possible hazards as well as the actions needed to ensure the safety of people using a premises.
Assessments must be kept up to date so that the precautions remain current and adequate. They should be reviewed whenever significant alterations are made to the premises.
If there are more than five members of staff on the premises, it is a legal requirement for the fire risk assessment findings to be recorded and available for inspection.
Staff must be advised of the findings of the assessment.
Objectives of the FRA
- identify any fire hazards
- eliminate the hazards or to reduce the risk to as low a level as reasonably practicable
- decide what physical fire precautions and management arrangements are necessary to ensure the safety of people in the building if a fire does start.
Methodology
The assessment method recommended under the Fire Safety Order follows the approach used in general health and safety legislation. It can be carried out either as part of a general risk assessment or as a separate exercise. It consists of five essential steps.
Specific guidance for employers is available from the DCLG and lists the following steps to the fire risk assessment process:
| Step 1 |
Identify all fire hazards |
⦁ sources of ignition
⦁ sources of fuel
⦁ sources of oxygen. |
| Step 2 |
Identify people at risk |
⦁ people in and around the premises
⦁ people especially at risk, eg elderly, infirm or disabled people. |
| Step 3 |
Evaluate the risk and decide if existing fire safety measures are adequate — then remove, reduce and protect people from the risk wherever possible |
⦁ Evaluate the risk of a fire occurring
⦁ Evaluate the risk to people from fire
⦁ Remove or reduce fire hazards
⦁ Remove or reduce the risks to people
Include:
⦁ detection and warning
⦁ fire fighting
⦁ escape routes
⦁ lighting
⦁ signs and notices
⦁ maintenance.
|
| Step 4 |
Record, plan, inform, instruct and train |
⦁ Record significant findings and actions taken
⦁ Prepare an emergency plan
⦁ Inform and instruct relevant people and, where necessary, co-operate and co-ordinate with others
⦁ Provide training
|
| Step 5 |
Review |
⦁ Keep the assessment under review
⦁ Revise it where necessary |
The fire risk assessment should take the whole of the premises into account, including outdoor locations, sheds and storage areas, and any rooms or areas that are rarely used. If the premises are small, it may be possible to assess it as a whole. In larger premises, it is usually easier to divide it into rooms or a series of assessment areas.
People at risk
The second stage of the assessment is to identify who might be at risk, who is especially at risk and why. To do this, assessors need to identify which parts of the premises people actually use and where staff usually work (either at permanent workstations or at occasional locations). Factors might include:
⦁ the number of people
⦁ their familiarity with the building
⦁ their mobility.
Special consideration should be given to the needs of disabled users of the building.
Managers must also consider the potential risk to people such as visitors and visiting contractors, and where these people are likely to be found.
Evaluating the risks
The next stage is to analyse and evaluate the fire risks. A fire risk is:
⦁ the likelihood that a fire will occur as a result of a fire hazard
⦁ the extent and severity of the damage (harm potential) which may be caused.
From this, it will be possible to determine what, if any, measures are needed for the control of the hazard and the ensuing risk.
The main factors affecting severity are the potential for the development of a fire and the number of people who could be harmed. The potential for ignition is the main factor affecting likelihood.
Results and Recommendation
The final stage in the risk assessment process is to continuously review it to ensure fire risks continue to be adequately managed. EmployersIn addition to regular routine reviews, practice managers should undertake risk assessment reviews:
⦁ if the number of employees changes significantly
⦁ if there is some reason to suspect the original risk assessment is out of date
⦁ if there is a change in the operation of the business that could affect the safety of workers in a fire.
Regular inspections should be carried out to ensure that fire controls remain adequate and are implemented correctly. Regular checks should also be made of call points, detectors, sounders, fire-fighting equipment and emergency lighting.
If a fire or “near miss” occurs, this could indicate that the existing assessment may be inadequate and a re-assessment should be carried out. Any incident should be fully investigated and the risk assessment reviewed as necessary.
