Get a recorded fire risk assessment
A fire risk assessment is a systematic walk-through of your premises to identify fire hazards, work out who is at risk, and set out the measures that reduce that risk to an acceptable level.
A fire risk assessment is a systematic walk-through of your premises to identify fire hazards, work out who is at risk, and set out the measures that reduce that risk to an acceptable level. As the person responsible for the venue, you can legally do this yourself, but for a hospitality premises with a kitchen, a bar and members of the public on site, a competent third-party assessor is worth the fee — and if you employ five or more people the significant findings must be recorded in writing anyway.
This is the assessment that everything else in your fire safety plan hangs off. It decides how many extinguishers you need and where, what your escape routes and signage have to look like, whether you need a fire alarm system or emergency lighting, and how your evacuation plan is written. Order equipment before the assessment and you risk buying the wrong thing. Skip it altogether and your local fire and rescue service can issue an enforcement or prohibition notice, insurers can decline a claim after a fire, and the responsible person can face an unlimited fine or imprisonment.
Check they hold third-party certification (e.g. through a recognised competency scheme) before booking.
Who this is for
Every venue, regardless of size — there is no exemption for small premises.
Applies to every non-domestic premises. Written records of the significant findings are a legal requirement once you have five or more employees, but recording it properly from day one is standard practice and what insurers expect to see.
What you’ll hold
- Written fire risk assessment with significant findings
- Action plan of remedial works with target dates
Watch out for
- Using a generic downloaded template instead of a site-specific assessment. A kitchen with a deep fryer and a cellar with CO2 need different measures to a drinks-only bar, and a generic document will not hold up if there is ever a fire or an inspection.
- Ordering extinguishers, signage or alarm equipment before the assessment is done, then having to redo it once the assessor specifies something different.
- Treating it as a one-off. Any change to the layout, the menu (adding a fryer) or the building triggers a review — see the annual review item in your calendar.
Sources
- GOV.UK — Fire safety risk assessment: 5-step checklist checked 2026-09-02
- gov.scot — Fire safety risk assessment: forms and guidance checked 2026-09-02
- GOV.UK — Fire safety in the workplace: who is responsible checked 2026-09-02
See also
This is item 30 of 66 in the free UK Launch Checklist. See the whole list →