Because of The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order of 2005 all businesses in the UK now have to carry out fire risk assessment by law with the responsibility now falling on business owners for the fire safety of their premises.

There are two options in which you could take to ensure that fire risk assessment is undertaken at your premises and which is best for you mainly varies on how much time you have. If you have time to perform an assessment on your premises yourself then it could be beneficial for you to purchase fire risk assessment software. The software will help you spot potential fire hazards on your premises and how to deal with them including potential precautions that may need to be put in place. The only downside with the fire risk assessment software is that you do need some fire safety knowledge to help you understand what you're doing when undertaking an assessment. All businesses are different and your fire risk assessment will be unique to your premises so the software can only help you and not complete the assessment for you.

If you don't have the time or feel confident about undertaking a fire risk assessment on your premises then it would be beneficial for you to hire a professional fire consultant. A fire consultant would assess your premises removing all potential fire hazards, they would record any remaining risks and implement precautions to ensure that all areas are safe and that people on the premises are fully aware of the remaining risks. They would also train your staff in fire safety and inform them of any risks on your premises and how to take precaution when in those areas. A fire safety management plan will be setup to help you monitor and manage your premises fire safety, this includes an evacuation plan for if a potential emergency arises.

Safety of you and people on your premises should be number one priority which is why hiring a fire consultant would be the best solution. Trying to cut corners by purchasing automated software and assessing your premises yourself if you don't have sufficient knowledge is not keeping your staff, visitors etc safe or meeting regulations. Hiring a professional fire consultant to perform a fire risk assessment on your premises ensures that your premises is safe from fire hazards and gives you the confidence and peace of mind.