Fire Risk Assessment Template (UK)
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A free, editable fire risk assessment template structured around the five steps recommended by the UK government and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Use it to identify fire hazards, people at risk, evaluate existing controls, record findings, and set a review date.
Designed for: Responsible persons, landlords, facilities managers, small business owners, HMO operators, construction site managers
UK (RAMS) example document — Two-Storey Rear Extension — 14 Birchwood Lane, Reading. Client: Mr & Mrs A. Whitfield (Private Client). Site: 14 Birchwood Lane, Reading, RG1 5JT. Scope: Construction of a two-storey rear extension (6.4m × 4.2m) to an existing semi-detached dwelling. Works comprise breaking out of existing rear elevation, trench-fill foundations to 1.0m, traditional cavity blockwork to first floor, pre-stressed concrete lintels, timber roof structure with natural slate finish, plus alterations to existing rear wall to form structural opening with rolled steel joist (RSJ 203×102 UB23). Works programmed over 9 weeks with a peak site team of 6 operatives. Hazards assessed: Manual handling — blocks, lintels, plasterboard, Working at height — independent scaffold & roof structure, Buried services strike during excavation, Collapse of excavation / trench wall, Hand-arm vibration (HAVS) — breaking out, drilling, Silica dust — cutting blocks, brick, concrete, Vehicle/pedestrian segregation — narrow domestic street.
Full version
Complete Guide to Fire Risk Assessment (UK)
What is a Fire Risk Assessment?
A fire risk assessment is a structured review of a building, identifying where fires could start, who would be harmed, and whether the controls in place are enough to prevent or limit a fire. It is the legal cornerstone of fire safety for almost every non-domestic premises in the UK.
When is it legally required?
Required under Article 9 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 for any non-domestic premises in England and Wales — offices, shops, warehouses, factories, schools, care homes, HMOs, construction sites, and the common parts of blocks of flats. Equivalent duties apply in Scotland (Fire (Scotland) Act 2005) and Northern Ireland (Fire and Rescue Services (NI) Order 2006).
Who is responsible?
The 'responsible person' — typically the employer, owner, occupier, or person with control of the premises. They must ensure the assessment is suitable and sufficient, and, where they employ five or more people, that it is recorded in writing.
Where is it commonly used?
Every non-domestic UK premises and the communal parts of residential buildings. Construction sites also need a site-specific fire risk assessment under CDM 2015 and HSG168 (Fire Safety in Construction).
What a Complete Fire Risk Assessment Includes
- Premises details and responsible person identified
- All five steps completed and dated
- Ignition and fuel sources specific to this site
- People at risk listed, PEEPs flagged where needed
- Existing controls evaluated as adequate / improve / missing
- Risk matrix completed (before and after controls)
- Action plan with owners and target dates
- Floor plans showing escape routes and equipment
- Test, inspection and drill log present
- Emergency plan written and communicated
- Review date set and review triggers listed
- Signed off by a competent person
What's included in this template
Premises Details
Address, type of premises, responsible person, assessor, assessment date, review date and document reference.
Step 1 — Identify Fire Hazards
Sources of ignition (electrical, smoking, hot works, cooking), sources of fuel (paper, packaging, flammable liquids, waste), and sources of oxygen.
Step 2 — Identify People at Risk
Employees, visitors, contractors, members of the public, sleeping occupants, lone workers, and persons with mobility or sensory impairments.
Step 3 — Evaluate, Remove, Reduce and Protect
Existing fire safety measures: detection and warning, means of escape, emergency lighting, signage, extinguishers, fire doors, compartmentation, and arson controls.
Step 4 — Record, Plan, Inform, Instruct and Train
Document findings, write the emergency plan, communicate to staff and contractors, fire warden duties, induction and refresher training records.
Step 5 — Review
Review trigger events (change of use, refurbishment, near-miss, new equipment), routine review interval, and update history.
Risk Rating Matrix
Likelihood × consequence scoring for each fire scenario before and after controls — low, medium, high, intolerable.
Action Plan
Prioritised list of remedial actions with owner, target date, and sign-off when complete.
Plans and Drawings
Site / floor plans marking escape routes, final exits, refuge points, extinguisher and call-point locations, and assembly points.
Test and Inspection Log
Schedule for fire alarm tests, emergency lighting tests, extinguisher service, fire door inspections, and drill records.
Sign-Off
Prepared by, reviewed by, approved by — with signatures, competence statement, and dates.
UK Requirements and Best Practice
Legal expectations
- ● Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 — Article 9 requires a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment, kept under review
- ● Fire Safety Act 2021 — clarifies that the external walls, flat entrance doors and structure of multi-occupied residential buildings are within scope
- ● Building Safety Act 2022 — adds additional duties for higher-risk residential buildings (18m+ or 7+ storeys)
- ● HSG168 — Fire Safety in Construction sets out site-specific expectations for construction projects
What inspectors typically look for
- ● Is the assessment by a competent person, dated, and reviewed within the last 12 months?
- ● Does it cover all five steps, with specific findings rather than generic statements?
- ● Are PEEPs in place for any occupant who could not self-evacuate?
- ● Is there evidence the emergency plan has been communicated and drilled?
- ● Are alarm, emergency lighting and extinguisher service records present and current?
Common compliance mistakes
- Using a template downloaded years ago without re-walking the premises
- Conflating the fire risk assessment with the building's fire strategy — they are different documents
- No record of staff training or fire drills despite the assessment requiring them
Example Use Cases
Small Office Above a Shop
Responsible person assessing a single-staircase mixed-use building — identifying cooking risk from the takeaway below, escape route protection, and door-closer integrity to the office floor.
HMO with Six Bedrooms
Landlord completing a Type 3 / Type 4 fire risk assessment covering linked smoke alarms, fire doors to bedrooms and kitchen, escape window provision, and a written emergency plan for tenants.
Construction Site (Mid-Build)
Principal contractor producing a site-specific FRA aligned to HSG168 — hot works permits, temporary detection, escape routes through partially built floors, and exclusion of flammable storage from emergency egress.
How to use this template
- 1
Download the template
Click the download button above to get the editable PDF document.
- 2
Walk the premises
Inspect every room, corridor, stairwell, plant room, and storage area. Note ignition sources, fuel loads, and escape routes.
- 3
Complete Step 1 — fire hazards
Record each ignition source and fuel source you identified. Be specific (e.g. 'cardboard packaging stored beside fuse board on first floor').
- 4
Complete Step 2 — people at risk
List who is in the building and when. Flag anyone needing a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP).
- 5
Complete Step 3 — controls
For each hazard, record the existing control and decide whether it is adequate, needs improvement, or is missing.
- 6
Write the emergency plan
Document the alarm, escape routes, assembly point, roll-call procedure, and who calls 999. Train staff and run a drill.
- 7
Record findings and set a review date
Sign the assessment, set the next review date (usually 12 months, sooner if anything material changes), and store with your safety records.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Treating the assessment as a one-off paperwork exercise rather than a living document
- Generic ignition / fuel lists that aren't tied to what's actually on site
- No PEEP for occupants with mobility impairments — a legal expectation under the RRO
- Missing or out-of-date test and inspection log for alarms, emergency lighting and extinguishers
- Fire doors propped open or with damaged seals — recorded as 'in place' without an inspection
- No review trigger after refurbishment, change of use or near-miss
- Action plan with no owner or target date — actions never close out
Share or Use This Template
This Fire Risk Assessment template is free to use and share. Feel free to reference it with your team, include it in training materials, or link to it from your own resources.
Why templates have limitations
Templates provide a solid starting point, but they require manual editing to match your specific site conditions, hazards, and work activities. This can be time-consuming and important site-specific risks may be missed if sections are left generic.
For projects where accuracy and speed matter, many contractors prefer tools that generate structured documents automatically based on real project inputs.
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