Whilst we are busy at our places of work, fire safety can easily slip to the bottom of our list of priorities. Sometimes the fire risks can not be easy to spot, and the busy nature of the working environment can mean people prioritise saving time ahead of fire safety.

Fire Risk Assessments are not just required in workplaces that pose obvious fire risks, such as commercial kitchens or industrial units. They are also a requirement for offices, and an Office Fire Risk Assessment is crucial for maintaining safety and compliance as it will ensure all potential hazards are identified and mitigated.

To find out more about the role that Fire Risk Assessments can play in keeping your office workplace fire safe, read our expert guide below.

Why is an Office Fire Risk Assessment Important?

An Office Fire Risk Assessment is vital in ensuring that a premises is fire safe. Offices are often very busy, fast-paced environments which feature several prominent risks.

Fire Risk Assessments help to identify these risks, and the people who are vulnerable to them.

Once the risks are identified, a Fire Risk Assessment will put together a plan that’ll implement measures to mitigate these risks.

This will provide you with a structure to ensure that your office remains fire safe and compliant.

Why Do I Need an Office Fire Risk Assessment?

Having an Office Fire Risk Assessment is a legal requirement. Failure to comply does not only put your site at risk, but it could also lead to large fines, or even imprisonment.

Your local fire and rescue authority may visit your property to ensure that you have the appropriate fire safety measures in place to keep people safe.

If not, they will deliver action they deem appropriate which can vary from an informal notice up to a prohibition notice, where access to your property will be prohibited or restricted.

Fire Risk Assessments are also required for the fire safety compliance that they bring to site. Keeping staff and visitors safe should always be of upmost importance. Offices can be challenging environments, with the potential for a lot to go wrong.

Having an up-to-date Fire Risk Assessment in place helps greatly reduce the challenges and risks.

What Issues Can be Found During an Office Fire Risk Assessment?

There are several common issues which can be found in an Office Fire Risk Assessment.

Naturally, offices are full of electrical equipment including computers, screens and printers. The need to get power to all this equipment can sometimes lead to complacency, and overloaded circuits which pose a huge fire risk. In fact, according to the London Fire Brigade, 32% of office fires are caused by electrical distribution issues.

Office supplies such as paper and cardboard are highly flammable. Storing these supplies incorrectly, near heat sources for example, is another issue which commonly arises during an office fire risk assessment. Cleaning products should also be stored safely in tidy, organised cupboards away from any potential heat sources.

It is important that all fire exits and necessary walkways are kept clear in case of an emergency. On occasions in office environments, complacency or ignorance can lead to boxes stored in front of emergency exits, or across emergency walkways.

To find out more about the 5 common safety errors we find in an Office Fire Risk Assessment, check out our dedicated blog post.

Who is Responsible for Undertaking an Office Fire Risk Assessment?

It is the duty of a site’s ‘Responsible Person’ to ensure that an Office Fire Risk Assessment is in place.

For an office environment, who is the Responsible Person is determined by if the workplace is under the control of the employer or a landlord.

Official government guidance says the following;

“If the premises is a workplace, and the premises (i.e. the workplace) is, to any extent, under the control of the employer, they will be the Responsible Person. In some cases, the Responsible Person may be the Building Owner (landlord) or depending on the lease agreement there may be joint responsibility between the employer and the landlord.”

An Office Fire Risk Assessment could be undertaken by the Responsible Person, if they have the appropriate level of competency.

If not, a fire safety company such as UK Fire Consultants can visit site and do the assessment for you to give you peace of mind that it has been performed by an industry expert.

How UK Fire Consultants Can Help You

UK Fire Consultants operate nationwide, providing industry-leading fire safety services at properties across all sectors.

We have a team of fully accredited fire safety experts who can provide coverage across the UK to ensure that your site is protected.

After we have been to site and completed the assessment, our report will be verified by a second-industry professional to ensure that you receive correct, detailed feedback.

Get A Fire Risk Assessment Quote