Short answer: Yes. Almost every business and non-domestic premises needs a fire risk assessment. It must be carried out by a competent person (yourself, if you have the knowledge and experience, or a professional fire risk assessor). In England and Wales, since 1 October 2023 every fire risk assessment must be recorded in writing, whatever the size of the business.
What the law says
Under article 9 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the “responsible person” for a premises must carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment and review it regularly.
Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 strengthened these rules from 1 October 2023. Now, in England and Wales:
- every responsible person must record the full fire risk assessment and their fire safety arrangements in writing, not only businesses with five or more employees
- they must record the name of the person or organisation who carried it out
- anyone they appoint to carry out or review the assessment must be competent.
“Competent” means having enough training, experience and knowledge for that type of premises. You can do it yourself for a simple, low-risk building. Larger, complex or higher-risk premises (such as buildings with sleeping accommodation) usually need a professional fire risk assessor.
What you need to do
- Find out who the responsible person is for your premises.
- Have a competent person carry out a fire risk assessment, and record it in full.
- Record the name of the person or company who did it.
- Act on the findings, and keep a record of what you’ve done.
- Review it regularly (most businesses do this annually) and whenever something significant changes.
How OHSS can help
OHSS carries out professional fire risk assessments for businesses across the North West, and provides a clear written report and action plan.
Fire risk assessments → | Ask us a question | Call 0151 374 0355
Sources
- Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, article 9
- Building Safety Act 2022, section 156
- GOV.UK – Fire safety responsibilities under section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022
- GOV.UK – Fire safety in the workplace
This page covers fire safety law in England and Wales (the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005). Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own fire safety laws with similar duties. It is general guidance, not legal advice. Last reviewed: October 2026.
