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In the wake of the Grenfell disaster and concerning reports of ‘sub-standard’ fire safety assessments in the UK, the Government has called for a crackdown on Fire Risk Assessors.
And in a letter to industry stakeholders, the National Resilience and Fire Safety Unit has confirmed it will legally introduce “mandatory competence requirements for fire risk assessors”.
Dated 1 April 2025, the letter reads:
“It will be of significant interest to those of you interested in fire risk assessor competence, that we intend to bring into law, mandatory competence requirements for fire risk assessors, to be independently verified by a UKAS-accredited certification body and overseen by a regulator.”
A fire risk assessment is a crucial process to identify fire hazards, evaluate risks, and implement preventative measures to protect people and property. It is a legal requirement. If you are an employer, builder owner or occupier you will need to ensure a fire risk assessment is completed by a competent person.
So, what should you look for in a fire risk assessor to ensure your risk assessment is carried out correctly?
- Competency
Make sure that whoever you choose is certified by an accredited fire body. Acorn Safety Services are members of the IFSM, our consultants are also individual members and are on the tiered fire risk assessor register Fire Risk Assessors – IFSM to show competency.
- Experience
Check that your fire risk assessor has specific experience in the type of business or premises that you need assessing. Ask about their prior experience, as it is imperative that they have the knowledge of relevant fire safety legislation, guidance documents, and the behaviour of fire.
- References
Don’t be afraid to ask for references or check any Google/Trustpilot reviews, which often give a good indication of previous experience and if any problems were later identified. We are proud that Acorn Safety Services has a five-star rating from 36 reviews, the most recent of which was just days ago.
We would also recommend getting more than one quotation for the same scope, so that you have a number of fire risk assessors to compare.
Some business owners might complete a fire risk assessment themselves if premises are small or low risk, as there is easy to find standard fire safety risk assessment guides on the Government website.
However, if you don’t have the time or the knowledge to do this, it is always better to employ a specialist fire risk assessor to do this on your behalf to ensure a thorough and effective assessment to keep your staff and premises safe.
It is a fundamental requirement that all our consultants have the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to manage health and safety and possess relevant professional and educational qualifications.
If you need help with your Fire Risk Assessment, contact us today on 01604 930380.
