The Fire Risk Assessment remains the foundation

Fire safety is not simply a matter of installing alarms, extinguishers and fire doors. It is an ongoing management responsibility involving risk assessment, maintenance, training, evacuation planning, documentation and regular review. For organisations responsible for workplaces and many other non-domestic premises in England, the central legal framework remains the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, as amended.

A Responsible Person may be an employer, owner, landlord, occupier or another person exercising control over the premises, such as a facilities manager, building manager or managing agent. Where more than one Responsible Person exists, they must cooperate and coordinate their fire-safety arrangements.

The starting point is a suitable and sufficient Fire Risk Assessment. It should identify:

  • Fire hazards
  • People who may be at risk
  • Measures for removing or reducing risk
  • Fire precautions required
  • Emergency arrangements
  • Training requirements
  • Matters requiring monitoring and review
Under section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022, Responsible Persons must record the Fire Risk Assessment in full, including all findings, rather than recording only significant findings in limited circumstances. The previous distinction whereby written recording obligations depended on having five or more employees no longer applies to this duty. Fire-safety arrangements must also be recorded.

Fire precautions have to work in practice

A good Fire Risk Assessment should lead to effective controls. Depending upon the premises, these may include:

  • Fire detection and warning systems
  • Emergency lighting
  • Fire-fighting equipment
  • Suitable means of escape
  • Fire doors
  • Compartmentation
  • Signs and notices
  • Emergency procedures
  • Maintenance arrangements
  • Staff instruction and training
Government guidance requires regular checks of key precautions, including alarms, emergency lighting, escape routes, exit doors and automatic fire doors. Faults should be recorded and dealt with.

Fire safety is a management system, not an annual event

One of the most common weaknesses in organisational fire safety is treating the Fire Risk Assessment as an isolated document. A building can have a professionally prepared FRA and still develop serious deficiencies if:

  • Actions remain outstanding
  • Fire doors deteriorate
  • Escape routes become obstructed
  • Staff change without receiving training
  • Fire drills stop taking place
  • Contractors alter fire precautions
  • New hazards are introduced
  • Maintenance records are incomplete

Effective fire safety requires an ongoing cycle

  • Assess: identify hazards and risks.
  • Plan: decide what precautions and management arrangements are required.
  • Implement: put those measures into practice.
  • Monitor: check that they remain effective.
  • Review: update arrangements when circumstances or risks change.
This is why Fire Risk Assessments, Fire Door Inspections, staff training, management plans and periodic audits should work together rather than operate as unrelated activities.

Training and evacuation remain essential

New employees need appropriate fire-safety training, and employees should be informed about new fire risks. Government guidance also says organisations should conduct at least one fire drill each year and retain the results as part of their fire-safety and evacuation arrangements.

Emergency plans should address clear escape routes, sufficient exits, emergency lighting where necessary, staff knowledge of escape routes and a safe assembly point. Special arrangements may also be necessary for people with mobility needs.

Fire safety legislation continues to evolve

Fire safety following the Grenfell Tower tragedy has continued to develop. Important developments include:

  • The Fire Safety Act 2021
  • The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022
  • Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022
  • Revised government fire-door guidance issued in 2025
  • New Residential PEEP requirements that took effect in April 2026
For organisations managing residential buildings, healthcare environments, care premises and large property portfolios, keeping abreast of these developments is increasingly important.

Fire remains a real operational risk

In the year ending March 2026, fire and rescue services in England attended 170,597 fires. Of these, 39,859 were building fires. There were 254 fire-related fatalities during the period.

The statistics reinforce an important principle: fire safety should not become a documentation exercise disconnected from real risk.

The Stanford Global approach

Effective fire-safety management requires the different elements to work together. Stanford Global supports organisations through:

  • Fire Risk Assessments
  • Fire Door Inspections
  • Fire Safety Training
  • Fire Warden Training
  • Fire Safety Management Plans
  • Fire Safety Audits
The work helps organisations understand their fire risks and establish practical, evidence-based arrangements for controlling them.