Fire Risk Assessments for Commercial Premises
A fire risk assessment is the document that everything else depends on. It determines the category of fire alarm system your building needs, the types and quantities of extinguishers, the escape route provision, the compartmentation strategy, the evacuation procedures, the signage, the emergency lighting, and the maintenance regime. It is the single document that enforcement authorities, insurers and auditors will ask to see first. If it is out of date, incomplete or missing, everything built on top of it is on uncertain ground.
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, every commercial premises must have a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment carried out by a competent person, kept under regular review, and updated whenever there is a significant change to the building, its use, or the people who occupy it. Failure to comply is a criminal offence. The responsible person - typically the employer, building owner or managing agent - is personally liable.
Electrifire arranges fire risk assessments for commercial premises across London, Kent and the M25 corridor through experienced fire risk assessors within the New Path Group. But what makes our approach different is what happens after the assessment. Where the report identifies works that Electrifire can address directly - fire alarm upgrades, extinguisher provision, monitoring connections, AOV maintenance, fire door remediation, hold-open device installation - we can quote and deliver those works without you needing to engage a separate contractor for each one.
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PAS 79-1 compliant fire risk assessments for commercial premises
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Experienced, competent fire risk assessors
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Clear, prioritised action plan with practical recommendations
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Direct remediation of findings through Electrifire's fire and security services
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Portfolio-wide FRA programmes for FM and property management companies
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Annual review programmes to maintain ongoing compliance
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What a Fire Risk Assessment Covers
A fire risk assessment to PAS 79-1 is a systematic evaluation of the building and its management arrangements. It is not a tick-box exercise - it is a professional judgement about the level of fire risk and whether the existing measures are adequate to manage that risk. The output is a written report documenting the findings, the level of risk, and a prioritised schedule of recommended actions.
- Identification of fire hazards - sources of ignition, sources of fuel, sources of oxygen
- People at risk - employees, visitors, contractors, and anyone who may be particularly vulnerable including people with mobility impairments, hearing or visual impairments, or cognitive impairments
- Fire detection and alarm systems - whether the system is appropriate for the building's use, correctly categorised, and properly maintained. See our fire alarms page.
- Means of escape - routes, distances, signage, emergency lighting, door widths, and whether routes are kept clear and available
- Fire-fighting equipment - extinguisher types, quantities, positioning and servicing. See our fire extinguishers page.
- Compartmentation - fire doors, fire shutters, fire curtains, fire-stopping, and whether the building's compartmentation strategy remains intact. See our fire doors, fire shutters and fire curtains pages.
- Smoke ventilation - AOV systems, smoke shafts, and natural ventilation provision. See our AOV systems page.
- Emergency evacuation procedures - whether the evacuation strategy is appropriate, documented, practised and understood. See our evacuation testing page.
- Management arrangements - fire safety training, fire marshal appointments, maintenance records, fire logbook, and the competence of the responsible person
PAS 79-1 identifies different levels of assessment depending on the building's complexity and the depth of investigation required. A Type 1 assessment is a non-destructive survey of the common parts and occupied areas, suitable for most commercial premises. Where the assessor identifies concerns about compartmentation that cannot be confirmed visually, a Type 2, 3 or 4 assessment may be recommended, involving progressively more intrusive investigation including opening up of construction to check fire-stopping and compartment integrity.
For FM and property management companies, the level of assessment required should be discussed at the outset. A simple office may need only a Type 1 assessment, while a complex multi-tenanted building with known compartmentation concerns may require a more detailed approach.
From Assessment to Remediation - One Provider
This is where our approach is different from a standalone fire risk assessment provider. Most FRA companies produce the report and leave. You then have a prioritised list of recommended actions and the task of sourcing, coordinating and managing multiple contractors to deliver them. One company for the fire alarm upgrade, another for the extinguishers, another for the passive fire works, another for the door closers. Separate procurement, separate scheduling, separate invoicing, and nobody responsible for making sure the whole package is delivered.
Because Electrifire provides fire alarms, extinguishers, monitoring, AOV systems, fire door hold-open devices, fire shutters, fire curtains, PAVA systems and planned maintenance, we can quote and deliver many of the recommended works directly - closing the loop between assessment and remediation under a single provider. You receive one quote, one project manager, one set of completion certificates, and one account to manage.
What We Can Deliver Directly from FRA Findings
- Fire alarm system upgrades or new installations to the category specified by the assessment.
- Fire extinguisher supply and siting to the types and quantities specified.
- Fire alarm monitoring connections for insurance compliance.
- AOV system maintenance and remedial works.
- Fire door hold-open devices interfaced with the fire alarm.
- Fire shutter and fire curtain servicing.
- Ongoing planned maintenance to keep everything compliant going forward.
For FM and property management companies, this is particularly valuable. A portfolio-wide FRA programme with a single provider who can also deliver the remediation works reduces procurement effort, speeds up compliance timelines, and eliminates the gaps that occur when different contractors are responsible for different elements of the fire safety scope. See how we work with FM companies.
Fire Risk Assessment Review and Ongoing Compliance
A fire risk assessment is not a one-off document. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires it to be kept under regular review and updated whenever there is a significant change. Significant changes include alterations to the building layout, a change of use or occupancy, new tenants, building works that affect compartmentation or escape routes, a fire or near-miss incident, or changes to the fire safety management arrangements.
Best practice is to review the assessment at least annually, even if no significant changes have occurred. Many insurers and managing agents require annual reviews as a condition of cover. For buildings in sectors with high regulatory scrutiny - education, healthcare, care homes, multi-tenanted commercial - more frequent reviews may be appropriate.
Electrifire can establish a rolling annual review programme across your portfolio via our specialist FRA providers within the New Path Group. Each building's fire risk assessment is reviewed at a scheduled interval, any changes are documented, and the action plan is updated. This provides a continuous compliance record that demonstrates to enforcement authorities and insurers that fire safety is being actively managed, not just assessed once and forgotten.
The fire risk assessors within the New Path Group are experienced professionals who follow the PAS 79-1 methodology and can demonstrate competence in accordance with the Fire Risk Assessment Competency Council criteria. The new BS 8674:2025 standard has formalised a three-tier competency framework for fire risk assessors - Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced - reflecting the increasing expectation following the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and the Building Safety Act 2022 that assessors can evidence their qualifications and ongoing professional development.
The Fire Risk Assessments provided by the New Path Group produce clear, site-specific documents that the responsible person can understand and act upon, with recommendations that are proportionate to the risk and achievable within a realistic timescale.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the responsible person for any commercial premises must carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment and keep it under regular review. Failure to do so is a criminal offence and can result in enforcement action, unlimited fines and up to two years imprisonment.
There is no fixed statutory interval, but best practice is to review the assessment at least annually and whenever there is a significant change to the building, its use, its occupancy, or its fire safety measures. Many insurers require annual reviews as a condition of cover. For higher-risk premises, more frequent reviews may be appropriate.
The responsible person is typically the employer, building owner, landlord or managing agent - whoever has control of the premises. In buildings with multiple occupiers, there may be several responsible persons who must cooperate. FM and property management companies are frequently appointed as the responsible person on behalf of the building owner.
PAS 79-1:2020 is the Publicly Available Specification providing a code of practice for fire risk assessments in non-housing premises. It is the recognised methodology used by competent fire risk assessors in the UK and provides a structured framework for identifying, evaluating and recording fire risks. It is not a legal requirement in itself, but following PAS 79-1 demonstrates that the assessment is thorough, consistent and professionally conducted.
In many cases, yes. Where the assessment identifies the need for fire alarm upgrades, extinguisher provision, monitoring connections, AOV maintenance, fire door remediation, hold-open device installation or other fire safety works within our scope, we can quote and deliver those works directly. This closes the loop between assessment and remediation under a single provider.
A Type 1 assessment is a non-destructive survey of the common parts and occupied areas. A Type 3 assessment includes sampling of the building fabric to check compartmentation integrity, including opening up construction where necessary. The appropriate type depends on the building's age, complexity, known issues, and the assessor's professional judgement. Most straightforward commercial premises require a Type 1 assessment.
Electrifire provides commercial fire alarm services across Central London, Greater London, Kent, Surrey and the M25 corridor through our specialist partners within the New Path Group. We also service premises in Southampton, Brighton, Oxford and Luton depending on contract requirements. Contact us to confirm coverage.
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