Fire Safety in the Workplace: UK Employer Guide

Fire safety in the workplace is a legal obligation that every UK employer must take seriously. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (commonly known as the Fire Safety Order or FSO) places clear duties on the "responsible person" — typically the employer — to assess fire risks, implement preventive measures, and maintain adequate fire safety provisions. Failures in fire safety can result in criminal prosecution, unlimited fines, and imprisonment. More importantly, they can cost lives.

This guide sets out the fire safety obligations that apply to UK workplaces, explains how to conduct a fire risk assessment, and provides practical steps for maintaining compliance.

The legal framework

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

The FSO applies to virtually all non-domestic premises in England and Wales, including offices, shops, factories, warehouses, restaurants, pubs, and shared areas of residential buildings. It replaced over 70 pieces of fire safety legislation with a single framework based on risk assessment.

Scotland has equivalent legislation under the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, and Northern Ireland under the Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006. The principles are broadly similar across all UK jurisdictions.

The Fire Safety Act 2021

The Fire Safety Act 2021 clarified that the FSO applies to the structure, external walls (including cladding), and flat entrance doors of multi-occupied residential buildings. While primarily aimed at residential buildings, employers operating from premises with residential elements above or adjacent to the workplace need to be aware of these extended duties.

Who is the responsible person

The FSO places duties on the "responsible person." In most workplaces, this is the employer. More specifically, the responsible person is the employer, in respect of any workplace under their control, the person in control of the premises (such as the owner or occupier) in relation to non-workplace premises, or the owner, where the person in control does not have control through a contract or tenancy.

In shared or multi-occupied buildings, there may be more than one responsible person, and they must cooperate and coordinate their fire safety arrangements.

What the responsible person must do

The responsible person must carry out a fire risk assessment (and keep it under review), implement and maintain appropriate fire safety measures, appoint one or more competent persons to assist with fire safety duties, provide fire safety information and training to employees, and cooperate with other responsible persons in shared buildings.

The fire risk assessment

The fire risk assessment is the cornerstone of fire safety compliance. It is a structured evaluation of fire hazards in your premises and the measures needed to protect people.

Who can carry out the assessment

The responsible person can carry out the assessment themselves if they are competent to do so. For simple, low-risk premises (such as a small office), a reasonably informed employer using government guidance can produce an adequate assessment. For larger, more complex, or higher-risk premises, you should engage a competent fire risk assessor.

The five-step approach

The government recommends a five-step approach to fire risk assessment.

Step 1: Identify fire hazards. Consider three elements: sources of ignition (electrical equipment, heaters, cooking, naked flames, hot processes), sources of fuel (paper, cardboard, wood, textiles, flammable liquids, plastics), and sources of oxygen (air, oxidising chemicals, oxygen supplies).

Step 2: Identify people at risk. Consider all people who might be in or around the premises, including employees, visitors, customers, contractors, and members of the public. Pay particular attention to people who may be especially at risk: those working alone or in isolated areas, disabled people, young workers, pregnant women, and anyone who might sleep on the premises.

Step 3: Evaluate, remove, or reduce the risks. Evaluate the risk of a fire starting and the risk to people if one does. Then reduce the risks identified, considering measures to prevent fire from starting (removing or reducing ignition sources and fuel), measures to protect people if a fire does start (detection, warning, escape routes, fire-fighting equipment), and measures to ensure people can evacuate safely (signage, lighting, procedures).

Step 4: Record, plan, train, and inform. Record your significant findings and the measures you have taken. Prepare an emergency plan. Train all employees. Inform relevant persons (such as other occupiers in the building).

Step 5: Review. Review the assessment regularly — at least annually — and whenever there are significant changes to the premises, processes, occupancy, or after a fire or near miss.

Fire safety measures in practice

Fire detection and warning

All premises must have an appropriate means of detecting fire and warning occupants. This ranges from a simple manual call point system in a small, single-storey office to a full automatic fire detection system with smoke and heat detectors in larger or more complex premises. Whatever system you have, test it weekly and maintain it regularly. Keep records of all tests and maintenance.

Escape routes

Every person in the premises must be able to reach a place of safety quickly and without assistance. Escape routes must be kept clear and unobstructed at all times, be of adequate width for the number of people who will use them, have appropriate fire-resistant construction (particularly in corridors and stairways), be fitted with emergency lighting where needed (for example, where there is no natural light), and be clearly marked with appropriate fire exit signs.

Fire-fighting equipment

Provide appropriate fire-fighting equipment — typically fire extinguishers — and ensure it is properly maintained. The type and quantity of equipment depends on your risk assessment. At minimum, most premises need a water extinguisher on each floor and a CO2 extinguisher near electrical equipment. Have extinguishers serviced annually by a competent person.

Employees should know where the extinguishers are and understand when it is safe to use them — and critically, when it is not. The primary duty is to evacuate, not to fight fires.

Fire doors

Fire doors are a critical component of fire safety in many premises. They compartmentalise the building, slowing the spread of fire and smoke and protecting escape routes. Fire doors must be kept closed (or fitted with automatic closers linked to the fire alarm), maintained in good condition (seals, hinges, closers, and glazing all intact), never wedged or propped open, and clearly signed.

Emergency plans and fire drills

The emergency plan

Every workplace must have a written emergency plan (for premises with 5 or more employees, this must be in writing as part of the overall health and safety arrangements). The plan should cover the action to take on discovering a fire, how to raise the alarm, the procedure for calling the fire service, evacuation procedures, assembly points, arrangements for people who need assistance evacuating, duties of specific staff (fire wardens, first aiders), and procedures for liaising with the fire service on arrival.

Fire drills

Conduct fire drills at least once per year — more frequently if you have a high staff turnover, change working patterns, or modify the premises. Record the date, the time taken to evacuate, any problems encountered, and the actions taken to address them. Vary the conditions of drills — try evacuating during a busy period, or with a blocked escape route, to test the resilience of your procedures.

Training

All employees must receive fire safety training. This should cover when they start work (as part of induction), when there are changes to the workplace or procedures, and periodically as a refresher.

Training should include the fire risks specific to the workplace, the emergency plan and evacuation procedures, the location and use of fire-fighting equipment, the location of fire alarm call points, and the duties of fire wardens.

Keep records of all training delivered, including the date, the attendees, and the content covered.

Inspections and enforcement

Fire safety in England and Wales is enforced by the local fire and rescue authority. Inspectors have the power to enter premises to inspect fire safety arrangements, issue an alterations notice (requiring you to notify them of specified changes), issue an enforcement notice (requiring you to take specific action to comply), issue a prohibition notice (closing all or part of the premises if there is a serious risk), and prosecute for fire safety offences.

When inspectors visit, they will want to see your fire risk assessment, evidence that the measures identified are in place and maintained, training records, fire drill records, and maintenance records for fire detection, alarm, and fighting equipment.

Multi-occupied and shared buildings

If you occupy premises in a building shared with other tenants or businesses, fire safety becomes a shared responsibility. The responsible persons for each part of the building must cooperate and coordinate their fire safety arrangements. This includes sharing information about fire risks, coordinating evacuation procedures, maintaining shared escape routes, and ensuring shared fire safety systems (alarms, sprinklers, emergency lighting) are properly maintained.

In practice, this is usually managed through the building's managing agent or landlord, but as a tenant, you remain responsible for fire safety within the areas you control.

Frequently asked questions

Next steps

Key takeaways

Fire safety is a non-negotiable legal obligation for every UK employer. The responsible person must carry out and regularly review a fire risk assessment, implement adequate prevention and protection measures, maintain escape routes and fire safety equipment, train all employees, and conduct regular fire drills. Enforcement is active, penalties are serious, and the consequences of failure can be devastating. Invest time in getting your fire safety right — it protects your people, your premises, and your business.

For health and safety obligations beyond fire safety, including risk assessments, first aid, and workplace conditions, see our comprehensive health and safety guide for small businesses.