Protecting your business from fire requires more than a smoke detector on the ceiling. You have legal duties, equipment obligations and ongoing maintenance responsibilities - and the legislation that governs them is often misquoted online. This article sets out what you actually need to do, clearly and accurately.
Blake Fire & Security Systems has been helping businesses across Essex meet those duties since 1979. From offices in Chelmsford to warehouses in Basildon, the same principles apply to every commercial premises. The legal consequences of getting it wrong are serious.
Fire safety for commercial premises in England and Wales is governed by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (commonly called the FSO). If you employ five or more people, you are legally required to carry out a Fire Risk Assessment and record it in writing. Smaller businesses still carry the duty - they just do not need to record it formally.
The FSO places legal responsibilities on the "Responsible Person." That is typically the employer for a workplace, or the person with overall control of the premises. The FSO requires the Responsible Person to:
The penalties for non-compliance are severe. Failure to comply where relevant persons are placed at risk can result in an unlimited fine and up to two years' imprisonment under Article 32 of the FSO. Directors and senior managers can be held personally liable where offences are committed with their consent, connivance or neglect (Article 32(8)).
Whether you operate a distribution business in Harlow or a restaurant in Braintree, these obligations apply equally.
You may also come across references to the Fire Safety Act 2021 and the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022. These built on the FSO but have specific, narrower scopes. The Fire Safety Act 2021 clarified that the FSO applies to the external walls and flat entrance doors of multi-occupied residential buildings. The 2022 Regulations introduced additional duties for those responsible for buildings with two or more residential flats. For most commercial premises - offices, retail, hospitality, warehouses - the FSO 2005 is the primary legislation you need to understand.
Your Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) is the foundation of everything. Article 9 of the FSO requires the Responsible Person to make a "suitable and sufficient" assessment of fire risks. The assessment determines what fire precautions are needed - it is not a box-ticking exercise.
Your FRA should cover:
Review your FRA at least annually, and after any significant change to the premises, occupancy, or the way the building is used. The FSO requires the assessment to remain "suitable and sufficient" for actual conditions in your premises. In practice, most competent fire safety consultants recommend annual review as standard.
Your Fire Risk Assessment determines how many fire extinguishers you need and where they should be placed. BS 5306-8:2023 - the British Standard for selection and positioning - requires at minimum two Class A-rated fire extinguishers per storey, with an aggregate rating of at least 26A. The type of extinguisher depends on the fire risks present in each area.
Key positioning rules from BS 5306-8:
Note that CO2 fire extinguishers are not effective on Class A fires (wood, paper, textiles). Powder fire extinguishers should not be specified for indoor use without specific justification, because of impaired visibility and inhalation risks. Your Fire Risk Assessment or a competent installer should specify the correct types for your premises.
Blake's fire extinguisher supply and servicing covers the full range of extinguisher types. Annual basic service and extended service intervals are carried out by BAFE SP101-registered engineers to BS 5306-3 standards.
Fire alarm systems in non-domestic premises are covered by BS 5839-1:2025. Your Fire Risk Assessment determines which system category is appropriate for your premises. The system type - whether addressable (identifies exactly which device activated) or conventional (identifies which zone) - depends on the size and complexity of your building.
Blake's commercial fire alarm installations are designed and maintained to BS 5839-1:2025 by engineers who hold current FIA qualifications. As a BAFE SP203-1 registered organisation and NSI Gold approved company, Blake's carries independent third-party certification covering design, installation, commissioning and maintenance. That is not self-certification - it is audited approval.
"I would just like to thank you and all the team that have been here with me this week, for an absolutely fantastic service and a great job well done. Your colleagues have been helpful, informative and very patient with me as a business owner with little or no understanding of fire regulations and our responsibilities as a business owner. Things have been explained well and the training I have received has been excellent. Further to this I would add that the Fire Risk Assessor who has been on site this morning spoke very highly of your company and was assured that we were in good hands!"
Kirsty Powell, Director, Chef's Choice Ltd
Emergency lighting illuminates escape routes when normal power fails. It is covered by BS 5266-1. Systems must be tested monthly (functional test) and annually (full-duration discharge test, typically three hours). A competent person must carry out the annual test and document the service records.
Blake's emergency lighting installation and maintenance service covers design, commissioning and ongoing servicing to BS 5266-1 standards.
Article 17 of the FSO requires you to maintain all fire safety equipment in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair. The frequencies below reflect the recommendations of the relevant British Standards - your Fire Risk Assessment may indicate more frequent testing is appropriate for your premises.
For businesses that prefer to hand off the compliance burden entirely, Blake's fire alarm maintenance contracts cover scheduled servicing, certification and ongoing support - delivered by the same specialist engineers who installed the system.
Keep detailed records of all testing and maintenance. These are your evidence of compliance during a fire authority inspection.
Article 21 of the FSO requires the Responsible Person to provide adequate fire safety training to employees. Training should cover:
Appoint fire wardens - competent people who can assist with evacuation and carry out a sweep of their area. Training should be given on induction, refreshed at regular intervals and updated whenever procedures or the premises change. Record all training and retain the records.
Your emergency procedures should be documented and communicated to all staff. They should cover:
Conduct fire drills at appropriate intervals - annually as a minimum for most premises, more frequently if you have high staff turnover or complex evacuation arrangements. Review your procedures after every drill and after any incident.
Approved Document B sets maximum travel distances to emergency exits. These vary by building type and the number of escape directions available:
Emergency exits must be clearly signposted, unobstructed at all times and fitted with emergency lighting. The needs of people with mobility impairments must be considered in your evacuation plan.
Building Regulations (through Approved Document B) set requirements for fire-resistant construction at the time of build or significant refurbishment. Fire-rated doors, compartment walls and floors slow the spread of fire and allow time for evacuation. Your FRA should identify whether your building's passive fire protection remains in good condition.
If you employ five or more people, your Fire Risk Assessment must be recorded in writing. Beyond that, good record-keeping is both a legal safeguard and a practical management tool. Your fire safety logbook should contain:
Organise your records so they are readily available when fire authority inspectors visit. Digital records backed up off-site are good practice, but physical copies on-site are recommended.
Effective fire protection is built on three foundations: a rigorous Fire Risk Assessment that drives all your decisions, properly installed and maintained equipment and well-trained people who know exactly what to do. These are not independent requirements - they reinforce each other.
Review your arrangements regularly. Fire safety legislation places a continuing duty on the Responsible Person. That means staying current with changes to your premises, your occupancy, your processes and the standards that govern equipment maintenance.
Blake Fire & Security Systems serves businesses across Essex from our Southend HQ. Our specialist engineers cover Colchester, Chelmsford, Brentwood, Rayleigh and the wider Essex and South East region. Family-run since 1979, NSI Gold and BAFE SP203-1 registered, we only provide services where we hold current accreditation - if we are not qualified to offer it, we will not.
If you are unsure whether your current fire safety arrangements are adequate, speak to a specialist. Contact Blake Fire & Security Systems on 01702 447800 - we will give you an honest assessment of where you stand and set out clearly what needs to be done.
