Undertaking a fire risk assessment on site

Know What You Need to Manage

Your Responsibilities Under UK Fire Safety Law

Fire and security responsibilities sit with those managing or controlling the building. Helix helps you turn legal duties into practical, organised action — with clear records and one accountable team behind the work.

Book a responsibilities review View your duties

Review

Understand your current setup, risks and where gaps may exist.

Maintain

Keep life-safety systems tested, serviced and operating as intended.

Record

Document actions clearly so accountability is visible when it matters.

Guidance

Why this page exists

Most people only encounter fire safety legislation when something goes wrong — a routine inspection raises issues, an insurance audit asks for evidence, or worse, an incident triggers a serious investigation. By then, gaps in records, certifications and systems are very expensive to fix.

This page helps you understand what is expected under UK law, what records you need to keep, and where Helix can take the load off so you are not facing those gaps when it matters.

Who is responsible?

Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, every non-domestic premises in England and Wales must have a designated Responsible Person — typically the employer, building owner, landlord, occupier or managing agent. In some buildings there may be more than one, in which case duties are shared.

In multi-occupancy buildings responsibility is shared. In residential blocks under the Building Safety Act 2022, additional duties apply for higher-risk residential buildings.

Key point

“I didn't know” is not a legal defence

Fire safety responsibility cannot be delegated away or quietly ignored. Even if a building is managed by a third party, the legally Responsible Person retains accountability. Helix can support compliance — but the responsibility remains yours.

What you must do — the duties at a glance

Under the Fire Safety Order, the Responsible Person must take general fire precautions that ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety of employees and others lawfully on the premises. In practice that means:

Carry out a Fire Risk Assessment

A suitable and sufficient assessment of fire risks — in writing where required — reviewed regularly and after material changes to the building or its use.

Identify and protect occupants at risk

Include disabled occupants, lone workers, contractors and visitors — with suitable arrangements for safe evacuation.

Implement appropriate fire safety measures

Detection and warning, escape routes, emergency lighting, fire-fighting equipment, fire doors and compartmentation matched to the building's risk profile.

Maintain those measures

Planned servicing of fire alarms, emergency lighting, extinguishers, AOV systems and other safety equipment to the relevant British Standards.

Train people who work in the building

Adequate fire safety training including evacuation procedures — refreshed periodically and recorded.

Plan for an emergency

Suitable emergency procedures, fire warden roles where appropriate, and clear information for occupants about what to do in a fire.

Keep records

Inspections, tests, training and incidents maintained in writing where required — with additional duties for higher-risk residential buildings.

The records you need to maintain

Inspectors will ask for these. Insurers will ask for these. If something goes wrong, courts will ask for these. Keep them current, organised and accessible.

Current Fire Risk AssessmentReviewed and updated, with action log
Fire alarm service recordsWeekly test logs and six-monthly/annual servicing
Emergency lighting test recordsMonthly function tests and annual full discharge tests
Fire extinguisher service recordsAnnual maintenance and five-yearly extended service
AOV system service recordsWhere automatic opening vents are installed
Fire door inspection recordsParticularly important in residential blocks
Staff training recordsEvacuation drills and fire warden training
Incident logFire incidents, false alarms and system faults
PAT testing recordsFor portable electrical equipment

What happens if you don't comply

Enforcement is taken seriously. Fire and Rescue Authorities can issue Alteration Notices, Enforcement Notices and Prohibition Notices. Breaches can result in unlimited fines and, in the most serious cases, imprisonment. Insurance cover may be invalidated where fire safety duties have not been met.

The Building Safety Act 2022 has further increased penalties and oversight for higher-risk residential buildings — typically 18 metres or more in height, or seven or more storeys, containing two or more residential units.

How Helix helps

Helix takes the complexity out of compliance. We help clients turn legal duties into practical, manageable actions — handling the things that should never be left to chance.

Surveys

Review your current systems and identify priorities so nothing critical is missed.

Maintenance

Keep systems tested, serviced and operating as intended — to the right standards on the right schedule.

Documentation

Maintain clear records that support accountability and compliance — ready for any inspection or audit.

Key areas usually include

Having suitable fire detection and warning systems in place
Maintaining equipment regularly to the relevant British Standards
Keeping documentation and service records current and accessible
Reviewing life-safety risks and reassessing after material changes
Ensuring escape routes and safety measures remain effective
Coordinating compliance across multiple disciplines from one accountable team

Where to start

If you are not certain where you stand, the first step is usually a survey. We will visit the property, review what is installed, check the condition of your existing records, and give you a clear, plain-English summary of where you are — including any immediate issues and longer-term priorities.

There is no obligation, no scare-tactics and no pushy upsell. Just a useful, honest review that puts you in a position to make informed decisions about your building.

Book a responsibilities review