Fire Safety Policy UK: Duties, Content & Reviews

Overview

A fire safety policy is a written statement setting out how an organisation manages the risk of fire on its premises. It pulls together the outcomes of your fire risk assessment, the physical and procedural measures you rely on, and the people responsible for keeping everything working.

A good policy is readable. It tells staff what to do if the alarm sounds, names the person accountable overall, and explains how fire doors, extinguishers, alarms and escape routes are maintained. It also records how new starters are trained, how drills are run, and how changes to the building or the business trigger a fresh look at the risks.

In England and Wales, the framework for all of this is the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which places duties on the 'responsible person' for most non-domestic premises. Scotland and Northern Ireland operate under their own parallel regimes. A policy is not a one-off document; it should evolve with your premises, headcount and activities.

Key steps

1. Identify the responsible person. Under the Fire Safety Order, someone must take ownership of fire safety. In most workplaces this is the employer, but it can also be an occupier, managing agent or building owner. Write their name and role into the policy so accountability is clear and nobody assumes it belongs to someone else.
2. Carry out a fire risk assessment. Before drafting the policy, walk through the premises and identify sources of ignition, fuel, people at risk and the measures already in place. Record your findings, especially where five or more people are employed. The assessment is the evidence base that your policy then reflects and communicates to staff.
3. Document prevention and protection measures. Set out the controls you rely on, such as alarm systems, emergency lighting, fire doors, extinguishers, signage, housekeeping rules and restrictions on hot works or smoking. Explain how each is inspected and maintained, and who signs off the checks. Specific detail here turns a generic statement into a working document.
4. Explain the emergency plan. Describe how people are alerted to a fire, the escape routes they should use, where they assemble, and how you account for everyone including visitors and contractors. Include arrangements for anyone who may need extra help to evacuate. Make sure the plan is tested through drills at sensible intervals.
5. Review and update regularly. A policy goes stale quickly. Revisit it after any significant change to the layout, occupancy, processes or materials on site, after a near miss or incident, and at planned intervals in any case. Record the review date and who approved the latest version so the audit trail is visible.

Common questions