FAQs

Do I need to have my fire extinguishers serviced?

Yes, Fire extinguishers should be serviced annually in accordance to BS 5306 part 3 of 2009 and they should be sited and positioned according to BS5306 part 8 of 2012

Do I need a fire risk assessment (FRA)?

Yes, Each year your fire risk assessment should be reviewed by a competent person in accordance with the regulatory reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO). If you dont have one you could be breaking the law!

Do I need a fire alarm?

In accordance to BS 5839 part 1 of 2008, every place of work where there are multiple occupants must have reasonable means possible of notifying everyone of a fire or potential fire. This could be simply met by shouting FIRE FIRE FIRE, however for SME’s the best way to accomplish this is to install a fire alarm system in accordance to BS5839 part 1 of 2017, However, a better way to answer this question would be to advise you that all companies are required by law to conduct a fire risk assessment (FRA) and if you have outsourced this task then it should detail what the correct requirements for your business is.

Do I need to service my emergency lighting?

Yes, this is a legal requirement. Your emergency lighting should be tested monthly by a responsible person in your workplace each month and then again by a competent person every six months and a full discharge of each light should be carried out annually in order to comply with BS5266 (pt 1, 7 & 8)

KEY LINKS

This page provides useful links to external websites relating to various aspects of fire, insurance, loss prevention and general workplace health and safety.

All Things Fire is not responsible for and cannot guarantee the accuracy of information on sites that it does not manage. A link does not mean that ATF endorses the site.

Fire

Arson Prevention Bureau	www.arsonpreventionbureau.org.uk
British Standards Institute (BSi)	www.bsi-global.com
Building Research Establishment (BRE)	www.bre.co.uk
Chief Fire Officers Association (CFOA)	www.cfoa.org.uk
Fire and Rescue Service Recruitment	www.bluelightprofessionals.co.uk
Confederation of Fire Protection Associations (CFPA)	www.cfpa-e.org/
Communities and Local Government	www.communities.gov.uk/fire/
Federation of British Fire Organisations (FOBFO)	www.fobfo.org/
Fire & Rescue Solutions	www.fireandrescuesolutions.com/
Fire Brigades Union (FBU)	www.fbu.org.uk/
Fire Industry Association (FIA)	www.fia.uk.com/
Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE)	www.ife.org.uk/
Institution of Fire Prevention Officers	www.ifposhadow.co.uk/
Institute of Fire Safety Managers	www.ifsm.org.uk
Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB)	www.redbooklive.com
English Heritage	http://www.english-heritage.org.uk

Insurance Services

Association of British Insurers (ABI)	www.abi.org.uk/
Association of Insurance and Risk Managers	www.airmic.com
British Insurance & Investment Brokers Association (BIBA)	www.biba.org.uk/
Chartered Insurance Institute	www.cii.co.uk
Chartered Institute of Loss Adjustors	www.cila.co.uk/
Lloyds of London	www.lloydsoflondon.com

Occupational Health & Safety

Health and Safety Executive	www.hse.gov.uk/
Institute of Occupational Health	www.iosh.co.uk
Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents	www.rospa.com

Certification Bodies

National Security Inspectorate