Review frequency
How Often Do Fire Risk Assessments Need Reviewing?
There is no single fixed review period that fits every commercial premises. The legal requirement is to keep the assessment suitable, sufficient and regularly reviewed.
When to review
GOV.UK says the responsible person must carry out and regularly review a fire risk assessment. In practice, a review is especially important when the premises, people or fire risk changes.
| Trigger | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Layout or refurbishment change | Escape routes, compartmentation, fire doors or alarm coverage may change. |
| Occupancy change | More people, vulnerable occupants, public access or sleeping risk can change the risk profile. |
| New process or storage | Workshops, kitchens, plant, racking or dangerous substances may introduce new hazards. |
| After a fire, near miss or enforcement contact | The action plan may need immediate reassessment. |
Common review schedules
Many organisations do an internal annual review and commission a fresh professional assessment every one to three years depending on complexity. Higher-risk premises such as sleeping accommodation, care settings, warehouses, industrial sites and multi-tenant buildings often justify closer review.
Do not rely on date alone
A recent report can still be out of date if the building use changed, tenants moved in, storage increased, a fire door survey found issues, or remedial work has not been tracked.
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