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How to Prevent False Fire Alarms in Commercial Buildings
Accredited fire risk assessments
As a responsible business owner, landlord, or property manager, you have a legal and moral duty to protect your staff, visitors, and premises from the risk of fire. One of the most important steps in fulfilling that responsibility is to carry out a professional fire risk assessment.
At City Fire, we’re one of the UK’s trusted fire risk assessment companies, delivering fully compliant fire risk assessment services across London, Birmingham, and throughout the UK. Our qualified assessors help businesses identify potential hazards, evaluate levels of risk, and put effective measures in place to prevent fire, reduce damage, and protect lives.
Backed by the strength of the LS Fire Group, our team of experienced assessors and partner brands offers nationwide coverage and a consistently high standard of service. Whether you need a commercial fire risk assessment for a single site or multiple properties, we’re here to make compliance simple, practical, and reliable.
What is a fire risk assessment?
A fire risk assessment is a structured inspection designed to identify and evaluate fire hazards within your building and determine how to reduce or remove them.
During your fire safety risk assessment, our certified fire risk assessors examine all aspects of your premises, including layout, occupancy, activities carried out, and materials used, to determine how a fire could start and spread. The process also looks at evacuation procedures, fire detection systems, and firefighting equipment to ensure you have everything in place to protect your people and property.
Our fire risk assessment service follows the five-step process recommended by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, ensuring that your business remains legally compliant and operationally prepared.
What’s included in our fire risk assessment service?
At City Fire, our comprehensive risk assessment service is tailored to your building type and fire safety needs. We carry out a detailed on-site evaluation, reviewing the following key areas:
- Identification of fire hazards and ignition sources
- Assessment of people at risk (employees, visitors, contractors, and vulnerable persons)
- Evaluation of existing safety measures, including alarms, extinguishers, signage, and evacuation routes
- Review of fire safety management, maintenance records, and emergency planning
- Recommendations for improvements to ensure full compliance
Following your assessment, you’ll receive a detailed written report that highlights our findings and includes clear, practical actions to reduce fire risk and maintain compliance. Our assessors take pride in making the process clear and actionable, helping you understand exactly how to keep your premises safer.
Specialised commercial fire risk assessments
We specialise in commercial fire risk assessments for a wide range of sectors, including offices, retail, education, healthcare, manufacturing, and property management. We understand that every environment presents different challenges, from high footfall areas and complex layouts to multiple occupancy buildings.
Our fire risk assessment teams work closely with facilities managers, landlords, and business owners to ensure every requirement of the Fire Safety Order is met. Whether it’s a small office or a large industrial site, our assessors deliver the same thorough approach to compliance and safety.
With our professional support, you’ll have confidence that your fire risk assessments meet UK standards and are backed by clear documentation for insurers, auditors, and enforcement authorities.
Our fire risk assessors
Our accredited fire risk assessors are highly experienced and fully qualified to carry out assessments in all types of commercial and residential buildings. Working across the West Midlands, Greater London, and the wider UK, our assessors operate with professionalism, consistency, and attention to detail.
Each member of our team stays up to date with the latest fire risk assessment regulations and best practices, so you can be sure your property is assessed accurately and in full compliance with UK fire safety law.
If you’re looking for fire risk assessment companies in London and the UK, at City Fire, we combine local expertise with nationwide capability. We deliver practical advice and tailored recommendations that make compliance achievable and straightforward.
Why choose our fire risk assessment services?
At City Fire, we’re part of the LS Fire Group, which gives you access to a network of leading fire risk assessment providers and life safety specialists. This allows us to deliver consistent quality and coverage across the UK, whether you operate a single site or a large multi-property portfolio. Numerous businesses choose us because we provide:
- Fully qualified, accredited fire risk assessors
- Comprehensive reports and actionable recommendations
- Compliance with BS 9999 and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
- Expertise in both commercial and residential fire safety
- Support for ongoing fire alarm maintenance, fire extinguisher servicing, and fire safety training
- With City Fire, you’re not just meeting your legal obligations, you’re partnering with experts who care about protecting your people and property.
Fire safety is a responsibility that never rests and we’re here to implement complete fire protection for your business. Get in touch with our industry-leading experts to learn how we prevent fires, protect lives, and ensure compliance for you.
Fire Risk Assessments FAQs
- Who is responsible for arranging a fire risk assessment?
- The responsibility for arranging a fire risk assessment sits with the “responsible person” for the premises. This is usually the employer, building owner, landlord, facilities manager, managing agent, or anyone with control over fire safety within the building. In some premises, responsibility may be shared between multiple parties, such as a landlord and tenant, but it is important that duties are clearly defined. City Fire can support responsible persons by carrying out professional fire risk assessments and providing clear guidance on the actions needed to improve safety and compliance.
- What happens after a fire risk assessment is completed?
- After the assessment is completed, you should receive a written report outlining the findings, identified risks, and recommended actions. These actions are usually prioritised so you can understand which issues require urgent attention and which can be addressed as part of longer-term fire safety improvements. The responsible person must then act on the findings, keep records of any remedial work, and review the assessment when changes occur. City Fire can help you understand your report and support with wider fire safety services, such as alarms, extinguishers, training, and maintenance.
- How long does a fire risk assessment take?
- The time needed for a fire risk assessment depends on the size, complexity, and use of the premises. A small office may take only a short visit, while larger commercial buildings, industrial sites, schools, care settings, or multi-occupancy properties may require a more detailed inspection. The assessor may also need time to review documentation such as fire alarm servicing records, emergency lighting tests, evacuation procedures, and previous assessment reports. A thorough assessment should never be rushed, as the aim is to properly identify risks and provide practical recommendations that support long-term safety.
- Do I need a new fire risk assessment if my building changes?
- Yes, a fire risk assessment should be reviewed whenever there are significant changes to the building, its layout, occupancy, or use. This could include refurbishment work, changes to escape routes, new equipment, different staffing levels, increased occupancy, or a change in business activity. Even small changes can affect fire risk, especially if they alter how people move through the building or introduce new ignition sources. If you are unsure whether your current assessment is still suitable, City Fire can review your premises and advise whether an updated assessment is needed.
- What documents should I have ready before a fire risk assessment?
- Having the right documents available can help the assessment run more smoothly and give the assessor a clearer picture of how fire safety is managed on site. Useful documents include floor plans, fire alarm servicing records, emergency lighting test records, extinguisher maintenance records, staff training logs, fire drill records, and any previous fire risk assessments. If some records are missing, the assessment can still take place, but the assessor may highlight gaps in documentation as part of the report.
- Can City Fire help with the remedial actions identified in a fire risk assessment?
- A fire risk assessment is only effective if the findings are acted upon. City Fire can support businesses with a wide range of remedial actions following an assessment, including fire alarm installation and maintenance, fire extinguisher supply and servicing, emergency lighting, fire safety signage, fire door support, and staff training. This means you can move from assessment to action with one trusted provider, helping you improve safety, simplify compliance, and keep clear records of the work completed.
- What happens if a business does not have a suitable fire risk assessment?
- If a business does not have a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment, it may face enforcement action from the fire authority. This could include advice, enforcement notices, restrictions on building use, fines, or prosecution in more serious cases. Beyond legal consequences, an inadequate assessment can leave hazards unmanaged and increase the risk to staff, visitors, and property. Keeping your fire risk assessment up to date helps demonstrate that you are taking your fire safety responsibilities seriously and actively managing risk.
- Are fire risk assessments different for multi-site businesses?
- Multi-site businesses need to make sure each premises has a suitable assessment based on its own layout, use, occupancy, and fire risks. A single generic assessment is unlikely to be sufficient because every building presents different hazards and evacuation considerations. City Fire can support organisations with multiple locations by providing consistent fire risk assessment services across sites, helping standardise reporting, prioritise actions, and simplify ongoing compliance management.
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