If you’re responsible for a building in Warrington, you need to know the fire safety measures in place are still right for how the premises is being used.
Melwood Facilities carries out fire risk assessments in Warrington for businesses, landlords and organisations. Our fire risk assessment services identify fire hazards, look at people at risk and check the precautions already in place. You’ll then know what needs attention and what should be dealt with first.
We’re based in Shevington, Wigan and provide fire risk assessments across the North West, including the Warrington area.
If you need an assessment, call 07887 971740 or make an enquiry through the Melwood Facilities website.
Fire Safety in Warrington
Buildings change over time, which is one reason a fire risk assessment needs to be kept up to date.
A business might start using rooms differently, bring in new equipment or store more stock. A landlord could have changes in occupancy. In a multi-occupied building, shared areas and escape routes might be used differently too.
Changes like these can create new fire risks or mean an existing precaution is no longer suitable.
A Warrington fire risk assessment looks at the premises as it is now. The assessor considers how the building is used, possible sources of ignition, the occupants, escape arrangements and current fire protection measures.
This gives the responsible person a clear idea of what’s working and what might need changing.
What Happens During an Assessment?
Conducting fire risk assessments is more than walking around a building and filling in a form. The fire risk assessor needs to understand how the premises is used day to day, as this affects the fire hazards present and the people who could be at risk.
The inspection looks at areas such as:
- Fire hazards and sources of ignition
- Escape routes and people at risk
- Fire alarms and emergency lighting
- Fire doors and fire separation
- Firefighting equipment
The wider fire safety risk assessment also looks at signage, management procedures, fire safety information, testing and maintenance, record keeping and the emergency plan. Melwood’s assessment process covers these areas and includes an action plan.
If a fire door, compartmentation or another part of the building needs checking in more detail, this may lead to a separate inspection or survey.
Keeping Your Premises Compliant
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment is a legal requirement for many non-domestic premises.
The responsible person must look at the fire hazards within the building and consider the people who could be affected in the event of a fire. Where a risk is found, suitable measures need to be put in place to reduce the risk.
The assessment needs to be kept up to date too. A report sitting in a folder isn’t much use if the building has changed since the assessment was done.
For a business owner, landlord or organisation, keeping on top of the assessment helps you manage your legal obligations and fire safety compliance. The process covers identifying hazards, looking at people at risk, reducing those risks, recording the findings and reviewing the assessment when needed.
Different Buildings Need Different Checks
A warehouse doesn’t have the same fire risks as an office, school or residential building. The layout, equipment, escape routes, number of occupants and how the premises is used all affect what needs checking.
Residential buildings have their own fire safety requirements too. Blocks of flats, shared accommodation and other multi-occupied buildings need suitable measures for the people living there and for any shared parts of the building.
Melwood carries out fire risk assessment services for different types of buildings, including private offices, schools, government and council buildings, hospitality premises, student housing and HMOs. The wider business also works with warehouses, flats and apartments.
This means the assessment looks at the actual building and how it’s being used, rather than treating every premise in the same way.
From Inspection to Final Report
The useful part of a professional fire risk assessment is knowing what needs doing once the inspection is finished.
Your final report records the main findings and gives you recommendations for dealing with the fire risks identified. The assessment looks at areas such as escape routes, fire detection, emergency lighting, fire doors, compartmentation, firefighting equipment, signage and fire safety management.
The findings are prioritised, so you have a better idea of what needs dealing with first.
If something needs further investigation, the report may recommend another inspection or survey. Fire doors are one example. If they need checking beyond the main assessment, a separate fire door inspection or compartmentation survey may be needed.
So you’re not just told there’s a problem. You get a clearer idea of what was found and what should happen next.
Fire Safety Beyond the Assessment
Sometimes a fire risk assessment shows that the building itself isn’t the only thing that needs attention.
Fire safety management matters as well. Staff need the right information, emergency arrangements need to work and firefighting equipment needs to be maintained. All of these things need to work together to help ensure the safety of people in the building.
Melwood Facilities works across several areas of UK fire safety, including fire risk assessment services, fire door inspections, compartmentation surveys, statutory inspection and fire training. These services are provided across the North West.
If the assessment finds something outside its main scope, we’ll explain what further work or inspection may be needed.
Warrington and the North West
Warrington is already part of Melwood Facilities’ North West service area. Our main fire risk assessment service covers Warrington alongside Liverpool and St Helens, with work also carried out across Greater Manchester and Lancashire.
We’re not based in Warrington. Melwood Facilities operates from Shevington, Wigan and covers businesses and premises across the surrounding North West area.
This gives businesses, landlords and organisations in Warrington access to fire risk assessment services from a company already working across the region.
Arrange an Assessment
If you’re responsible for a premise in Warrington, tell us what type of building it is and what you need help with.
We’ll talk you through the fire risk assessment and what happens next. Call 07887 971740 or make an enquiry online to arrange your Warrington fire risk assessment.
Fire Risk Assessments FAQs
For many workplaces and non-domestic premises, yes. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 sets out fire safety duties, including the requirement for a suitable fire risk assessment.
The responsible person depends on how the building is owned and managed. This could be an employer, landlord, business owner or another person responsible for the premises.
A fire risk assessor looks for potential fire hazards and considers people at risk, escape arrangements, fire protection, alarms, emergency lighting, fire doors, firefighting equipment and existing safety management.
Fire doors and fire separation are covered within Melwood’s fire risk assessment process. If something needs looking at more closely, a separate fire door survey may be recommended.
It needs to be kept up to date. Changes to the building, its occupants, equipment or the way rooms are used can affect the current fire risks and the measures needed to manage them.
