Running a small shop or office? Here's a plain-English checklist of what fire safety law expects, and the equipment most small premises need.
Your Legal Duties
Whoever controls the premises – usually the business owner, employer or landlord – must:
- carry out a fire risk assessment and keep it up to date,
- put sensible precautions in place,
- plan for an emergency and train staff, and
- keep fire safety equipment maintained.
The law that applies:
- England and Wales – the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
- Scotland – the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006
- Northern Ireland – the Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 and the Fire Safety Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010
Does the Assessment Have to Be Written Down?
- England and Wales – yes, whatever the size of your business, since October 2023. You must also record who carried it out.
- Scotland and Northern Ireland – if you have 5 or more employees, or need a licence. It's good practice anyway.
If you share a building with other businesses, you must work together on fire safety and share information. See Do I Need a Fire Risk Assessment?.
Extinguishers and Fire Blankets
- Our standard advice: a 6 Litre Water Fire Extinguisher on each floor, plus a 2kg CO2 Fire Extinguisher where there's electrical equipment.
- A fire blanket in a staff kitchen.
- Have them serviced every year.
See Which Fire Extinguisher Do I Need?, How Many Fire Extinguishers Do I Need? and Where Should Fire Extinguishers Be Placed?.
Fire Alarm
A small, single-storey, open-plan shop may only need a shout of "Fire!" or a manual bell, if everyone can hear it. Premises over more than one floor generally need an electrical fire alarm system with call points. See Fire Alarm Systems for Businesses.
Escape Routes
- Keep escape routes and exits clear – no stock, boxes or bins on stairs and corridors.
- Exit doors must open easily from inside without a key or code.
- Fire exit signs are needed where the way out isn't obvious. See Which Fire Safety Signs Do I Need?.
- Emergency lighting may not be needed in a small ground-floor shop with good outside light, but it's usually needed for stairs, basements and inner rooms. See Emergency Lighting: What You Need and How to Test It.
- Keep fire doors closed and in good order. See Fire Doors: Types, Signs and Simple Checks.
Staff and Visitors
- Train staff when they start and refresh it regularly – once a year is typical. See Fire Extinguisher Training for Staff.
- Hold fire drills. See Fire Drills and Evacuation Plans.
- Agree a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) with any member of staff who'd need help to get out.
- Display at least one no-smoking sign.
Keep Records
Record your checks, tests, training and servicing in a fire safety log book.
Common Problems Found by Inspectors
Fire and Rescue Service prosecutions of small businesses often involve the same failings:
- no suitable fire risk assessment,
- no fire alarm or smoke detection,
- stock or rubbish blocking the only staircase or exit,
- damaged or wedged-open fire doors,
- missing or faulty emergency lighting, and
- people sleeping in rooms above or behind the shop – which needs much stricter fire precautions.
Official guides: GOV.UK – small non-domestic premises (England), GOV.WALES – checklist for small premises, gov.scot – non-residential premises and Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service.
Worth remembering… your fire risk assessment is what decides what your premises need. This guide is general advice, not a substitute for it.
Not sure what you need? Get in touch with our team – we'll be delighted to help. No pressure. No sales patter.