Who has responsibility for workplace fire safety?
In England, responsibility for business and other non-domestic premises can rest with employers, owners, landlords, occupiers or other people controlling the premises. Where more than one responsible person is involved, they must cooperate.
The government’s workplace responsibilities guidance (gov.uk) covers assessing and reviewing fire risks and maintaining appropriate precautions. The relevant duties follow the premises and actual control arrangements.
In a shared building, clarify which areas your business manages and which sit with a landlord or another occupier. A tenancy boundary and the management of shared escape routes may involve different arrangements.
Keep the assessment connected to current activities
An assessment needs to relate to the premises and the activities taking place. Its findings provide a starting point for considering existing precautions and the actions still requiring attention.
For offices and shops, government assessment review guidance (gov.uk) calls for review if the assessment’s validity is doubtful or significant changes affect precautions. Its examples include changed work processes, internal-layout alterations, new equipment and increased occupancy.
Testing, maintenance and training records assist the review. For a proposed change, some questions may remain open until the project scope is clearer, particularly where alterations involve shared areas.
Equipment, maintenance and staff arrangements
Fire detection and warning arrangements depend on the premises and activities. Relevant firefighting equipment needs proper installation, testing, maintenance and appropriate staff training.
Government equipment and training guidance (gov.uk) also describes regular checks covering alarms, emergency lighting, faults, escape routes, doors and signs. The scope should be addressed through suitable management and competent support.
Existing records help connect this work with assessment findings. They may show an unresolved fault, work already completed or arrangements for staff training. Where several parties control the building, those records may sit with different people.
Assessment scope for your business
For shared premises, the work needs to account for management boundaries and the precautions serving the occupied areas. A review prompted by a change in activity or layout needs to address that change in the context of the existing assessment.
See our business premises page for assessment requirements concerning occupied commercial spaces and their relationship with shared facilities.