Fire Risk Assessment Must Cover the Following Steps

A fire risk assessment must follow a clear and logical process. If you are asking what a fire risk assessment must cover, what it should include, or how many steps make up a fire safety risk assessment, the standard working framework is five main steps under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005:

1. Identify fire hazards
2. Identify people at risk
3. Evaluate the risk and decide what needs to be done
4. Record findings, prepare emergency arrangements, and provide training
5. Review and update the assessment

These five steps are not just a training exercise. They are the core structure of a practical fire risk assessment. Whether the premises is a shop, office, block of flats, workplace, warehouse, or other building, the assessment still needs to show that the main fire hazards have been identified, the people at risk have been considered, suitable control measures are in place, and the findings have been properly recorded and reviewed. If you need the basics before looking at the steps, read what is a fire risk assessment.
Last Updated: 2026
Reviewed By: London Safety Certificate Compliance Team

Key Takeaways

• Identify potential fire hazards, including sources of ignition and flammable materials.
• Evaluate the needs of all individuals, particularly the vulnerable, for tailored evacuation strategies.
• Regularly inspect and maintain fire detection systems and firefighting equipment.
• Review and optimise fire escape routes and emergency exits for accessibility and visibility.
• Conduct fire drills and evacuation training to ensure preparedness and gather feedback for improvements.

What a Fire Risk Assessment Must Cover

A fire risk assessment must cover the real fire risks in the premises, not just generic points copied from a template.

In practical terms, a proper assessment should cover:

• the fire hazards in the building
• who may be at risk if a fire occurs
• the fire precautions already in place
• the adequacy of those precautions
• the action needed to reduce or control the risk
• emergency arrangements and evacuation procedures
• the significant findings of the assessment
• the date of review and any follow-up actions

That is the difference between a useful assessment and weak paperwork. A proper assessment explains what the risks are, how serious they are, and what needs to be done about them.

The Five Steps of a Fire Risk Assessment

---

Step 1: Identify Fire Hazards

The first step in a fire risk assessment is to identify the fire hazards.

This means looking for anything that could start a fire, anything that could help it spread, and any condition that could make the consequences worse. In most buildings, this starts with the three basics of fire:

• sources of ignition
• sources of fuel
• sources of oxygen

Common ignition sources

Typical sources of ignition include:

• faulty or overloaded electrical equipment
• portable heaters
• hot works
• cooking equipment
• smoking materials
• naked flames
• hot surfaces
• poorly maintained plant or machinery

Common fuel sources

Typical fuel sources include:

• paper and cardboard
• packaging
• rubbish and waste build-up
• furniture and soft furnishings
• timber and plastics
• stored stock
• flammable liquids
• cleaning products and chemicals

If you also need to understand the different assessment scopes, read fire risk assessment types.

Step 2: Identify People at Risk

---

The second step is to identify the people who may be at risk if a fire occurs.

That means considering not only who uses the building, but also who may be more vulnerable in an emergency. A fire risk assessment that ignores vulnerable occupants is incomplete.

People at risk may include:

• employees
• residents
• visitors
• customers
• contractors
• agency staff
• cleaners
• lone workers
• children
• elderly people
• disabled people
• people sleeping on the premises
• anyone unfamiliar with the layout

This step is important because the same building can present different levels of risk to different people. An able-bodied office worker and an elderly resident in a block of flats do not have the same evacuation needs. A proper assessment needs to reflect that reality.

The assessment should also consider where people are located, whether they may be alone, how easily they can leave the building, and whether they need additional assistance, better signage, or more robust evacuation arrangements.

Step 3: Evaluate the Fire Risk and Decide What Needs to Be Done

---

Once the hazards and people at risk have been identified, the next step is to evaluate the fire risk and decide whether the existing precautions are enough.

This is the heart of the fire risk assessment. It is where the assessor looks at the current control measures and decides whether they are suitable, adequate, and working properly.

This stage should cover:

• whether ignition sources are controlled
• whether combustible materials are managed properly
• whether escape routes are safe and usable
• whether doors on escape routes are suitable
• whether fire detection and warning systems are adequate
• whether emergency lighting is needed and working
• whether firefighting equipment is suitable and maintained
• whether staff or occupants know what to do if a fire occurs
• whether fire can spread too quickly because of defects in the building

This is also the stage where the assessment should decide what action is needed to remove the risk, reduce the risk, or protect people from the risk.

That may mean:

• removing unnecessary fuel sources
• improving housekeeping
• fixing defective doors
• clearing escape routes
• improving alarm coverage
• adding signage
• improving training
• tightening procedures
• arranging repairs or remedial works

A fire risk assessment is not complete unless it moves beyond identification and into decision-making.

Step 4: Record Findings, Prepare Emergency Procedures, and Provide Training

---

A fire risk assessment must not stop at identifying problems. The findings need to be clearly recorded and turned into practical management actions.

At this stage, the assessment should record:

• the significant findings
• the hazards identified
• the people at risk
• the control measures already in place
• the issues requiring action
• the person responsible for each action
• the emergency arrangements for the building
• any staff instruction or training required

This is the part of the process that often gets done badly. Some assessments list risks but fail to explain what needs to happen next. A proper assessment should lead directly to action, not confusion.

Emergency procedures should be clear and practical. They should cover:

• how the alarm is raised
• who contacts the fire service
• what occupants should do
• how evacuation will take place
• where the assembly point is
• what support is needed for vulnerable occupants
• what staff roles apply during an emergency

Training also matters. If people do not understand the fire procedures, then the written assessment is not doing enough. Fire safety information, instruction, and training should support the findings of the assessment and help people act properly in a real incident.

Step 5: Review and Update the Fire Risk Assessment

---

The final step is to review the fire risk assessment and keep it up to date.

A fire risk assessment is not a one-time exercise. Buildings change, occupancy changes, layouts change, equipment changes, and conditions on site change. If the assessment is not reviewed, it stops being reliable.

The assessment should be reviewed when:

• there are significant changes to the building
• the use of the premises changes
• occupancy changes
• building work is carried out
• escape routes change
• fire precautions are altered
• an incident or near miss occurs
• previous actions have been completed and need checking
• the existing assessment is no longer current

This stage matters because an out-of-date fire risk assessment can be almost as bad as having no meaningful assessment at all.

What Must the Fire Risk Assessment Detail?

---

This is one of the most important search angles in your query data, and it needs a direct answer.

A fire risk assessment should detail:

• the fire hazards identified
• the people at risk
• the level of risk present
• the fire precautions in place
• the action required to improve safety
• the emergency procedures for the building
• the significant findings
• the review arrangements

That means the report should not be vague. It should show what was found, why it matters, and what is expected next.

If the assessment identifies blocked escape routes, weak alarm coverage, poor housekeeping, missing signage, defective fire doors, or weak emergency arrangements, those points should be clearly recorded and linked to a practical action plan. For the compliance side in more detail, read what is the legal requirement for fire risk assessments.

What Is the First Step in a Fire Risk Assessment?

---

The first step in a fire risk assessment is to identify the fire hazards.

That means looking for:

• sources of ignition
• sources of fuel
• conditions that could help fire or smoke spread
• weaknesses in management or housekeeping that increase risk

This is the correct starting point because you cannot assess the fire risk properly until you know what hazards are actually present.

What Is the Second Step in a Fire Risk Assessment?

The second step is to identify the people who may be at risk.

That includes regular occupants and anyone who may be especially vulnerable in an emergency. This step makes sure the assessment is not just about the building itself, but also about the people who may be affected if a fire occurs.

How Many Steps Make Up a Fire Safety Risk Assessment?

The standard working answer is five.

Those five steps are:

1. identify fire hazards
2. identify people at risk
3. evaluate the risk and decide what needs to be done
4. record findings, plan emergency procedures, and provide training
5. review and update the assessment

That is why searches for 5 stages of fire risk assessment, steps of a fire risk assessment, how many steps in a fire risk assessment, and fire risk assessment 5 steps all come back to the same process.

What Should a Fire Risk Assessment Include in Practice?

In practice, a fire risk assessment should include enough detail to support real fire safety management.

That means it should include:

• the nature of the premises
• the key fire hazards
• the people at risk
• the current precautions
• any weaknesses or failures found
• an action plan
• emergency arrangements
• review arrangements

A weak assessment is often too generic. A strong assessment is specific to the actual building, its actual risks, and the actual people using it.

Fire Risk Assessment Steps in Real Buildings

The five-step structure applies broadly, but how it looks in practice depends on the premises.

For example:

• in a shop, the focus may be on stock, public escape routes, alarms, and staff procedures
• in an office, the focus may be on escape routes, electrical hazards, occupancy levels, and training
• in a block of flats, the focus may be on common parts, means of escape, fire doors, and management of shared spaces
• in an industrial setting, the focus may include machinery, hot works, storage risks, and process hazards

The steps remain the same, but the content of the assessment changes with the building.

How to Conduct a Fire Risk Assessment Properly

If you want to know how to conduct a fire risk assessment properly, the answer is not to fill in a template blindly.

A proper fire risk assessment should:

• follow the five-step structure
• be based on the actual building
• identify real hazards
• consider real occupants
• assess the actual precautions in place
• record real findings
• lead to real actions

That is what makes the assessment useful. It should help improve fire safety, not just satisfy a paperwork requirement.

Final Answer

A fire risk assessment must cover the following steps:

1. identify fire hazards
2. identify people at risk
3. evaluate the risk and take action to remove or reduce it
4. record the findings, plan emergency procedures, and provide training
5. review and update the assessment regularly

If you are asking what a fire risk assessment must cover, what it should include, or how many steps are in a fire safety risk assessment, these five stages are the core structure the assessment should follow.

If you need a fire risk assessment in London, London Safety Certificate can help arrange residential and commercial fire risk assessments with clear reporting and practical recommendations. If you also need review timing, read how often should fire risk assessments be reviewed minimum.

Frequently Asked Questions