The duty to comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO) rests with the ‘responsible person’. If you are the responsible person(s) you will have to carry out a fire risk assessment, which must focus on the safety in case of fire of all ‘relevant persons’. It should pay particular attention to those at special risk, such as people with disabilities, special needs and young children, and must include consideration of any dangerous substances likely to be on the premises.

Your fire risk assessment will help you identify risks that can be removed or reduced and to decide the nature and extent of the general fire precautions you need to take to protect people against the fire risks that remain. For more specific guidance, the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has produced a number of guides for different premises types, to help meet compliance.

Use the navigation in this section to the right to obtain further information and guidance for business owners, employers, managers, employees, occupiers and landlords on how to achieve compliance with the FSO.