Fire Safety Law

Fire safety law is in place to help protect you, your staff, and anyone who visits your premises. It’s designed to reduce the risk of fire and make sure people can escape safely if a fire does occur. 

If you are a building owner or the  Responsible Person (RP) for a building, there are legal duties you must meet to keep people safe. 

Fire safety law in England and Wales is set out in The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (also known as the Fire Safety Order or FSO). This legislation sets the foundation for all fire safety responsibilities in non-domestic premises. 

Fire safety law places responsibility on the “Responsible Person”. 

You are usually the Responsible Person if you are: 

• An employer 
• A business owner 
• A landlord (see our landlord guidance) 
• An occupier of premises 
• In control of premises (including self-employed people, family-run businesses, places of worship, and voluntary organisations) 

You may also have responsibilities if you are a: 

• Building manager 
• Managing agent 

In shared buildings, there may be more than one Responsible Person, and you must work together. 

To comply with fire safety law, you must: 

• Carry out a fire risk assessment of your premises 
• Keep it up to date and regularly reviewed (we recommend at least once a year) 
• Put appropriate fire safety measures in place and maintain them 
• Make sure people know what to do in the event of a fire or a fire alarm evacuation 
• Provide staff with training, information, and clear instructions. 

You can also download official government workplace fire safety guidance to help you meet these duties.  

Fire safety law applies to almost all non-domestic premises where people work, visit, or stay, including: 

• Offices, shops, and factories 
• Warehouses, garages, and industrial units 
• Care homes, clinics, and healthcare settings 
• Schools, nurseries, and childcare settings 
• Restaurants, cafés, pubs, and clubs 
• Hotels, B&Bs, guest houses, and holiday accommodation 
• Community centres, village halls, and places of worship 
• Common areas in flats and shared residential buildings (HMOs) 
• Marquees, festivals, theatres, and outdoor events 

Fire safety law does not apply to: 

• Private homes where people live 
• Individual flats or mobile homes used as a private residence 
• Second homes or caravans used only by the owner 

The Fire Safety Order was strengthened in October 2023. Key changes include:

• All business premises must have a written fire risk assessment
• Businesses sharing premises must cooperate and share fire safety information
• Residents must be given clear fire safety information and notified about risks

These changes help make sure fire safety is properly documented and communicated.

If fire safety law is not followed, action may be taken. This can include: 

• Formal enforcement action 
• Fines 
• In serious cases, imprisonment 

Most businesses take their responsibilities seriously, but where people are put at risk, action will be taken to keep others safe. 

If you’re unsure about your responsibilities, you should review official government fire safety guidance or seek professional advice to make sure your premises are compliant.