Free Fire Risk Assessment Template: Every Section and What to Write
By Sebastian Grabowski, DC Fire & Security, Luton. Updated October 2026.
What goes in a fire risk assessment template?
A good template follows the order an assessor walks the building: premises details, people at risk, ignition sources, fuel, oxygen, detection and warning, escape routes, emergency lighting, signage, fire doors, firefighting equipment, management and records, then an action plan with a priority, owner and date, and a review date. The whole structure is below. The printable PDF appears on this page right after you send the form. We do not email it.
Who this template is for, and who it is not for
It suits a small, simple premises where the responsible person is doing a self-assessment.
Think of a small shop, a single-storey office, a village hall or a unit with a few staff. Nobody sleeps there. There is one floor or a simple layout. Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 the responsible person must carry out and keep up to date a fire risk assessment. For a simple building, a structured form helps you do that properly.
A template does not make an assessment suitable and sufficient on its own. You need a competent assessor if:
- Anyone sleeps on the premises: hotels, B&Bs, care and nursing homes, student lets, live-in staff
- The building is flats, an HMO or a mixed-use block
- It is a school, nursery or other premises with children or vulnerable people
- The layout is complex, or it has several floors, basements, atria or hidden voids
- You store or use significant flammable materials
- You have had a fire, a failed inspection or an enforcement notice
A fire risk assessment is also a separate service from a fire door inspection. Filling in the doors section below tells you what to look at. It is not a door inspection, and an inspection does not replace the assessment. They sit side by side. See the types of fire risk assessment if you are unsure what your building needs.
How to fill it in: five steps
Do it on foot, with the printed form on a clipboard.
- 1Print it and set aside the time. A small premises takes two to three hours. Take the responsible person and someone who opens up and closes down.
- 2Walk the route a fire would take. Start where people arrive, then follow each escape route to the outside. Open cupboards, look in the loft hatch, check the back of the building.
- 3Tick what is true and write what is not. A blank tick box is a finding. Write down where, and what you saw.
- 4Score each problem and fill in the action plan. Use the rating table further down. Give every action one owner and a date.
- 5Sign it, date it, set the review. Share the findings with staff and keep the form with your fire log book.
The template, section by section
These are the sections of the printable form, in order, with what to record under each.
| Section | What to record |
|---|---|
| 1. Premises details | Name and address, the responsible person, who assessed it and when, what the building is used for, floors, floor area, and how many people are in it at once. Note if anyone sleeps there. |
| 2. People at risk | Staff, lone workers, visitors, contractors, children, and anyone with a mobility, hearing, sight or learning difficulty. Say where they are and what help they would need to get out. |
| 3. Ignition sources | Anything that could start a fire: faulty or overloaded electrics, heaters, cooking, smoking, contractor hot work, battery charging, and arson risk from bins or open yards. |
| 4. Fuel | What would feed a fire: stock, packaging, waste, furnishings, flammable liquids and gases. Note quantities, where they are kept and whether they sit in or near an escape route. |
| 5. Oxygen | Windows and vents, air conditioning that could spread smoke, any stored oxygen cylinders, and fire doors wedged open that feed a fire with air and let it spread. |
| 6. Detection and warning | Type of alarm, whether it is heard everywhere, last service, weekly test records, and whether staff know what the panel is telling them. See how to do a weekly fire alarm test. |
| 7. Escape routes | Clear routes and final exits, doors that open easily from inside, travel distance, a second way out, assembly point. See how to write a fire evacuation plan. |
| 8. Emergency lighting | Where it is, whether it covers exits, stairs and changes of direction, and the test log. See emergency lighting testing requirements. |
| 9. Signage | Exit signs, fire action notices, door signs, equipment signs. Could a stranger find the way out? See the fire safety signage guide. |
| 10. Fire doors and compartmentation | Which doors are fire doors, whether they shut fully, damage, seals, closers, and any holes in walls or ceilings where cables pass through. Flag anything doubtful for a competent person. |
| 11. Firefighting equipment | Extinguisher types and positions, service dates, fire blankets, and whether staff have been shown how to use them. See fire extinguisher types. |
| 12. Management and records | Emergency plan, staff training, fire drills, fire marshals, help for those who cannot leave unaided, contractor rules, and the log book. |
| 13. Action plan | Each problem, its rating, priority, owner and due date, then a tick when done. |
| 14. Review | Date of the assessment, the date the next review is due, and a signature. |
Rating the risk in plain words
Two questions for every problem: how likely is it, and how bad would it be?
Score likelihood from 1 to 3 (unlikely, possible, likely). Score consequence from 1 to 3 (slight harm, harmful, serious harm or loss of life). Multiply the two numbers and read the result off the table.
| Likelihood x consequence | 1 Slight harm | 2 Harmful | 3 Serious harm |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Unlikely | 1: Low | 2: Low | 3: Medium |
| 2 Possible | 2: Low | 4: Medium | 6: High |
| 3 Likely | 3: Medium | 6: High | 9: High |
- High (6 to 9): fix now. A blocked fire exit, a dead alarm panel or a wedged-open fire door in an escape route sit here.
- Medium (3 to 4): fix within a month. Out-of-date extinguisher service is a typical one.
- Low (1 to 2): fix within three months and keep watching.
Be honest when scoring. If you are unsure of the consequence, score it higher and ask someone competent. Reviewing the form at least once a year, and after any change, is what keeps it valid. See how often to review a fire risk assessment.
What the template cannot do
It structures your thinking. It cannot see the building.
The things a form cannot judge are the things that cause most failures. Is the fire alarm the right category for the building? Is the fire door actually a fire door? Is the wall above the ceiling tile sealed? Is the travel distance acceptable for the people in it? These need a trained eye.
If you complete the form and find several high ratings, or you simply are not sure, book an assessor. Our fire risk assessments are done to PAS 79-1 style and led by Sebastian Grabowski, who holds the Level 4 Diploma in Fire Risk Assessment. A small commercial premises starts from about £550 + VAT. For how the price moves, see fire risk assessment cost. If your form turns up unsealed gaps in walls or risers, a fire stopping survey is the next step. Not sure who the law puts in charge? Read who the responsible person is.
Sources
- Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Workplace fire safety: your responsibilities (GOV.UK)
Updated October 2026 by Sebastian Grabowski, DC Fire & Security, 2 Winsdon Court, Luton LU1 5LZ.
Your fire risk assessment template
A printable A4 form with tick boxes and lines to write on, version October 2026. Print it and walk the building.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a fire risk assessment template legally enough?
How often should I review it?
What is PAS 79-1?
Can I use this for my HMO or block of flats?
Why do I have to send a form to get the PDF?
Does a completed template replace a fire door inspection?
Get the printable template
The template is a printable A4 PDF. We will not email it to you. It appears for download on this page right after you send the form.
Get the free template
Printable PDF, instant download, no obligation