Fire safety for cold storage
& food production.Properly assessed, from £295.
A cold storage facility combines insulated panel construction, ammonia or HFC refrigeration systems, and food production processes in a building type that carries specific and serious fire risks. The North West has a significant food and cold chain sector, from Cheshire's dairy and food manufacturers to Merseyside's logistics and cold chain operations. We carry out fire risk assessments for cold stores, blast freezers, and food production facilities across the region, built for the refrigerant risk, the panel construction, and the way these buildings actually work.
Who is the Responsible Person?
In a food production or cold storage operation the duty sits clearly with the employer, with specific additional obligations around refrigerant systems.
The employer is the Responsible Person and must ensure a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment is in place covering the whole site, including the refrigeration plant, the panel construction, and all production and storage areas.
Ammonia refrigeration systems create a specific DSEAR obligation, because ammonia is a flammable and toxic substance. The DSEAR assessment for the refrigerant system must be aligned with the fire risk assessment.
Refrigeration plant maintenance by contractors, and hot works during maintenance or building modifications, are among the most common causes of fire in this type of building. The employer remains responsible for fire risks created by contractors on site.
Where a cold store is occupied by multiple operators sharing a building or adjacent chambers, the split of responsibility for shared plant, escape routes, and common areas needs to be explicit.
The problems we
hear most often
Fire safety in a cold store or food production facility is often managed by a site engineer or operations manager with a broad compliance workload. These are the gaps we find most regularly.
"We have insulated panel construction throughout the cold store, and we know panels have been involved in serious fires, but our assessment does not specifically address the panel risk."
Insulated panel construction using polyisocyanurate or polyurethane core materials is widespread in cold storage, and these panels present a specific fire risk when exposed to flame, producing rapid fire spread and toxic smoke. A generic warehouse assessment will not address the panel construction specifically. We assess the panel type, condition, and fire separation arrangements as a specific element of the assessment.
"Our ammonia refrigeration plant sits alongside our food production area, and we are not confident that our fire risk assessment and our DSEAR assessment are properly aligned."
Ammonia is both flammable and acutely toxic, and an ammonia leak alongside a refrigeration plant fire is a combined emergency that needs specific planning. The DSEAR zone classification around the plant and the fire risk assessment need to be aligned so that detection, suppression, escape routes, and emergency response are consistent. We produce a fire risk assessment that aligns explicitly with your DSEAR arrangements for the refrigerant system.
"Hot works during maintenance or panel installation have caused problems before. We know the risk is there but our permit system is not consistently followed."
Hot works in a cold store, whether from maintenance, panel cutting, or modification, are a serious fire risk because the combustible panel cores can ignite from heat transfer even when the outer face is not directly exposed to flame. A rigorous, consistently followed hot works permit system is the most important control, and we assess your hot works arrangements as a specific part of the fire risk assessment.
What makes cold stores
different to assess
A cold store combines building materials, refrigerant systems, and operational patterns that create a fire risk profile unlike almost any other industrial premises.
PIR & PUR core fire behaviour
Insulated panels using polyisocyanurate or polyurethane core materials can spread fire rapidly and produce intense heat and toxic smoke when ignited. The panel type, condition, and the integrity of fire separation between chambers and adjoining buildings all need specific attention in the assessment.
Flammable & toxic refrigerant
Ammonia is used in many large cold stores as a refrigerant. It is both flammable and acutely toxic, and a release alongside a plant room fire creates a combined emergency requiring specific escape planning, detection, and response. DSEAR zone classification around the plant is required and must align with the fire risk assessment.
Displacement risk in enclosed spaces
Where HFC refrigerants are used, a release in an enclosed plant room or cold chamber can displace oxygen to a level dangerous to life before any alarm sounds. Detection, ventilation, and lone-working arrangements in refrigerated spaces need specific assessment.
Cutting and modification risk
Panel cutting, modification, and hot works maintenance in a cold store are high-risk activities because the combustible panel core can be ignited by heat transfer through the panel face. Hot works permit controls are critical and need to be consistently applied.
Reduced alertness and slower evacuation
Working in cold environments affects alertness, manual dexterity, and the speed at which people can evacuate. The physiological effects of cold on the people working in and moving through the cold store need to be reflected in the evacuation arrangements.
Detection in cold, humid environments
Standard smoke detectors can be unreliable in cold, humid, or freezing environments where condensation affects sensor performance. Detection specification and maintenance in refrigerated areas needs specific attention.
Insulated panels — a specific fire risk that generic assessments overlook
Insulated panel construction is the defining structural feature of most cold stores, and it is also the feature most often missing from generic warehouse assessments. When panels with polyisocyanurate or polyurethane cores are exposed to flame, the core material can burn rapidly and produce intense heat and dense, toxic smoke. Panel condition, the integrity of junctions and penetrations, and fire separation between chambers and adjoining areas all need assessing as part of a cold store fire risk assessment. We assess the panel construction specifically, covering panel type, condition, and the adequacy of fire separation.
Three services.
One point of contact.
Fire risk assessments, fire door inspections, and fire safety training, delivered by one company that understands cold storage, refrigeration systems, and insulated panel construction.
Fire risk assessments
From £295 per assessmentA thorough, site-specific assessment covering the refrigeration plant, the panel construction, hot works arrangements, and the operational environment. DSEAR-aligned where ammonia is in use. Clear written report and a prioritised action list.
- Insulated panel construction assessed specifically
- Refrigeration plant and DSEAR alignment covered
- Hot works permit arrangements reviewed
- Detection in cold and humid environments addressed
- Evacuation from refrigerated areas considered
- Contractor and maintenance fire risk assessed
Fire door inspections
From £14 per doorCold stores have fire doors, pass doors between chambers, and final exits under constant use in a demanding cold environment. We inspect every component and give you a clear, photographed condition record.
- Frame, leaf, intumescent seals, hinges & hardware
- Self-closing devices and smoke seals
- Chamber pass doors, plant room, and final exit doors
- Cold-environment hardware and condition assessed
- Prioritised remedial recommendations
Fire safety training
From £395 per sessionPractical fire safety training for site staff, refrigeration engineers, and fire marshals, focused on the cold store environment including refrigerant release response and evacuation from cold areas.
- Fire marshal training for site staff and supervisors
- Refrigerant release and plant room emergency response
- Evacuation from cold and refrigerated areas
- Hands-on extinguisher use on a live fire
- Certificates issued to all attendees
The framework
cold store operators work within
A cold store answers to the fire safety order, to DSEAR wherever ammonia or flammable refrigerants are in use, and to HSE guidance on refrigeration plant safety.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to all non-domestic premises including cold stores and food production facilities. The Responsible Person must carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment covering the whole site, including the refrigeration plant, the panel construction, and the food production areas.
The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR) apply to ammonia refrigeration systems, because ammonia is classified as a flammable and toxic substance. DSEAR requires a risk assessment of the refrigerant system, hazardous zone classification around the plant, and control measures to prevent ignition in the classified zones. The DSEAR assessment must be aligned with the fire risk assessment.
HSE guidance on ammonia refrigeration safety and the IIR/IIAR codes for refrigeration plant also inform the assessment of plant room arrangements. The Food Standards Agency and food certification bodies such as BRC expect fire safety and emergency procedures to be part of the site's safety management system.
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
Always appliesThe core legislation. Requires a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment covering all of the premises including cold store chambers, plant rooms, and food production areas.
DSEAR 2002
Ammonia & flammable refrigerantsApplies to ammonia refrigeration and any other flammable refrigerant systems. Requires zone classification and control measures that align with the fire risk assessment.
Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022
From January 2023Requires Responsible Persons to record fire safety measures, provide information to relevant persons, and maintain records of checks and actions. Applies to cold stores in England.
HSE refrigeration guidance
Plant room safetyHSE guidance on ammonia refrigeration covers plant room ventilation, detection, emergency procedures, and the interface with fire safety. The fire risk assessment should be consistent with these requirements.
Experience you can
put in a report.
Tim founded Fletcher Risk Management to bring genuine expertise and personal accountability to fire safety consultancy in the North West. With more than 30 years in the fire industry, he has assessed cold storage facilities and food production sites across the region. He understands the specific risks of insulated panel construction, ammonia refrigeration plant, and the hot works arrangements that are the most common cause of cold store fires. When you book with Fletcher Risk, Tim carries out the work.
- ABBE Level 4 Diploma in Fire Risk Assessment
- NEBOSH National General Certificate
- FPA Fire Safety Management Certificate
- Member — Fire Protection Association
Sam oversees operations and documentation, so you have one point of contact and a consistent standard of reporting from first visit to final action log. For food businesses and cold chain operators running several sites, that means consistent, DSEAR-aligned documentation and a single point of contact for the compliance team.
- ABBE Level 4 Certificate in Fire Risk Assessment
- Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
- 10+ years fire safety experience
"We have engaged Fletcher Risk Management to carry out surveys on a number of our sites for a very important client. The work produced exceeded our expectations by far. I would definitely recommend using this company." — Marie Morgan · EIS Ltd ★★★★★
"Without doubt one of the best and most professional businesses I have used for our Fire Risk Assessment. Tim Fletcher is a highly regarded professional in his field. Don't take a chance — protect your staff, protect your building."
"We have engaged Fletcher Risk Management to carry out surveys on a number of our sites. I would never hesitate to send Tim — always professional, friendly and accommodating. The work exceeded our expectations."
"Thorough, professional, and excellent value. The report was clear and the action points prioritised in a way that made it easy to know exactly what to tackle first. Would recommend without hesitation."
Book an assessment
built for your cold store.
Whether you need a fresh assessment covering your panel construction and refrigeration plant, a DSEAR-aligned review, or training for your site staff, we can help. Call us for an honest conversation with no obligation.