Does My Warehouse Need a Fire Risk Assessment?
Warehouses present one of the more demanding environments for fire safety, and the answer to whether one needs a fire risk assessment is an emphatic yes. The combination of very high stored fuel loads, large open spaces that allow fire to spread quickly, and comparatively few people spread across a big floor area means that a warehouse fire can grow to a serious size with alarming speed, as the footage below illustrates.
A large warehouse fire takes hold, showing how rapidly a high fuel load can develop.
The legal position
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, a fire risk assessment is a legal requirement for any premises that is not a single private dwelling, and a warehouse or distribution unit is firmly within scope. Since 1 October 2023, when Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 amended the Order, the findings must be recorded in writing regardless of the number of people employed, which matters in a setting where a handful of staff may oversee a very large and high-value building.
The key pointEvery warehouse needs a recorded fire risk assessment, and given the speed at which these fires develop, the difference between a manageable incident and a total loss often comes down to early detection and a well-kept means of escape.
Who is the responsible person?
The duty rests on the responsible person, which is usually the operator running the business from the building, although it can also be the owner or a managing agent, particularly on multi-let industrial estates. Where contractors, hauliers or third-party logistics providers work on site, the assessment needs to take account of how their activities affect fire safety. As always, it must be carried out by a competent person.
The particular risks in a warehouse
The scale and contents of a warehouse create hazards that a thorough assessment will work through in detail:
- A very high fuel load, with stored goods, pallets, packaging and plastics concentrated on racking that carries combustible material up to considerable heights.
- Rapid fire spread in large undivided spaces, where a fire can run through racking and become extremely difficult to fight, especially at height.
- Forklift and materials-handling equipment, including battery charging areas and any LPG forklifts or gas cylinder storage, which combine electrical and fuel hazards in one place.
- Lithium batteries, whether stored as stock or charging on site, which can fail violently and are hard to extinguish.
- Hot work, smoking and the risk of arson where pallets or waste are stored against the outside of the building.
- The construction itself, since some insulated panel systems can contribute to fire spread, so their type and condition are worth understanding.
From there, the assessment considers the detection and suppression arrangements, such as sprinklers suited to the storage, the travel distances and the gangways that must be kept clear of stock, the fire doors and compartmentation, and the management measures including staff training and a clear emergency plan. You can read more on our warehouse fire safety page.
How we can help
We carry out fire risk assessments for warehouses, distribution centres and industrial units across the North West, North Wales and the West Midlands, including operators in Ellesmere Port, Deeside and Telford, where much of the region's logistics activity is concentrated.
Need a fire risk assessment for your warehouse?
We carry out clear, practical fire risk assessments for warehouses and industrial premises across the North West, North Wales and the West Midlands. To discuss your premises, please get in touch.
Get in touch Warehouse fire safetyThis article is provided for general information and does not constitute legal advice or a fire risk assessment. It is based on the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 as amended by Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022. Specific advice should be sought for your own premises.