Fire safety for logistics
& distribution centres.Properly assessed, from £295.
A modern distribution centre combines very high racking, mixed stock classes, 24-hour shift patterns, and a growing fleet of EV vans charging overnight, all in a large single-skin steel building with very little compartmentation. The North West is one of the UK's most important logistics regions, with major DCs at Trafford Park, Warrington, Omega, and along the M62 corridor. We carry out fire risk assessments for logistics and distribution centres across the region, built for the scale, the stock, and the shift pattern.
Who is the Responsible Person in a DC?
In a distribution centre the duty is usually clear but the building's complexity means it demands careful management.
The employer operating the site is the Responsible Person and must ensure a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment is in place, implemented, and kept current. For a 3PL operating from a leased building, this is the operator, not the landlord.
Where the site is leased, responsibility for common areas, shared plant, and the building envelope may be split with the landlord. This split needs to be documented and clear, with no gaps where each party assumes the other has addressed an issue.
Where more than one operator shares a building or an estate, each is the Responsible Person for their own area, with clear arrangements for shared escape routes, common areas, and coordinated evacuation.
In a 24-hour operation, the responsible person duty operates around the clock. Night-shift managers and out-of-hours supervisors need the authority and the training to manage a fire emergency without waiting for day-shift management to arrive.
The problems we
hear most often
Fire safety in a distribution centre is often managed centrally, with limited visibility of site-specific risks. These are the gaps we find most regularly.
"We have switched to an EV van fleet and we are now charging large numbers of vehicles overnight in the yard or in a charging bay, and we are not confident our assessment covers it."
EV fleet charging is one of the fastest-growing fire risks in the logistics sector, and most assessments written before 2022 simply do not address it. Lithium-ion battery fires in EVs are difficult to suppress, can reignite hours later, and generate toxic smoke at scale. We assess your EV charging arrangements specifically, covering the location, the infrastructure, the separation from the building, and the response plan if a vehicle catches fire overnight.
"Our racking goes to twelve metres and we have multiple stock classes including aerosols, flammables, and batteries mixed in general pick locations. We do not know if our detection and suppression is adequate."
Very high-bay racking fundamentally changes the fire risk picture, because smoke rises and spreads across the ceiling before descending to where detectors are positioned, and a rack-supported fire can develop quickly into something a sprinkler system was never designed for. We assess your racking height, your stock classification, your detection, and your suppression arrangements together, and advise on whether your current system is adequate for what you actually store.
"A new H&S manager has joined and is reviewing compliance across the estate. Our site-specific fire risk assessment is several years old and does not reflect how the site is currently used."
A distribution centre changes constantly, with mezzanine additions, new charging infrastructure, changed stock profiles, and rearranged racking. An assessment written for the site as it was three years ago is not adequate for the site as it is today. We assess the building and the operation as they actually exist, including every material change since the last review.
What makes distribution centres
different to assess
A distribution centre is not a standard warehouse. The combination of high racking, mixed stock, EV charging, and 24-hour operation creates a risk profile that needs specific, detailed assessment.
Overnight lithium-ion fire risk
A large EV fleet charging overnight represents a significant and relatively new fire risk. Lithium-ion battery fires are difficult to extinguish, can reignite without warning, and generate toxic gases. The location of charging relative to the building, the infrastructure, and the overnight response plan all need assessing.
Detection failure at height
Smoke from a racking fire rises and spreads across the ceiling of a high-bay building before slowly descending. This means detectors positioned at ceiling height may trigger long before anyone can see or smell anything, or may be overwhelmed before triggering if the fire develops below the detector plane. Racking height and detection strategy need assessing together.
Aerosols, batteries & flammables
Many DCs store aerosols, lithium batteries, flammable liquids, and other hazardous stock alongside general ambient goods. The classification of hazardous stock, where it is located in the racking, and whether current detection and suppression is adequate for the mix all need specific attention.
Out-of-hours fire management
A distribution centre that operates around the clock needs fire arrangements that work at 3am on a Sunday as well as 10am on a Tuesday. Night-shift supervisors need the authority, the training, and the communication arrangements to manage an emergency without day management on site.
Arson ingress points
Loading bays are one of the most common arson ingress points in a distribution centre, with roller doors that are frequently left open, poor external lighting, and accumulated packaging. Arson risk at the loading bay needs specific assessment.
Sites that evolve constantly
DCs accumulate mezzanine floors, charging bays, new racking configurations, and changed uses. Each material change should trigger a review of the assessment. A site that has grown a mezzanine office and an EV charging bay since the last review needs reassessing, not updating.
EV fleet charging overnight — a risk most existing assessments do not cover
The transition to electric delivery vans has moved faster than fire risk assessment practice. Many DCs are now charging large fleets overnight with assessments that were written before EV charging was part of the operation. Lithium-ion battery fires in large vehicles are difficult to suppress, can reignite hours after appearing extinguished, and generate toxic smoke at a scale that a standard sprinkler response was not designed for. We assess your EV charging arrangements as a specific element of the fire risk assessment, covering location, separation from the building, infrastructure, and the response plan for a charging fire discovered overnight.
Three services.
One point of contact.
Fire risk assessments, fire door inspections, and fire safety training, delivered by one company that understands the logistics environment and the way it actually operates.
Fire risk assessments
From £295 per assessmentA thorough, site-specific assessment covering the full operation, including EV charging, high-bay racking, stock classification, loading bays, and 24-hour shift management. Clear written report, prioritised action list, and documentation your H&S team can act on.
- EV fleet charging arrangements assessed specifically
- High-bay racking and detection strategy reviewed together
- Hazardous stock classification and location considered
- Loading bay arson risk addressed
- 24-hour operation and night-shift management covered
- Landlord/tenant duty split set out clearly
Fire door inspections
From £14 per doorA large distribution centre has many fire doors, compartmentation walls, and final exits under constant use by fork-lift traffic. We inspect every component and give you a clear, photographed condition record.
- Frame, leaf, intumescent seals, hinges & hardware
- Self-closing devices, smoke seals and hold-opens
- Compartmentation walls and high-traffic doors
- Photographic evidence per door
- Prioritised remedial recommendations
Fire safety training
From £395 per sessionPractical fire safety training for site management, shift supervisors, and fire marshals, focused on the logistics environment including EV charging response, high-bay evacuation, and 24-hour shift arrangements.
- Fire marshal training for shift supervisors and managers
- EV charging fire awareness and initial response
- Evacuation of a large, high-bay building
- Hands-on extinguisher use on a live fire
- Certificates issued to all attendees
The framework
logistics operators work within
A distribution centre answers to the fire safety order and to the Health and Safety Executive, with DSEAR applying wherever flammable or explosive goods are stored.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to all non-domestic premises, including distribution centres and warehouses. The Responsible Person must carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment, implement the measures it identifies, and keep a written record. In a large DC, suitable and sufficient means covering EV charging, high-bay racking, stock classification, and 24-hour operations, not a generic warehouse template.
Where the site stores flammable liquids, aerosols, or other dangerous goods, the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR) apply alongside the fire safety order. DSEAR requires an assessment of risks from dangerous substances and the classification of any hazardous zones, which the fire risk assessment should align with.
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 also place duties on employers to manage workplace risks, including fire. In a large logistics operation, the fire risk assessment sits within a broader safety management system and needs to be consistent with it.
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
Always appliesThe core legislation. Requires a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment for all non-domestic premises including DCs. Failure to comply can result in unlimited fines or prohibition of the building.
DSEAR 2002
Flammable & dangerous goodsApplies where flammable liquids, aerosols, gases, or other dangerous substances are stored. Requires a DSEAR risk assessment and hazardous zone classification, which the fire risk assessment must align with.
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 distribution centres.
HSE inspection
H&S oversightThe Health and Safety Executive has powers to inspect and enforce across the logistics sector. A current, well-documented fire risk assessment is part of demonstrating compliance in any HSE inspection.
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 logistics and distribution sites across the region, including high-bay DCs, multi-temp operations, and sites with complex 24-hour shift patterns. He understands what an assessment needs to cover in a modern DC, including the emerging risks around EV fleet charging that most existing assessments do not address. 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 multi-site logistics operators managing assessments across an estate, that means consistent documentation and a single point of contact for the H&S 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 site.
Whether you need a fresh assessment covering EV charging and high-bay racking, a review after a material change to the site, or training for your shift supervisors and fire marshals, we can help. Call us for an honest conversation with no obligation.