A little preparation goes a long way. How to prepare for your church fire risk assessment
A fire risk assessment is only as good as the information behind it. If you have booked an assessment with us, gathering a few records and arranging access in advance means we can give you a thorough report, verify what is already in place, and keep your action plan focused on what genuinely matters. This page walks you through everything you need before we arrive.
Before we arrive
Quick checklistFind your previous assessmentThe last fire risk assessment and its action plan, if one exists.
Note your events and attendanceRegular congregation numbers and peak attendance for weddings, funerals, festivals, and concerts.
Gather any system recordsServicing records for fire detection, emergency lighting, and extinguishers, where fitted.
Locate a floor planA simple plan showing the exits and escape routes is a great help.
Note your heating and candlesHow the building is heated and where naked flames such as candles are used.
Arrange accessIncluding the tower, organ loft, galleries, vestry, undercroft, and roof voids.
Good information makes
a better assessment
There is nothing complicated here, and we are happy to help if anything is unclear. The aim is simply to make sure that when we visit, we have the full picture of your premises and how they are used.
When we carry out a fire risk assessment, we are looking at the building, the way it is occupied, the work that goes on there, and the systems that are in place to keep people safe. Some of that we see for ourselves on the day, but a good deal of it lives in your paperwork, such as when the fire alarm was last serviced, whether the emergency lighting is tested, and how fire-resisting construction divides the building.
If those records are to hand when we arrive, we can confirm what is already in place rather than flagging it as missing, which keeps your action plan focused on the things that genuinely need attention. Where records are not available, we will note that, because an undocumented system is treated as an unverified one, and that can affect both your assessment and your standing with an enforcing authority or your insurer.
Preparing well also keeps the cost down. A well-organised visit takes less time, needs fewer follow-ups, and gives you a report you can act on straight away, whether that is for an enforcing authority, your insurer, the diocese or governing body, or your own duty as the Responsible Person.
Faster on the day
With access arranged and records ready, we move through the premises efficiently and you are not left chasing paperwork afterwards.
A sharper action plan
We can confirm what already meets the standard and concentrate the report on the items that actually need your attention.
Evidence that stands up
A complete record is what enforcing authorities and insurers look for, and it demonstrates that fire safety is being managed properly.
The documents
to have ready
Please gather whatever you hold from the lists below. Do not worry if some items are missing, as part of our job is to tell you what is needed; having the rest ready simply means we can do more for you on the day.
Previous fire risk assessment
The most recent assessment and action plan, if one exists, with a note of what has since been done.
If heldListing and conservation constraints
Whether the building is listed, and any conservation or faculty constraints on what can be altered.
If applicableFloor plan and escape routes
A plan showing the exits and escape routes; a clear marked-up sketch is perfectly adequate.
HelpfulDetails of works or reordering
Any alterations, reordering, or works carried out, with rough dates.
If applicableOccupancy and events
Regular congregation numbers, and peak attendance for major events, concerts, or lettings.
Please note in advanceOutbuildings and halls
Any attached or separate church hall, meeting rooms, or outbuildings in regular use.
If applicableFire detection records
Servicing and test records for any fire detection and alarm system fitted.
If fittedEmergency lighting records
Servicing and test records for any emergency escape lighting fitted.
If fittedExtinguisher servicing
Service records for portable firefighting equipment, and where it is located.
BS 5306Electrical installation
The fixed wiring report (EICR), which matters a great deal in older buildings with ageing wiring.
ImportantHeating system servicing
Servicing records for the heating system, a common ignition source in churches.
If applicableLightning protection
Test records for any lightning protection system fitted.
If fittedWho is responsible
Who manages fire safety day to day, such as the PCC, churchwardens, or trustees.
Please noteCandles, naked flames, and heating
Your arrangements for the safe use of candles and other naked flames, and for heating.
ImportantEvents and stewarding
How larger events are managed, including stewarding, capacity, and exits.
HelpfulSecurity and arson precautions
Out-of-hours arrangements and any precautions against arson, to which accessible buildings are exposed.
HelpfulHeritage, events, and arson
A church often combines an irreplaceable historic building with occupancy that swings from a handful of people to a packed congregation for a major event, and with ignition sources such as candles, heating, and ageing wiring. Many are also accessible and stand empty for long periods, which raises the risk of arson. We focus on practical, proportionate measures that protect both people and the fabric without imposing on the character of the building.
Arranging access
on the day
We need to see the whole premises, not just the areas in regular use, to give you a complete assessment. A few minutes spent organising access in advance saves a great deal of time when we arrive.
-
01
The main worship space and chapels
The nave, aisles, chancel, and any side chapels, including the main exits and escape routes.
-
02
Vestry, kitchen, and meeting rooms
The vestry, any kitchen or servery, meeting rooms, and an undercroft or crypt where present.
-
03
Tower, galleries, and roof voids
The tower, organ loft, galleries, and roof voids, which are easy to overlook and matter for fire spread.
-
04
Access during an event, if relevant
Where occupancy peaks at events, seeing the building in use helps us assess escape under those conditions.
-
05
A warden or keyholder on hand
Someone who knows the building, its heating and electrics, and recent works being available.
The method
we work through
Our assessments follow a structured, methodical process, informed by recognised standards and guidance such as PAS 79, BS 9999, and the Government's guidance for small and medium places of assembly. Knowing what we look for helps you understand why we ask for the information above.
A fire risk assessment is an organised look at the premises, the way they are used, the chance that a fire could start, and what would happen to the people inside if one did. We work through it in clear stages so that nothing significant is missed and the reasoning behind every finding is recorded.
The middle stages are the heart of the assessment, where we examine the physical fire protection and how fire safety is managed, with particular attention in a place of worship to escape during peak events, the control of ignition sources such as candles, heating, and electrics, the risk of arson, and protecting the heritage fabric in a proportionate way.
The later stages bring it together into a judgement about the overall level of risk, a prioritised action plan, and a sensible date for review. The result is a clear, defensible report you can put in front of an enforcing authority, an insurer, or a landlord with confidence.
Gather the information
About the building, the work carried on there, and the people who use it.
Identify the fire hazards
Sources of ignition and fuel, from candles and other naked flames to heating, ageing electrics, and the risk of arson.
Assess the likelihood of fire
How likely a fire is to start, given those hazards and how they are controlled.
Examine the physical protection
Escape from a building that may be full at events, exit arrangements, any detection and lighting fitted, extinguishers, and signage.
Review the management of fire safety
Testing, maintenance, training, drills, and record-keeping.
Consider the consequences for people
What would happen to occupants, including anyone who needs help to escape, if a fire occurred.
Evaluate the level of risk
Reach a judgement on whether the remaining risk is acceptable.
Set out the action plan
A prioritised list of what needs doing, and how urgently.
Agree a review date
When the assessment should next be revisited, and the triggers for sooner.
Your report and
what comes next
Once we have completed the assessment, you receive a clear written report with the findings explained and the action plan prioritised, so you know precisely what to do, in what order.
Address without delay
Anything that presents a serious or immediate risk to life is flagged first, with plain advice on what needs to happen and how quickly.
Plan and complete
Items that materially affect safety but allow a little more time, set out so you can plan the work and budget for it sensibly.
Good housekeeping
Smaller improvements and points of good practice that keep the premises in good order and demonstrate a careful approach.
The report is written to be used, not filed away, and it is suitable for enforcing authorities, insurers, and landlords alike. We are always happy to talk you through the findings, and where remedial work is needed, such as fire door repairs or upgrades, we can advise on what good looks like. If you would like to understand more about your obligations first, our church fire safety page sets out the wider picture.
Booked with us?
Let’s get you ready.
If you have an assessment in the diary and anything on this page is unclear, or you are not sure which records you hold, please get in touch. We would far rather answer a quick question now than discover a gap on the day.
This page is general guidance for those preparing for a fire risk assessment and does not constitute legal advice. Fire safety requirements vary between premises and depend on their construction, use, and occupancy. The standards named are examples of those that inform our work and are not an exhaustive list. Fletcher Risk Management provides fire risk assessments, fire door inspections, and fire safety training across the North West, North Wales and the West Midlands. For advice tailored to your premises, please get in touch.