When people think about fire safety, it’s pretty normal that the first things to come to mind are fire alarms, extinguishers and emergency procedures. While these are all obviously important, many building fires can be traced back to something far more straightforward: poor maintenance.
Things like blocked escape routes, combustible materials stored in the wrong place, damaged fire doors and neglected fire safety systems can all increase the likelihood of a fire occurring or make its consequences far more severe. For building owners, landlords, managing agents and facilities managers, good maintenance practices are one of the most effective ways to reduce fire risk.
Why are fire risk assessments so important in fire maintenance plans?
A fire risk assessment (FRA) should always be your starting point because it identifies the fire hazards within a building and sets out the measures needed to manage them. This gives you a clear picture of what requires ongoing maintenance, how often inspections should take place and where particular attention is needed.
For example, an FRA may highlight:
- Escape routes that must remain clear at all times
- Areas where housekeeping standards need improving
- Fire compartmentation that requires regular inspection
- Riser cupboards and plant rooms that should remain free from storage
- Fire safety systems that require routine servicing and testing
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the responsibility for ensuring these measures are implemented falls to the responsible person. This may be a building owner, employer, landlord or managing agent, depending on the type of premises.
Rather than creating a maintenance schedule from scratch, the most effective approach is to use the findings of the fire risk assessment to build a maintenance programme that directly addresses the risks present in the building. You can find out more about fire risk assessments and why they’re so important here.
Maintaining active fire safety systems
Fire alarms and emergency lighting are often referred to as active fire safety systems because they perform a specific function during an emergency. However, just having these systems installed and then forgetting about them altogether is not enough. A fire alarm that hasn’t been serviced for years may not activate when needed. Similarly, emergency lighting with failed batteries may not provide sufficient illumination during an evacuation. Both situations can significantly increase risk during a fire.
The Fire Safety Order requires fire safety measures to be maintained in efficient working order and good repair. This means systems must be inspected, tested and serviced on a regular basis by competent professionals.
Maintaining a documented servicing programme also provides evidence that fire safety responsibilities are being met. Service records, maintenance reports and testing logs should be retained and easily accessible if required during an audit, inspection or enforcement investigation. Regular servicing helps identify faults before they become serious issues and provides confidence that life safety systems will operate as intended during an emergency.
Escape routes, risers and plant rooms
Some of the most important fire safety checks only take a few minutes of your time each week but can make such a big difference to fire safety. Escape routes should be inspected regularly, ideally every week, to ensure they remain clear and usable. Corridors, stairwells and final exit routes can quickly become cluttered with deliveries, waste materials, furniture or equipment if they are not routinely monitored. It might not seem like much of a big deal but in an emergency, even minor obstructions can slow evacuation and create additional danger for occupants trying to leave the building.
The same principle applies to riser cupboards and plant rooms. These areas often contain electrical equipment, building services and infrastructure that can present ignition risks. When combustible materials are stored in these spaces, a small fault can quickly develop into a larger fire.
Weekly inspections should include:
- Checking escape routes are unobstructed
- Confirming fire exits can be opened easily
- Ensuring riser cupboards are free from storage
- Verifying plant rooms contain no combustible materials
- Recording findings and corrective actions
The importance of maintaining fire doors
Fire doors are one of the most important passive fire protection measures within a building. Their purpose is to slow the spread of fire and smoke, protect escape routes and help occupants evacuate safely. However, like any other safety system, they require regular maintenance. This is because over time, fire doors can become damaged through everyday use.
Common issues include:
- Damaged door leaves
- Missing or worn intumescent seals
- Faulty self-closing devices
- Gaps around the door frame
- Doors being wedged or propped open
Any of these defects can compromise the door’s ability to perform during a fire. Regular fire door inspection programmes help identify problems before they affect building safety. In many cases, simple repairs or adjustments can restore compliance and ensure the door continues to provide the required level of protection.
Don’t overlook filters and extraction systems
In commercial kitchens, care homes and other high-use environments, filters and extraction systems can become a significant fire risk if they’re not maintained. Grease can build up inside kitchen canopies, filters and ductwork over time, creating a highly combustible fuel source. Taking the time to ensure that they’re regularly cleaned helps reduce the risk of fire, keeps systems operating efficiently and may be required under insurance conditions.
Tumble dryer filters are another commonly overlooked risk. Lint is highly flammable and allowing it to accumulate in or around dryers can increase the likelihood of a fire. Regular filter cleaning, routine servicing and good housekeeping practices reduce this risk. Including extraction systems and filters within your fire safety maintenance programme is a simple but really effective way to lower fire risk and support compliance.
What happens to fire safety measures when a building changes?
One of the biggest challenges in fire safety is that buildings don’t tend to stay the same. You have occupants changing, teams growing, offices get reconfigured, new tenants move in, and of course, internal layouts can get revamped. Each of these changes has the potential to affect fire safety arrangements.
A documented maintenance programme provides consistency when people, contractors, or management teams change. Rather than relying on individual knowledge (which can leave when that person moves on), everyone involved can refer back to the agreed requirements and understand exactly what needs to be maintained.
The fire strategy should remain the main reference document whenever changes are proposed. It explains how the building is designed to operate during a fire and sets out the fire safety provisions that support that strategy. Before making significant alterations, it’s important to check proposed changes against the fire strategy to ensure fire safety is not inadvertently compromised.
How often should fire risk assessments be reviewed?
Fire risk assessments should be reviewed regularly, with annual reviews being appropriate for most buildings. They should also be reviewed whenever significant changes occur, including:
- Changes in occupancy levels
- Building alterations or refurbishments
- Changes to the building’s use
- Installation or modification of fire safety systems
- Significant changes in management arrangements
The purpose of the review is to ensure the assessment remains suitable and sufficient for the building as it exists today, not as it existed several years ago. Regular reviews also help ensure maintenance programmes remain aligned with current risks and reflect any changes that may affect fire safety performance. We’ve gone into more detail about fire safety review timelines in another blog; you can read that here.
Final thoughts
A fire risk assessment provides the foundation for a maintenance programme that keeps fire safety systems working, escape routes clear and fire protection measures effective. It also helps ensure compliance with legal responsibilities under the Fire Safety Order.
We provide BAFE-accredited fire risk assessment services for commercial and multi-occupied buildings, helping identify risks, maintain compliance and create maintenance programmes that support long-term fire safety. Get in touch to discuss your needs.
