Responsible Person duties, in plain English.
Short guides for decision-makers on fire safety law, competence and evidence.
What is a Responsible Person?
The Responsible Person is the employer, owner, landlord, managing agent or anyone else who has control of a premises. Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 they must carry out and act on a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment.
What changed under Section 156 of the Building Safety Act?
Section 156 strengthened the Fire Safety Order. In broad terms, Responsible Persons must record their fire risk assessment in full, record who carried it out, and share relevant information with other Responsible Persons. [Legal review recommended: confirm wording before publishing.]
How to choose a competent fire risk assessor
- Look for third-party certification such as BAFE SP205 or NSI Gold.
- Ask for assessor qualifications and professional memberships.
- Check professional indemnity insurance.
- Ask how reports are validated before they are issued.
- Be wary of very low prices. Cheap assessments often lack depth.
What evidence should you keep if challenged?
- Your full fire risk assessment and the assessor's details.
- The action plan and proof that actions were completed.
- Maintenance and test records for alarms, lighting and extinguishers.
- Training and drill records.
What happens after your Fire Risk Assessment?
You prioritise the actions, assign owners and deadlines, and record completion. Review the assessment whenever something significant changes.
Talk to a competent specialist
Tell us about your building and we will explain what you need and what it involves.