Choosing a reliable employee to manage fire safety might seem sensible. They know the building, understand daily operations and are willing to take responsibility.
But willingness is not the same as competence.
Under fire safety law in England and Wales, the person responsible for a workplace must ensure that a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment is completed, appropriate precautions are maintained and employees receive the necessary information and training.
What does “competent” actually mean?
The law does not simply define a competent person as someone who has been nominated as the fire marshal or agreed to complete a checklist.
A person is considered competent when they have sufficient training, experience, knowledge and other qualities to perform their assigned fire safety responsibilities properly.
That means understanding more than where the extinguishers and emergency exits are located. Depending on the premises, competence may require knowledge of:
Fire hazards and ignition sources
Escape routes and evacuation requirements
Fire doors and compartmentation
Alarm and emergency lighting systems
Vulnerable building users
Dangerous substances and workplace processes
Current fire safety legislation and guidance
An employee may be perfectly capable of completing routine checks without having the expertise to identify structural, technical or management failures.
Can you complete your own fire risk assessment?
In some cases, yes. Government guidance allows responsible persons to carry out their own assessments when they have the necessary expertise, particularly in simple, low-risk premises. However, when you lack the time or knowledge, you should appoint a competent professional. Current guidance recommends using a competent fire risk assessor for anything beyond the simplest premises.
The complexity of your building matters. A small ground-floor office is very different from a warehouse, school, care facility, healthcare setting or multi-occupied commercial property.
The responsibility still sits with your business
Appointing an employee or external assessor does not remove the legal responsibility from the person or organisation in control of the premises.
The Responsible Person remains liable if the assessment is not suitable and sufficient. They must therefore take reasonable steps to ensure that whoever carries it out is genuinely competent.
Simply giving the task to a willing employee could leave serious risks unidentified, including inadequate escape routes, unsuitable fire doors, missing maintenance records or incorrect evacuation arrangements.
Why use a professional fire safety consultant?
A competent consultant provides an independent view of your building, systems and procedures. They can identify risks that may be missed internally and turn complex requirements into a clear, prioritised action plan.
Professional support can help you:
Complete and review your fire risk assessment
Identify gaps in existing precautions
Prioritise remedial work
Develop evacuation procedures
Maintain appropriate records
Prepare for inspections or enforcement visits
Adapt your arrangements when the building or its use changes
Competence should never be assumed
Fire safety is not an administrative box-ticking exercise. It is a legal and practical responsibility that directly affects the safety of employees, visitors and the public.
Total Fire Group supports commercial and public-sector organisations with professional fire risk assessments, inspections, fire protection and compliance consultancy.
We help ensure that your fire safety arrangements are not simply assigned to someone, but managed by people with the competence to get them right.