Fire Risk Assessment for a Small Shop: Complete UK Guide

Does a small shop need a fire risk assessment?

In England, the person responsible for a workplace must arrange for a fire risk assessment to be carried out, keep a written record of it and review it regularly. This applies to shops and other commercial premises regardless of whether the business occupies an entire building or only one unit.

The assessment should be specific to the actual premises. It should consider the shop layout, stock, electrical equipment, staff, customers, escape routes and existing fire precautions. Downloading a blank template without inspecting the shop is unlikely to produce a useful assessment.

GOV.UK describes five main stages:

1. Identify fire hazards.
2. Identify the people who may be at risk.
3. Evaluate the risks and remove or reduce them.
4. Record the findings, prepare an emergency plan and provide training.
5. Review and update the assessment regularly.

You can read the GOV.UK workplace fire risk assessment guidance and the official five-step fire risk assessment checklist for more information.

Does the same fire-safety law apply throughout the UK?

The practical principles of identifying hazards, protecting people and maintaining escape routes apply throughout the UK, but the legislation and official guidance are not identical in every nation.

• England: the main legislation is the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. This is the jurisdiction currently supported by our online fire risk assessment.
• Wales: the Fire Safety Order also applies, but businesses should follow Welsh Government fire-safety guidance.
• Scotland: separate Scottish fire-safety legislation applies. See the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service fire risk assessment guidance.
• Northern Ireland: separate Northern Irish fire-safety legislation applies. See the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service guidance.

Who is responsible for fire safety in a shop?

In England and Wales, the person with legal fire-safety duties is referred to as the responsible person. For a shop, this will commonly be the employer, business owner, occupier or another person who controls the premises.

Responsibility may be shared. For example, a shop tenant may control the internal layout, stock and staff procedures, while a landlord or managing agent controls communal corridors, shared alarms, external walls or parts of the building.

Where responsibilities are shared, the parties should communicate and co-operate. Your assessment should clearly record which parts of the premises you control and which matters need to be raised with the landlord or building manager.

Can a shop owner complete their own fire risk assessment?

A responsible person can carry out the assessment themselves where the premises is simple, low risk and they have enough knowledge to identify the hazards and judge whether the existing precautions are suitable.

A guided self-assessment may be appropriate for a small shop where:

• The layout is straightforward and easy to understand.
• There are clear, usable escape routes.
• Only a relatively small number of people are normally present.
• There is no sleeping accommodation.
• There are no unusual industrial processes or significant quantities of flammable materials.
• There are no specialist or engineered fire-safety systems.
• The person completing it knows the premises and can inspect it properly.

The Home Office has published specific guidance for small non-domestic premises with simple layouts, limited hazards and small numbers of employees, customers and visitors.

If you cannot confidently judge whether people would receive warning and escape safely, do not guess. Appoint a competent fire risk assessor instead.

What should a fire risk assessment for a small shop cover?

The assessment should be completed by physically inspecting the shop. Do not rely entirely on memory or assume that an area is safe because no incident has previously occurred.

A thorough small-shop assessment should cover:

• The use, size and layout of the premises.
• The maximum number of staff and customers likely to be present.
• Anyone who may require assistance to escape.
• Electrical equipment, heating, cooking and other ignition sources.
• Stock, packaging, waste and other combustible materials.
• Escape routes, final exits and door security.
• Any inner rooms or unusual escape arrangements.
• Fire detection and warning arrangements.
• Emergency lighting and fire-safety signs.
• Fire extinguishers and other firefighting equipment.
• Staff information, training and evacuation procedures.
• Testing, maintenance and fire-safety records.
• A prioritised plan for correcting any problems identified.

These are the same broad areas covered during our guided fire risk assessment journey. The questions adapt to the shop and its answers, helping the responsible person record findings instead of starting with an empty document.

Common fire hazards in small shops

Electrical equipment

Shops may contain tills, computers, refrigeration, display lighting, extension leads, portable appliances, chargers and other electrical equipment. Look for damaged leads, overloaded sockets, unsuitable adaptors, overheating equipment and appliances left running unnecessarily.

Battery charging deserves particular attention. Only use suitable chargers and avoid charging batteries where a fire could block an escape route.

Stock and packaging

Cardboard, paper, textiles, plastics and other stock can allow a small fire to spread quickly. Check storerooms, stock cupboards, displays and areas behind the counter. Combustible materials should be kept away from heaters, electrical equipment and other possible ignition sources.

Portable heaters

Portable heaters can create additional risk if they are placed close to clothing, cardboard, furniture or stock. Record whether they are genuinely needed, where they are used and how staff prevent combustible items from being placed nearby.

Cooking and staff kitchens

A kettle, toaster, microwave or small staff kitchenette should still be considered. Check that appliances are in good condition, surfaces are kept clear and cooking is not left unattended.

Shops with commercial cooking, deep-fat frying or extract ducting may need a more detailed assessment and specialist precautions.

Smoking and deliberate fire-setting

Consider smoking areas, discarded cigarettes, external waste and whether bins are stored immediately against the building. External stock, bins and packaging should not provide an easy opportunity for a deliberately started fire to spread into the shop.

Contractors and maintenance work

Building work, electrical work, welding, cutting and other hot work can temporarily increase the risk. Contractors should be controlled, escape routes should remain usable and suitable precautions should be agreed before work begins.

Identify the people who may be at risk

A retail fire risk assessment must consider more than permanent employees. Depending on the business, people at risk may include:

• Full-time and part-time employees.
• Customers and other members of the public.
• Lone workers opening or closing the shop.
• Contractors, cleaners and delivery drivers.
• New employees who are unfamiliar with the layout.
• Children, elderly people or disabled people.
• People who may need assistance to hear an alarm or reach an exit.
• Anyone working in a rear office, stockroom, basement or isolated area.

Think about the busiest realistic period, not only the number of people present while the assessment is being completed.

Our assessment journey asks about maximum occupancy, public access and people who may need help to escape. These answers are used when identifying limitations and recommended actions.

Check escape routes and final exits

Customers and staff should be able to leave quickly without being obstructed by displays, stock, furniture, deliveries or waste. Walk every escape route from the areas people actually use, including back offices, staff areas, stockrooms and toilets.

Check whether:

• Escape routes are clear and wide enough for the people expected to use them.
• Final exit doors can be opened quickly without searching for a key.
• Security arrangements will not prevent escape while the premises is occupied.
• Exit signs are clear where the route may not be obvious.
• Routes remain usable during deliveries and stock replenishment.
• External routes lead people away from the building safely.
• Staff know where to direct customers during an emergency.

Inner rooms in shops

An inner room is a room where the only escape route passes through another usable room before reaching a normal hallway, corridor, staircase or final exit.

Possible shop examples include:

• A back office that can only be left through a stockroom.
• A treatment room that only exits through the main shop or salon area.
• A staff room where the only exit passes through a kitchen or workshop.

A normal corridor, hallway, landing, lobby or staircase is not automatically an inner room. Where a genuine inner room exists, consider whether the person inside would receive early warning, whether the access room is low risk and whether only a small number of familiar people use the inner room.

Complicated inner-room arrangements, routes through higher-risk areas or uncertainty about early warning should be reviewed by a competent fire risk assessor.

Check alarms, emergency lighting and fire-safety equipment

Fire detection and warning

The assessment should consider whether everyone would receive warning quickly enough to escape. The suitable arrangement depends on the size, layout, use and risks of the shop. It may range from a relatively simple warning arrangement to a more substantial fire alarm system.

Record what is installed, whether it covers the relevant areas, how it is tested and when it was last serviced.

Emergency lighting

Consider what would happen if the normal lighting failed. Emergency lighting may be needed on internal escape routes, in windowless areas, near changes of level and at final exits.

Where emergency lighting is installed, keep records of routine checks and periodic testing.

Fire extinguishers

Check whether suitable extinguishers are provided for the risks present, whether they are accessible and whether their servicing is up to date. Staff should not be expected to fight a fire unless it is safe, they have been instructed appropriately and they have a clear escape route.

Fire doors

Where fire doors are present, check that they close properly, are not wedged open, are not visibly damaged and have not been altered in a way that could affect their performance. Uncertainty about whether a door is suitable should be recorded rather than guessed.

Signs and instructions

Fire exit signs should help people understand the escape route where it is not immediately obvious. Staff should also have clear instructions explaining what to do if they discover a fire or hear the alarm.

Fire procedures, staff training and routine checks

Fire precautions are only effective if they are maintained and people know how to use them. Your assessment should record:

• What staff should do if they discover a fire.
• How the alarm is raised.
• Who calls the fire and rescue service.
• How staff guide customers towards an exit.
• Where people should assemble.
• How anyone who needs assistance will be helped.
• Who checks toilets, changing rooms or other areas, where safe to do so.
• How escape routes, alarms, lighting and equipment are checked.

New employees should receive relevant fire-safety information. Procedures should also be reviewed when the shop layout, staffing or opening arrangements change.

Record the findings and create an action plan

A useful fire risk assessment should not simply state that the shop has passed or failed. It should clearly record what was inspected, what could not be confirmed, the existing precautions and any work that still needs to be completed.

Each action should identify:

• The problem or improvement required.
• The affected area.
• How urgent it is.
• Who is responsible for completing it.
• A realistic completion date.
• When the action was completed.

For example, “improve fire safety” is too vague. A more useful action would be: “Remove stored cardboard from the rear escape route immediately and add the route to the daily opening check.”

Our online fire risk assessment uses the answers provided to produce a risk result, identify limitations and create a prioritised action plan. The finished record is provided as a dated PDF and stored securely in the user's account.

You can view an example fire risk assessment report before starting.

How often should a shop fire risk assessment be reviewed?

There is no single expiry period that applies to every shop. The assessment should be reviewed regularly and whenever there is reason to believe it may no longer be suitable.

Review it sooner following changes such as:

• A significant alteration to the shop layout.
• New displays, shelving or stock-storage arrangements.
• A change in the type of products sold.
• New heating, cooking or electrical equipment.
• An increase in staff or customer numbers.
• Changes affecting an escape route or final exit.
• Building work or refurbishment.
• A fire, false alarm, near miss or significant safety concern.
• Problems identified with alarms, lighting, fire doors or other precautions.

An annual review can provide a practical routine for a simple, low-risk shop, but you should not wait for the annual date where something important has changed.

Common small-shop fire risk assessment mistakes

Completing the form without inspecting the shop

Walk the premises and physically check the exits, stockrooms, electrical equipment, fire doors, alarm arrangements and external areas.

Only checking customer-facing areas

Rear offices, stockrooms, toilets, basements, meter cupboards, staff kitchens and external bin areas can contain some of the most significant hazards.

Ignoring temporary obstructions

An escape route that is clear in the morning may become blocked during a delivery. Consider how the shop operates throughout the working day.

Assuming equipment automatically means the risk is controlled

Having alarms, extinguishers or emergency lighting does not replace the assessment. You must consider whether they are suitable, maintained and understood by staff.

Hiding uncertainty

If you cannot confirm when equipment was serviced or whether a fire door is suitable, record the uncertainty and create an action to verify it.

Creating vague actions

Actions should be specific, prioritised and assigned. The responsible person should then monitor them through to completion.

When should a shop use a professional fire risk assessor?

Being a shop does not automatically make a premises simple or low risk. Professional advice should be considered where the building, hazards or occupants require specialist judgement.

This may include shops with:

• Sleeping accommodation within or above the assessed premises.
• Large, multi-storey or complicated layouts.
• Basements or difficult escape arrangements.
• Significant quantities of flammable liquids, aerosols or chemicals.
• Industrial processes or commercial cooking.
• Large numbers of customers or vulnerable occupants.
• Unclear fire separation, compartmentation or fire-door arrangements.
• Specialist smoke-control, suppression or engineered fire-safety systems.
• A previous fire, enforcement action or serious unresolved concern.
• A responsible person who does not feel competent to assess the risks.

Read our guide explaining when to use a professional fire risk assessor before relying on a self-assessment for a more complicated premises.

How our guided shop fire risk assessment works

For a straightforward, low-risk shop in England, Easy Compliance Tools provides a guided alternative to starting with a blank fire risk assessment template.

The journey asks about:

• The building, layout and number of floors.
• Staff, customers and people who may need help to escape.
• Public access and maximum occupancy.
• Fire hazards and combustible materials.
• Escape routes, exits and inner rooms.
• Alarm and detection arrangements.
• Emergency lighting, signs and extinguishers.
• Fire doors and visible fire-stopping concerns.
• Management procedures, testing and maintenance.
• Supporting documents, photographs and known limitations.

The assessment includes suitability checks designed to identify premises that need professional input. When the shop is within scope, the completed answers are used to generate a structured PDF report containing the findings, risk result, evidence record, review date and prioritised action plan.

Start your online shop fire risk assessment. You can complete the guided questions before deciding whether to purchase and download the finished report.

Small shop fire risk assessment FAQs

Does every small shop need a written fire risk assessment?

In England, the responsible person must arrange a fire risk assessment, keep a written record and keep it under review. The assessment should reflect the actual shop rather than being copied from a generic example.

Can I complete my shop fire risk assessment myself?

Potentially, yes. Self-assessment may be suitable where the shop is simple and low risk and you understand the premises well enough to identify hazards and assess the escape arrangements. Use a professional where the risks or layout are more complex or you are not confident in your conclusions.

Is a fire risk assessment the same as a fire certificate?

No. A fire risk assessment is a working record of the hazards, people at risk, existing precautions and required actions. It is not an official certificate or a guarantee issued by the fire service.

Does a shop automatically need a fire alarm?

The appropriate warning arrangement depends on the layout, size, hazards and people using the premises. The assessment should determine whether everyone would receive adequate warning and be able to escape safely.

Does a small shop need emergency lighting?

It depends on the premises and its escape routes. Consider whether people could safely find their way out if the normal lighting failed, including from rear rooms, windowless areas and external escape routes.

How long does a shop fire risk assessment last?

There is no universal fixed expiry date. It should be reviewed regularly and updated whenever the layout, use, occupancy, equipment, hazards or fire precautions change.

What records should a shop keep?

Relevant records may include the completed assessment, action plan, alarm test records, emergency-lighting checks, extinguisher service information, electrical inspection records, staff training, drill records and evidence that identified actions were completed.