What Is a Fire Safety Management and Emergency Plan?

A fire safety management and emergency plan sets out how fire safety is managed, controlled, monitored, and reviewed within a premises — and how people will be warned, evacuated, and protected if a fire occurs.

Under UK fire safety law, Responsible Persons must not only assess fire risks, but also actively manage fire safety on an ongoing basis. A fire safety management plan documents those arrangements, while the emergency plan explains what happens if a fire occurs.

This guide explains what a fire safety management and emergency plan is, what it must include under current legislation, and how it supports compliance, safety, and enforcement readiness.

Legal Context: Why Fire Safety Management Plans Are Required

Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the Responsible Person must:

• Take general fire precautions
• Implement appropriate fire safety measures
• Maintain those measures
• Keep them under review

Article 11 of the Fire Safety Order specifically requires effective planning, organisation, control, monitoring, and review of fire safety arrangements.

In practice, enforcing authorities will expect Responsible Persons to be able to demonstrate these arrangements in writing, particularly where premises are complex, multi-occupied, or higher risk.

More recent legislation has reinforced this expectation:

• The Fire Safety Act 2021 clarified what must be considered within fire risk assessments (including structure, external walls, and flat entrance doors in relevant buildings)
• The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 introduced additional duties around inspections, information sharing, and record keeping in residential buildings

A fire safety management plan provides the documented framework showing how these duties are met in practice.

What Is a Fire Safety Management Plan?

A fire safety management plan documents how fire safety is managed day-to-day within a premises.

It explains:

• Who is responsible for fire safety
• How risks are identified and controlled
• How fire safety measures are maintained
• How compliance is monitored
• How arrangements are reviewed and improved

The plan should be proportionate to the premises, reflecting its size, complexity, occupancy, and risk profile.

UK government fire safety guidance confirms that emergency planning must be based on the findings of the fire risk assessment and communicated clearly to all relevant persons.

Key Elements of a Fire Safety Management Plan

Planning

Effective planning includes:

• How fire risk assessments are carried out and reviewed
• How priorities are set for risk reduction
• How control measures are selected and implemented
• How objectives for fire safety are established and monitored

Planning should be based on a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment and reviewed when risks change.

Organisation

The plan should clearly set out:

• Who holds fire safety responsibilities
• How information is communicated to staff and occupants
• How competence is ensured through training and instruction
• How contractors and other Responsible Persons are coordinated
• Fire door management arrangements
• Maintenance responsibilities for fire safety systems
• Housekeeping and fire prevention measures
• Fire drills and evacuation planning

Clear allocation of responsibility is critical — enforcement action often follows where duties are unclear or unmanaged.

Control

Fire safety management requires clear systems of control, including:

• Defined roles and responsibilities at all levels
• Supervision of fire safety activities
• Clear performance standards
• Written procedures where appropriate

People assigned fire safety duties must understand what they are responsible for and how to carry them out.

Health and Safety Executive guidance supports the principle that fire safety arrangements must be proportionate, clearly defined, and actively managed rather than treated as a one-off exercise.

Monitoring

Monitoring ensures that fire safety arrangements remain effective.

This should include:

• Routine inspections of fire safety measures
• Testing of systems and equipment
• Recording defects and remedial actions
• Investigation of incidents and near misses
• Review of maintenance records

All monitoring activities should be recorded and retained as evidence of compliance.

Review

Fire safety management arrangements must be reviewed:

• At planned intervals
• After changes to the building or its use
• Following incidents or enforcement action
• When deficiencies are identified

The review process should ensure:

• Outstanding actions are prioritised and completed
• Management systems remain effective
• Fire safety arrangements remain suitable and sufficient

What Is a Fire Emergency Plan?

A fire emergency plan sets out what happens if a fire occurs.

It explains how people will be warned, how evacuation will take place, and what staff and occupants must do.

If you have five or more employees, or your premises are licensed or subject to an alterations notice, the emergency plan must be recorded in writing. Even where not legally required, written plans are strongly recommended.

What Should a Fire Emergency Plan Include?

An emergency plan should be based on the findings of the fire risk assessment and may include:

• How people will be warned of fire
• Escape routes and final exits
• Arrangements for assisting vulnerable occupants
• Evacuation strategies (e.g. simultaneous, phased, stay put)
• Fire-fighting arrangements (where appropriate)
• Shutdown of plant, machinery, or services
• Staff roles and responsibilities
• Assembly points and roll-call procedures
• Liaison with the fire and rescue service
• Procedures for contractors and visitors
• Contingency plans for system failures

In very small premises, the emergency plan may be limited to a fire action notice. In larger or more complex buildings, detailed written plans are essential.

Coordination and Communication

Where multiple Responsible Persons share a premises — such as in multi-occupied or mixed-use buildings — cooperation and coordination are legally required.

Emergency plans cannot function effectively without:

• Information sharing
• Consistent procedures
• Clear lines of responsibility

Training and Practice

Fire safety management plans should include arrangements for:

• Staff training
• Induction for new starters
• Refresher training
• Fire drills
• Testing evacuation procedures

Training must reflect the emergency plan and be appropriate to the premises and risks.

Why Professional Support Matters

Poor fire safety management is a common factor in enforcement action.

At Fire Risk Assessment Network, we support Responsible Persons by:

• Developing practical fire safety management plans
• Reviewing existing arrangements
• Aligning management systems with fire risk assessments
• Supporting compliance with current legislation
• Providing clear, enforceable documentation

If you are unsure whether your fire safety management and emergency planning arrangements are adequate, we can help.

Our approach is proportionate, practical, and aligned with how fire and rescue authorities assess compliance in real inspections.

Conclusion

Fire safety management and emergency planning are not optional extras — they are core legal duties under UK fire safety law.

A fire safety management plan ensures risks are controlled and reviewed, while an emergency plan ensures people know what to do if a fire occurs.

Both must be proportionate, documented where required, and actively implemented.

For professional advice, support, or compliant fire safety planning, contact Fire Risk Assessment Network today. A professionally delivered fire risk assessment provides the foundation for effective fire safety management and emergency planning.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a fire safety management plan?

A fire safety management plan documents how fire safety is organised, controlled, monitored, and reviewed within a premises. It explains who is responsible for fire safety, how risks are managed, how fire safety measures are maintained, and how compliance is monitored over time.

Is a fire safety management plan a legal requirement?

UK fire safety law does not use the term “fire safety management plan” explicitly, but Article 11 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires effective planning, organisation, control, monitoring, and review of fire safety measures. A documented management plan is the most practical way to demonstrate compliance.

What is the difference between a fire safety management plan and a fire emergency plan?

A fire safety management plan explains how fire safety is managed day-to-day, while a fire emergency plan explains what happens if a fire occurs. The management plan focuses on prevention and control; the emergency plan focuses on evacuation and response.

When must a fire emergency plan be written down?

If a premises has five or more employees, is licensed, or is subject to an alterations notice, the emergency plan must be recorded in writing. Even where this is not legally required, written emergency plans are strongly recommended as best practice.

Who is responsible for fire safety management and emergency planning?

The Responsible Person under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 is legally responsible. This may be an employer, building owner, landlord, managing agent, or organisation with control of the premises. Responsibility cannot be delegated away.

What should a fire safety management plan include?

A fire safety management plan typically includes planning arrangements, allocation of responsibilities, fire prevention measures, maintenance regimes, monitoring procedures, training arrangements, fire drills, and review processes. The content must be proportionate to the premises and its risks.

Does every building need a fire safety management plan?

All non-domestic premises and the common parts of residential buildings require effective fire safety management. The complexity of the plan depends on the size, use, occupancy, and fire risk of the premises. Simple buildings may require minimal documentation, while complex buildings need detailed plans.

How often should fire safety management arrangements be reviewed?

Fire safety management arrangements should be reviewed regularly and whenever they may no longer be valid. Reviews are required after changes to the building or its use, following incidents, or where deficiencies are identified.

Can a fire risk assessment replace a fire safety management plan?

No. A fire risk assessment identifies risks and required controls, but it does not explain how those controls are managed, monitored, or reviewed. Fire safety management arrangements are required alongside the fire risk assessment.

What happens if fire safety management arrangements are inadequate?

Inadequate fire safety management can lead to enforcement action by fire and rescue authorities, including enforcement notices, prosecution, unlimited fines, and, in serious cases, imprisonment. Poor management is a common factor in enforcement cases.

Do fire and rescue services check fire safety management plans?

Yes. Enforcing authorities may review fire safety management arrangements during inspections or following incidents. They will assess whether fire safety measures are properly managed, maintained, and reviewed, not just whether they exist.