Church Hall Fire Risk Assessment

Fire Safety Law

What is the fire safety law?

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 is the primary legislation covering general fire safety in England and Wales—supported by subsequent amendments, the Fire Safety Act 2021—which clarified responsibilities in residential buildings—and the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, which introduced additional duties for certain multi-occupied residential premises in England.

In Scotland, general fire safety duties are set out under Part 3 of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, supported by the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006, which together place duties on those responsible for premises.

As an employer, building owner, landlord, or occupier, you are classed as the Responsible Person and are required to ensure that a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment is carried out and kept up to date. Fire risk assessments may be completed as a standalone exercise or as part of a wider safety management system.

Based on the findings of the assessment, the Responsible Person must ensure that appropriate fire safety measures are in place to reduce the risk of injury or loss of life in the event of a fire.

A church hall fire risk assessment should identify potential fire hazards, sources of ignition, combustible materials, and the people who may be at risk, and set out actions required to manage and reduce those risks.

For further information on fire safety law and guidance, please refer to government fire safety guidance and the relevant Health and Safety Executive (HSE) resources.

As the responsible person you must:

carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment of the premises and keep it up to date, reviewing it when necessary (e.g., changes in use, occupants, or layout)
tell staff, residents, or their representatives about the fire risks you have identified and how they are being managed
put in place and maintain appropriate fire safety measures, including detection, alarm systems, escape routes, fire doors and other precautions proportionate to the risk
plan for an emergency, including ensuring that escape routes are available, understood, and practised where appropriate
provide people on the premises with information, instruction, and training on fire safety measures and emergency procedures

Fire Risk Assessment Example

Example of what a fire safety risk assessment includes.

The purpose of a church hall fire risk assessment is to identify fire hazards, identify people at risk, evaluate and reduce those risks where necessary, record significant findings, plan for an emergency, provide appropriate information and training, and review the assessment regularly.

The assessor will reference a question template when completing the assessment, the completed report or survey can document the following examples.

Electrical sources of ignition
Smoking
Arson/wilful fire raising
Portable heaters and heating installations
Cooking
Lightning
Housekeeping and storage arrangements
Hazards introduced by outside contractors and builders
Dangerous substances
Other significant fire hazards
People at risk (including vulnerable persons)
Means of escape from fire
Measures to limit fire spread and development
Emergency escape lighting
Fire safety signs and notices
Means of giving warning in case of fire
Manual fire extinguishing appliances
Relevant automatic fire extinguishing systems
Other relevant fixed systems and equipment
Management of fire safety procedures and arrangements
Training and drills
Testing and maintenance
Records

For fire risk assessment guidance and recommended methodology, the appropriate current British Standard should be followed. This includes PAS 79-1:2020 for premises other than housing, and BS 9792:2025 for housing, both published by the British Standards Institution (BSI).

Details of the building

Including the Responsible Person, any appointed competent persons, building use, number of floors, lifts, basements, stairwells and shared areas.
Fire protection

Including firefighting equipment, fire detection and alarm systems, extinguishers, fire blankets, fire hoses (where fitted), sprinkler or suppression systems, smoke control and extract systems.
Fire hazards

Including sources of ignition, sources of fuel and sources of oxygen.
People at risk

Including employees, residents, visitors, contractors and others who may be affected, with consideration given to vulnerable persons such as those with mobility, vision or hearing impairment, lone workers, elderly persons, language barriers, substance misuse, cognitive impairment or young persons.
Means of escape

Including the number, location and adequacy of escape routes, final exits and, where relevant, travel distances.
Risk evaluation

Assessors may use a range of professional judgement tools to evaluate risk, which can include qualitative scoring or matrices, but risk levels should always be justified within the context of the premises.
Significant findings

Including identified deficiencies, recommended actions, priorities and timescales for improvement.
Photographs and supporting evidence

A fire risk assessor may take photographs or request documentation to support findings and demonstrate how conclusions have been reached.

Church Hall Fire Risk Assessment Considerations

Building-specific fire risk assessment guidance for church hall premises, responsible persons, landlords and property managers.

Fire Safety Considerations

Church Hall premises often involve public access, variable occupancy, events, licensing considerations, seating or standing layouts, staff procedures and the need for clear escape management.

Common Fire Safety Issues

Common fire safety issues in church hall premises include overcrowding, blocked exits, poor emergency lighting, inadequate staff training, temporary equipment, combustible decorations, weak evacuation procedures and missing event records.

Who Is Usually Responsible?

Responsibility usually sits with the operator, venue owner, event organiser, employer, licence holder, landlord or managing agent depending on control of the church hall premises.

What the Assessment Should Check

The assessment should check occupancy, escape capacity, exit routes, emergency lighting, alarm arrangements, signage, staff roles, evacuation procedures, fire doors, temporary layouts and records for testing and maintenance.

Relevant Standards and Guidance

PAS 79-1:2020 is usually relevant for public assembly premises. Licensing, event safety guidance and standards for alarms, emergency lighting, extinguishers and signage may also be relevant.

Typical Assessment Scenario

A typical church hall assessment may involve public areas, staff areas, kitchens, storage, plant rooms, entrances and final exits. The assessor would consider both normal use and busy events.

Standards by Building Type

Popular Areas for Church Hall Assessments

London Birmingham Manchester Kent Harrogate Essex Leicester Brighton Lincolnshire Bristol Glasgow Cumbria Bournemouth Cardiff Southend on Sea Wiltshire Edinburgh Ilford Chelmsford Croydon Durham Cambridge Cambridgeshire High Wycombe

Church Hall Fire Risk Assessment FAQs

Do church hall premises need a fire risk assessment?

Yes. A fire risk assessment is usually required where church hall premises are used as a workplace, commercial premises, shared residential premises or other relevant premises under fire safety legislation.

Who is responsible for a fire risk assessment for church hall premises?

The duty usually sits with the responsible person, employer, owner, landlord, managing agent, occupier or other person with control of the premises or shared areas.

What should a fire risk assessment for church hall cover?

How often should a fire risk assessment for church hall be reviewed?

It should be reviewed regularly and whenever there are significant changes to the building, layout, occupancy, fire precautions, management arrangements or use of the premises.

Can you arrange a fire risk assessor for church hall premises?

Yes. Fire Risk Assessment Network can help connect responsible persons with fire risk assessors for church hall premises, depending on the building type, location and assessment requirements.

Competence, Standards & Fire Safety Guidance

Fire risk assessments should be carried out by competent assessors using recognised fire safety guidance, current British Standards and appropriate third-party certification where required.

Competent Fire Risk Assessors

Our network includes fire safety professionals with experience assessing commercial, residential and mixed-use premises. Assessors are selected for their knowledge of fire safety legislation, practical building risk, means of escape, fire protection systems and fire safety management.

PAS 79-1:2020

PAS 79-1:2020 provides a recognised methodology for carrying out and recording fire risk assessments in premises other than housing. It helps ensure assessments are structured, consistent and suitable for responsible persons managing fire safety duties.

BS 9792:2025

BS 9792:2025 provides current guidance for fire risk assessments in housing. It is relevant to blocks of flats, sheltered housing, supported housing and other residential premises where fire safety risk needs to be assessed and recorded clearly.

BAFE SP205

BAFE SP205 is the Life Safety Fire Risk Assessment scheme for third-party certificated fire risk assessment providers. Where applicable, it gives clients independent evidence that a provider has been assessed for competence, management systems and report validation.

UKAS-Accredited Certification

Some fire safety providers hold third-party certification through UKAS-accredited certification bodies. This can help demonstrate that their systems, processes and competence have been independently audited against recognised scheme requirements.

ISO 9001:2015

ISO 9001:2015 is the international standard for quality management systems. It supports consistent service delivery, documented processes, continual improvement and a strong focus on meeting customer and regulatory requirements..

ISO 14001:2026

ISO 14001:2026 is the current international standard for environmental management systems. It helps organisations manage environmental responsibilities, improve environmental performance and meet compliance obligations in a structured way.

ISO 45001:2018

ISO 45001:2018 is the international standard for occupational health and safety management systems. It replaced OHSAS 18001 and provides a framework for managing health and safety risks, legal duties, worker participation and continual improvement.

Professional Memberships & Registers

Individual assessors may hold relevant professional memberships or registrations with recognised fire safety and risk management bodies, such as the Institution of Fire Engineers, Institute of Fire Safety Managers or other appropriate competency registers.

Supporting Fire Safety Standards

Depending on the premises, assessors may consider relevant standards and guidance for fire alarms, emergency lighting, fire doors, extinguishers, signage, smoke control, evacuation strategy and fire safety management.

Testimonials

Reviews from our clients

The fire risk assessor was very knowledgeable on all aspects of fire safety relating to my business. A very professional fire risk assessment service and would highly recommend them to anyone.

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The Fire Risk Assessment Network are a great company to work with. Highly recommend the fire risk assessors.

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Buildings

Fire risk assessors experienced in assessing all types of buildings .

Agricultural

Barns, sheds, greenhouses, farmhouses and stables.

Commercial

Banks, convention centers, forums, facilities management, garages, hotels, nightclubs, markets, high-rise buildings, resorts, shops, shopping malls, studios, supermarkets, warehouses and restaurants.

Residential

Blocks of flats, dormitories, houses, maisonettes, nursing homes, care homes, sheltered housing, town houses, landlords, guest houses, private dwellings, tenants, villas and bungalows.

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Archives, colleges, classrooms, gymnasiums, institutions, libraries, museums, art galleries, theatres, concert halls, cinemas, schools, opera houses, universities and boarding schools.

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Council, consulates, county, courthouses, embassies, fire stations, borough, general needs, local authority, local government, schemes, supported housing, parliament, police stations, post offices and prisons.

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Religious

Churches, cathedrals, chapels, mosques, monasteries and temples.

and many more

Apartments, arenas, business, bed and breakfast, beauty salons, cafes, bookshops, clinics, clubs, community halls, construction sites, depots, day nurseries, department stores, dental practices, fast-food restaurants, sport stadiums, hairdressers, holiday homes, holiday lets, hospices, hospitals, leasehold properties, pubs, village halls, nuclear premises, ships, open air events, offices, workshops and the workplace.

About Us

We support property owners, organisations and Responsible Persons across the UK in meeting their fire safety obligations.

At Fire Risk Assessment Network, we deliver professional, proportionate church hall fire risk assessment through experienced and accredited fire risk assessors operating nationwide. Our assessments are carried out in line with current UK fire safety legislation and recognised industry standards.

We work across a wide range of premises — from single properties to complex multi-site portfolios — ensuring fire risk assessments are suitable and sufficient for the building’s size, use and risk profile.

Our assessors hold relevant industry qualifications, recognised third-party certifications and professional accreditations. We understand the legal responsibilities placed on those with control of premises and ensure every assessment is clear, defensible and aligned with regulatory expectations.

Our mission is simple: To provide competent, compliant fire risk assessments across the UK — and to give clients confidence that their fire safety obligations are being properly addressed.

If you require a fire risk assessment for a single building or an entire portfolio, request a free quote today. We look forward to supporting you.