Fire Risk Assessment Ireland

A fire risk assessment should be useful after the site visit

A fire risk assessment is one of the main tools for managing fire safety in an occupied premises. Phoenix STS should present Fire Risk Assessment Ireland as a practical review of people, premises and management arrangements, not a template document. The assessment should consider who could be harmed, how a fire might start, how smoke or fire might spread, whether people can move to safety and whether the organisation has the training, records and maintenance systems needed to keep controls working.

PAS 79-1:2020 provides a recognised structure for non-domestic premises, but the assessor still has to exercise judgement. A small office, a nursing home, a warehouse and a mixed-use commercial premises do not have the same risk profile. The page should make that clear. It should also reflect Irish duties under the Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003, workplace safety law and sector expectations such as HIQA Regulation 28 where designated centres are involved.

What gets checked

Phoenix STS reviews escape routes, final exits, compartmentation, fire doors, alarm and detection arrangements, emergency lighting, fire-fighting equipment, signage, housekeeping, storage, smoking controls, electrical risks, contractor activity, hot works where relevant and the needs of anyone who may need assistance. Records are part of the assessment too: alarm servicing, emergency lighting tests, extinguisher checks, fire drills, staff training, fire door maintenance and previous action plans.

The report should separate urgent issues from planned improvements. It should also avoid unrealistic statements about evacuation times. In healthcare and residential care, a defensible assessment considers progressive horizontal evacuation, available safe evacuation time, staff numbers, resident dependency and the protection offered by compartments. A report that simply says everybody should leave within a fixed number of minutes is not good enough.

What happens after the report

Many findings lead naturally to other Phoenix STS services. Weak alarm records may point to IS 3218 Fire Alarm Audits. Poor escape lighting may point to IS 3217 Emergency Lighting Assessments. Damaged or unverified doors may require Fire Door Inspections Ireland. Unclear staff roles may need Evacuation Planning, Fire Safety Policies or fire safety training. Where the client wants external oversight, Fire Safety Management Retainers can help keep the action plan moving.

The page should cross-reference those services and avoid generic imagery. The best images show real fire safety controls: extinguishers, hose reels, escape signs, corridor conditions, call points and documentation. These are the items clients recognise when they walk their own premises after reading the page.

What makes an assessment defensible

A defensible fire risk assessment is specific to the premises and honest about uncertainty. If the assessor cannot verify a fire door, a compartment line or an alarm cause-and-effect arrangement, the report should not pretend otherwise. It should identify the limitation and recommend a sensible next step. This is more useful to clients than a long report that sounds confident but does not give management a clear decision.

The assessment should also consider management behaviour. Many fire safety failures are not caused by missing equipment. They come from escape routes used for storage, doors wedged open, poor contractor control, unclosed actions, weak training records and staff who do not know what to do when the alarm sounds. That is why Phoenix STS should link the page to Fire Safety Policies, Evacuation Planning and fire safety training.

For designated centres and healthcare services, the assessment should reflect the needs of residents and staff. It should consider night staffing, dependency, compartmentation, evacuation aids, alarm strategy and the ability to move people without creating new harm. It should avoid simplistic language about getting everyone outside immediately. A better assessment explains the staged decisions staff may need to make.

The page should also tell clients what to prepare: floor plans, previous assessments, maintenance records, training records, fire drill records, alarm and emergency lighting certificates, fire door records and details of recent changes. Good preparation makes the site visit more productive and helps the final action plan stand up to review.

Clients should understand that the action plan is the most valuable part of the assessment. Findings should be prioritised by risk and written so the client can allocate responsibility, budget and a target date. A report that lists every issue with the same urgency is hard to manage. A report that separates immediate life safety concerns from planned improvements is far more useful.

The page should also avoid suggesting that a fire risk assessment is a one-time document. It should be reviewed after building changes, process changes, staffing changes, incidents, enforcement or insurer findings and at suitable intervals. Phoenix STS can support that through Fire Safety Management Retainers where clients need a structured review cycle.

Cross-links should point readers towards the services that commonly follow an assessment: Fire Door Inspections Ireland, Evacuation Planning, Fire Safety Policies, IS 3218 Fire Alarm Audits and IS 3217 Emergency Lighting Assessments.

A good page also explains what the assessment will not do. It will not certify every system, replace contractor maintenance, guarantee compliance or remove the client's duty to manage fire safety. It will give the client a structured review and a practical action plan.

The Legislative Framework for Fire Risk Assessment in Ireland

Fire risk assessments in Ireland are underpinned by several key pieces of legislation and standards that establish the requirements for fire safety in buildings.

Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003

The Fire Services Acts place obligations on persons having control over premises to take all reasonable measures to guard against the outbreak of fire and to ensure the safety of persons on the premises. A fire risk assessment is the recognised method for identifying what measures are required.

Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005

The SHWW Act requires employers to identify hazards, assess risks, and implement control measures. Fire is a significant workplace hazard, and a fire risk assessment is the primary tool for managing fire risk to employees and others affected by workplace activities.

PAS 79-1:2020

PAS 79-1:2020 is the recognised published document providing guidance on fire risk assessment methodology for buildings. It establishes the structure, content, and rigour expected of a professional fire risk assessment. All Phoenix STS assessments follow this standard.

BS 8674:2025

BS 8674:2025 is the competence framework for fire risk assessors. It establishes the knowledge, skills, and experience required to conduct fire risk assessments competently. Our assessors meet the requirements of this standard through their BEng qualifications and extensive assessment experience.

NFRAR Registration

The National Fire Risk Assessment Register provides independent, third-party verification of fire risk assessor competence. Our assessors are registered at Advanced level, confirming their ability to assess complex and high-risk premises.

Professional Indemnity Insurance

All Phoenix STS fire risk assessments are covered by professional indemnity insurance. This provides our clients with confidence that our assessment reports are backed by a thorough insurance policy, protecting both parties in the event of any professional negligence claim.

Fire Risk Assessments Nationwide

Phoenix STS provides professional fire risk assessments across Ireland, serving businesses and organisations in every county. Our NFRAR-registered assessors travel nationwide to deliver PAS 79-1:2020 compliant assessments with detailed reporting and prioritised action plans.

We regularly conduct fire risk assessments in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford, Kilkenny, Wexford, Sligo, Donegal, Kerry, and all other counties. For multi-site organisations, we coordinate national assessment programmes to ensure consistent standards across all your premises.

Further Reading

Read our complete guide to fire risk assessments in Ireland, covering legal requirements, the PAS 79-1:2020 methodology, cost factors, and how to choose a qualified assessor. We provide fire risk assessment services across Ireland, including Dublin, Cork, Galway, and Limerick.