Posted By Brenda H What time length are yours reviewed in? Talking about assessments in communal areas (HMO's) and office accommodation. Or do you decide on a period according to type of property and risk present?

Posted By Bob Shillabeer Frank is quite right, the time between undertaking a review and updating the assessment depends on many things such as changes in the use of the premises, the results of exercises, etc. Simply to do an assessment and then sit on it pretending it is still valid is taking a serious chance, remember fires kill and you don't get a second chance. Undertake a review at least every year and more often when the circumstances change.

Posted By Brenda H Hi, Thanks for your replies, all along my lines of thinking (thankfully!)

Posted By Messy Shaw Article 9 of the RR(FS)O 2005 is very clear on when to review a FRA. The FRA should be subject to continual review and not as some dodgy consultants (or incompetent fire authorities) would tell you, after a specific period. Article 9 (3) states:......... (3) Any such assessment must be reviewed by the responsible person regularly so as to keep it up to date and particularly if— (a) there is reason to suspect that it is no longer valid; or (b) there has been a significant change in the matters to which it relates including when the premises, special, technical and organisational measures, or organisation of the work undergo significant changes, extensions, or conversions, and where changes to an assessment are required as a result of any such review, the responsible person must make them.

Posted By RiskBase I'm in agreement with Sheila's style of arrangement. The more staff are empowered with undertaking these checks and audits themselves, the more they understand about fire safety. We produce assessments for clients, and try to keep the review a couple of years away when possible. With a simple block of flats for instance we might suggest every 5 years and give them an annual 'audit' checklist to complete. It’d encompass a range of checks from housekeeping to H&S. As long as the right processes are in place to deal with external factors, and checks are in place to make sure the audits are being completed properly, we find it works well for us. Too many Fire Risk Assessors want their renewal fee and the standard seems to be every year.

Posted By Phil Rose Agree with much of what has been said - all RA's are 'live' documents and subject to review at any time, although I do tend to set a 'periodic' review based on the level of risk at the time of the original assessment. Am wary of many consultants doing fire RA, we had one that was saying that he would charge a flat rate of £100 for any fire RA! Am I missing something here? Yes, also found the post by Jervis slightly 'alarming' - surely a union rep isn't doing the risk assessment for the employer?