Systems & Documentation · 6 checks

Fire Prevention
safety audit checklist

Fire points, extinguishers, escape routes, storage.

Every check below says what good looks like, when it passes, the regulation or HSE guidance it rests on and the defects that usually fail it. Critical checks are marked: a fail on one of those stops the activity.

  1. 1.
    Fire points established and accessible
    What to look forFire point at every entry/exit and at intervals not exceeding 30m travel distance. Comprises: alarm call point, extinguisher(s), site plan, emergency contact info. Mounted at consistent height (~1.5m). Clear signage above. Not blocked by stored materials. Lit during dark hours.
    Acceptable whenRR(FS)O 2005, fire detection, warning, fighting equipment provided. Fire Safety in Construction HSG168, fire points at access/egress and at intervals through site. Travel distance to call point typically <45m.
    StandardRR(FS)O 2005. HSG168. FPA Joint Code of Practice (9th ed). BS 5839-1:2017.
    Common defectsFire point obscured by stored materialsFire point removed during phase change, not reinstatedTravel distance >45m to nearest call pointNo fire point at remote work areaLighting failed at fire point, invisible at night
  2. 2.
    Fire extinguishers in date and accessible
    What to look forAnnual servicing label by competent person (BAFE-registered or equivalent) within last 12 months. Pressure indicator green. Pin/seal intact. Mounted on bracket at correct height (handle approximately 1m). Type matched to risk: water/mist for general, foam for liquid, CO2 for electrical, dry powder for mixed.
    Acceptable whenRR(FS)O 2005. BS 5306-3:2017 (annual maintenance) + BS 5306-8:2023 (selection and installation). BS EN 3 series (extinguisher specs). Annual service + 5-yearly extended service + 10-yearly hydraulic test (water/foam).
    StandardRR(FS)O 2005. BS 5306-3:2017 & 5306-8:2023. BS EN 3-7. BAFE schemes for service competence.
    Common defectsAnnual service overdueDischarged or pressure indicator redPin missing, accidental discharge or unable to useWrong type for hazard (water near electrical panel)Lying on the floor, not on bracket
  3. 3.
    Escape routes clear and signed
    What to look forEscape signs (running man, BS EN ISO 7010 E001/E002) every change of direction and within 5m line-of-sight throughout. Routes free of obstruction. Doors on escape route open in direction of travel, no padlocks (push bar/easy operation). Photoluminescent or emergency-lit where general lighting may fail.
    Acceptable whenRR(FS)O 2005 + Building Regs Approved Document B Volume 2. Escape signs to BS EN ISO 7010 + BS 5499-4:2013. Maximum travel distance to safety: typically 25m if single direction, 45m if alternative routes. Door release without key.
    StandardRR(FS)O 2005. Building Regs Approved Document B. BS 5499-4:2013. BS EN ISO 7010.
    Common defectsEscape route blocked by stored materialsPadlocked fire doorEscape signs missing at junctionsNo emergency lighting backupFinal exit route discharges into a locked compound
  4. 4.
    Assembly point clearly marked
    What to look forAssembly point sign (BS EN ISO 7010 E007, green square with people + arrow) at safe distance from building and traffic. Specific named location, not just "assembly point". Briefed at induction. Reviewed for second/third assembly if multi-phase site. Roll-call procedure defined (sign-in records used).
    Acceptable whenRR(FS)O 2005. HSG168. Assembly point at safe distance from any potential incident, not in path of fire and rescue access. Multiple assembly points considered for large or linear sites.
    StandardRR(FS)O 2005. HSG168. BS EN ISO 7010 E007.
    Common defectsAssembly point sign blown over / removedAssembly point in fire and rescue approach routeAssembly point too close to building (<30m)Operatives unaware, not briefed at inductionNo backup assembly point if primary inaccessible
  5. 5.
    Flammable material storage correct (COSHH cabinet)
    What to look forFlammables (LPG, petrol, solvents) in dedicated metal COSHH/flammable cabinet or external store. Cabinet labelled with hazard pictogram (flame). Quantity stored kept to minimum (typically max 50 litres in workshop). LPG cylinders external, upright, secured. Spill containment within cabinet. Min 3m clearance from ignition.
    Acceptable whenDangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regs 2002 (DSEAR). Petroleum (Consolidation) Regs 2014, petrol storage. HSG140, flammable liquids. LPG storage to UKLPG Code of Practice 7.
    StandardDSEAR 2002. Petroleum (Consolidation) Regs 2014. HSG140. UKLPG CoP 7. CDM 2015.
    Common defectsPetrol in plastic jerry can on benchLPG cylinders stored inside containerNo fire-resistant cabinet, paint/solvents on shelfCylinders horizontal, not uprightQuantity grossly exceeds needAdjacent ignition source (welding, smoking)
  6. 6.
    Fire alarm tested weekly
    What to look forWeekly test of fire alarm (different call point each week). Result logged in fire log book. Annual full system test by competent contractor. False alarms investigated. Alarm audible at all worker positions (75 dB, 65 dB above background) and visual where high noise. Battery backup tested.
    Acceptable whenRR(FS)O 2005. BS 5839-1:2017, weekly test of one call point each week (rotating); 6-monthly competent person inspection; annual service. Audibility 65 dB minimum or 5 dB above any noise persisting >30 sec.
    StandardRR(FS)O 2005. BS 5839-1:2017. HSG168.
    Common defectsWeekly tests not happening / not loggedAlarm inaudible in remote work areasAnnual service overdueBattery backup not tested, alarm fails on power cutSame call point tested every week, others undetected faults

Questions people ask

How often should a fire prevention audit be done?

Weekly is the common rhythm for a live site, plus whenever the work, the plant or the people change and after any incident or near miss. What matters is that it is scored, recorded, dated and the actions are closed out, not the exact frequency. Guidance, not legal advice.

What is the difference between a safety audit and an inspection?

An inspection looks at the site. An audit checks the system as well: is the paperwork there, do the people know it, is what was promised actually happening. On a small site the words blur, and that is fine. The checks below cover both.

What happens with a failed item?

A corrective action with an owner and a date, and a photo of the fail so nobody argues later. Where a check is marked critical, a fail stops that activity until it is put right.

Who should carry out the audit?

A competent person, and where possible not the person whose work is being looked at. The site manager auditing the site manager's housekeeping is better than nothing, but a visiting supervisor or the SHEQ lead sees what the regular eye has stopped noticing.

Is a site safety audit a legal requirement?

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require arrangements for monitoring your health and safety measures (regulation 5), and CDM 2015 requires every contractor to plan, manage and monitor the work under their control (regulation 15). A recorded, scored audit is how you show that is happening. Guidance, not legal advice.

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