Hospital Fire Risk Assessment — From £175
Hospitals present unique fire risks: vulnerable patients, complex medical gas systems, and phased evacuation protocols. A specialist fire risk assessment ensures you meet statutory duties under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, protect patients and staff, and maintain business continuity.
- ? HTM 05-03 Part K compliant
- ? Complex healthcare premises specialists
- ? NHS Trust & private hospital experts
- ? Free quotes, no obligation
?? The ICU fire that changed hospital preparedness
On 12 September 2009, a fire broke out in the Intensive Care Unit of the James Paget University Hospital, Great Yarmouth. An electrical fault in a sluice room air extractor spread smoke into patient areas via an automatic door that repeatedly opened and closed, fanning the flames."[reference:0]
The unit was not full, which facilitated evacuation, but serious issues emerged: ICU staff were unaware of the alarm despite it sounding in continuous tone, ventilators could not be restarted in recovery due to missing pressure valves, and medical gas systems were not isolated early."[reference:1] The report concluded: "A fire incident can happen and most of us are not as well prepared to tackle them as we believe."[reference:2]
Fire precautions are achievable — regular fire drills, competent fire risk assessments, and robust staff training are essential to prevent recurrence.
?? Fire safety law & HTM 05 framework for healthcare
??? Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
The Responsible Person (typically the NHS Trust Board or private hospital management) must carry out a “suitable and sufficient” fire risk assessment and act on its findings.[reference:3] The Order applies to all healthcare premises, including acute hospitals, mental health units, GP surgeries, and clinics."[reference:4]
?? HTM 05-01 (2026 update)
Updated in February 2026, HTM 05-01 incorporates the Building Safety Act 2022, defines the 'golden thread' of safety information, and creates new duty holder roles."[reference:5] It separates the Authorising Engineer (Fire) into Independent Expert Advisor and Specialist Fire Engineer roles."[reference:6]
?? HTM 05-03 Part K (2024)
This guidance addresses the unique challenges of complex healthcare premises: dependence on staff for evacuation, progressive horizontal evacuation, medical gases, arson risk, and non-compliant doorsets that threaten treatment continuity.[reference:7] The 2024 revision emphasises competence of assessors and assessment of older fire doors without test evidence.[reference:8]
????? Competent Person (Fire)
HTM defines a 'Competent Person (Fire)' (capitalised) as an individual providing professional services for passive/active fire safety systems (alarm installation, maintenance etc.).[reference:9] The fire risk assessment must be carried out by a suitably trained and experienced assessor.[reference:10]
?? What a hospital fire risk assessment covers
?? Patient evacuation strategies
Unlike other buildings, hospital evacuation is not immediate. Our assessments evaluate compartmentation, sub-compartmentation, hazard rooms (30-minute protection), and staff evacuation competencies. A primary FRA is now required for the whole building, including common areas, fire strategy and alarm systems."[reference:11]
?? Medical gas systems
Piped medical gases (including 50% oxygen) and oxygen cylinders present extreme fire hazards. The FRA will test early isolation protocols, emergency shut-off procedures, and staff training."[reference:12]
?? Fire doors & compartmentation
Non-compliant doorsets are a business continuity concern; in the NHS, business continuity is treatment continuity — potentially a life safety issue."[reference:13] Assessments check fire doors, cavity barriers, and compartment integrity.
?? Staff training & fire drills
Regular fire training and knowledge of evacuation procedures should be mandatory."[reference:14] Our assessment evaluates staff awareness, fire warden competency, and mock evacuation drill records.
?? Fire risk assessment costs for healthcare premises
Costs vary significantly based on size, complexity, and patient dependency. The table below provides indicative ranges.
?? Small clinic / GP surgery
Lowest risk: ground-floor facilities, fewer than 5 employees, simple escape routes."[reference:15]
?? Medium hospital / mental health unit
Sleeping patients, dependency for evacuation, medical gas systems, compartmentation requirements."[reference:16]
?? Large acute hospital
Multiple buildings, ICUs, theatres, high patient dependency, complex fire strategies."[reference:17]
?? NHS Trust portfolios
Trust-wide assessments covering multiple sites, bed capacity, specialist departments, CQC compliance."[reference:18]
?? Enforcement & 2025/2026 updates for healthcare
?? Fire authority audits
Fire authorities have a statutory duty to enforce the FSO. They monitor compliance via fire safety audits, with particular attention to complex healthcare premises."[reference:19]
?? Building Safety Act 2022
HTM 05-01 now includes the BSA as a primary legal pillar alongside FSO and Building Regulations, appointing Accountable Persons & Principal Accountable Persons."[reference:20]
?? 2025 NHS Framework
NHS England launched a framework for fire compliance in 2025, offering active/passive protection, risk assessments, and consultancy to prevent Grenfell-style incidents in healthcare."[reference:21]
? Protect your hospital & patients today
From the James Paget ICU fire to updated HTM guidance, the need for competent, specialist fire risk assessments has never been greater. Choose a qualified assessor who understands healthcare premises, medical gases and progressive evacuation.
?? Get free, no-obligation quotes ?Hospital fire risk assessment — FAQs
Who is the Responsible Person for a hospital fire risk assessment?
Under the FSO, the 'Responsible Person' is the employer or person in control of the premises — typically the NHS Trust Board, with the Chief Executive holding overall accountability. In private hospitals, it is the hospital director or owner."[reference:22]
What is progressive horizontal evacuation and why does it matter?
Patients in ICUs, theatres or high-dependency units cannot be evacuated quickly. Progressive horizontal evacuation moves them laterally between fire-compartmented sub-compartments, then vertically only when safe. This strategy must be reflected in the fire risk assessment."[reference:23]
Does my GP surgery need a fire risk assessment?
Yes. All non-domestic premises with employees or members of the public require an FRA. For smaller primary care centres, the guidance in HTM 05-01 should be applied proportionately."[reference:24]
What are the medical gas fire hazards?
Piped oxygen (50% concentration) and oxygen cylinders accelerate fire dramatically. A historic fire incident involving a hospital medical gas pipeline caused extensive damage; early isolation prevents recurrence."[reference:25] Your FRA must test gas shut-off procedures and staff competency.
How often must a hospital fire risk assessment be reviewed?
The FSO requires regular review. For complex healthcare premises, a full review is recommended every 12 months, with annual monitoring for material changes. After any fire incident or near-miss, an immediate review is mandatory.