What The Service Involves
A fire safety audit examines whether the arrangements described in your documents are reflected in practice. It can help a facilities team understand overdue actions, missing evidence and unclear responsibilities. It can also support a manager taking over a building or overseeing several premises.
The starting point is the question you need answered. An audit of maintenance records is different from a wider inspection of working practices and escape arrangements. We agree the purpose, premises and available evidence so the resulting report can support a practical management decision.
What Needs Particular Attention
An audit may sample the action plan from the latest fire risk assessment and compare it with completed works, maintenance records and site observations. A contractor invoice can show that work was ordered, but may not demonstrate that the original defect was resolved. Useful close-out evidence relates directly to the action and location.
For schools and public-facing premises, the audit may look at induction, visitor arrangements and how duties are covered during staff absence. For commercial portfolios, it may examine how central policies reach individual building managers. Any sampling approach should be stated so a limited check is not mistaken for an inspection of every item.
An audit is not a fire authority inspection and cannot promise that an enforcing authority will accept every arrangement. It also does not replace a suitable and sufficient risk assessment. If the audit reveals a changed building or an outdated assessment, a fuller review may be the appropriate next step.
The Legal And Practical Framework
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 provides the main workplace fire safety framework for Leicester. The responsible person must assess risks and maintain appropriate precautions. Employing someone to help does not remove the duty to manage findings and coordinate with others who control parts of the premises.
Agree a scope that reflects the premises and the question being investigated. A report should make its evidence and limitations understandable, including any areas not inspected. Keep the document with the building’s fire safety records and connect recommended work to a named person or role.
Guidance: Workplace fire safety responsibilities.
How The Work Progresses
First, explain the property, the service needed and any known concerns. The scope should identify the areas included and the information required before attendance.
Next, arrange access and provide the records needed for the agreed inspection or review. The assessor should discuss relevant activities with someone familiar with the building and record limitations where evidence is unavailable.
Finally, use the findings to allocate actions, commission any necessary specialist work and retain completion evidence. If the report leaves a question open, establish who will obtain the missing information and how the conclusion will be updated.
Preparing For The Visit
Share the assessment, current action tracker, equipment test records, training information and management responsibilities. Explain whether the audit is for one property, a defined department or a sample across a portfolio.
Have a person available who can explain how checks are actually carried out and where evidence is stored. Agree access to any sensitive records using only the information needed. The report should identify what was examined, what was not available and which conclusions depend on further confirmation.
What Affects The Cost
Audit costs depend on the depth of the review, number of locations, volume of documents and the level of site verification. A short records sample has a different purpose from a site inspection with interviews and action close-out checks.
Clarify the reporting format and whether a management discussion is included. If the audit identifies a need for a new assessment, specialist testing or intrusive survey, those should be separate decisions. A defined scope helps you compare quotations on the same basis.
Common Questions
Can A Fire Safety Audit Close Existing Actions?
A fire safety audit can help verify existing actions where the agreed scope includes checking appropriate evidence and, where needed, conditions on site. An action should only be treated as closed when the original issue has been addressed. If the supporting information is incomplete, the audit should record the remaining uncertainty and required follow-up.
Is An Audit Useful Across Several Buildings?
A fire safety audit can be useful across several buildings when the sampling and reporting approach is agreed in advance. It can identify recurring gaps in records or responsibilities and help compare local management arrangements. Findings from a sample do not prove that every building or every item has been checked.
Related Support
For the wider assessment process, see our fire risk assessment Leicester guide.
Commercial Fire Risk Assessment →Office Fire Risk Assessment →Warehouse Fire Risk Assessment →Fire Door Inspection →Fire Risk Assessment Review →