Shop fire risk assessment
In a shop the main risks are stock and packaging, a busy stockroom and customers who do not know the way out. Your assessment has to cover every part of the premises, including the stockroom, staff areas and any flat above that shares an escape route.
Start the shop and retail template
What the law asks
- Assess the fire risk of the premises under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 if you are the Responsible Person: usually the employer, owner or whoever controls the premises.
- Record all the findings, your fire safety arrangements and who carried out the assessment. Since 1 October 2023 this applies to every Responsible Person, whatever the size of the business (Building Safety Act 2022, section 156).
- Review it regularly and whenever something significant changes.
Government guide for this type of premises: Fire safety risk assessment: offices and shops and Making your small non-domestic premises safe from fire. Checked October 2026. FireRiskKit is written for England and Wales.
Typical fire hazards
- Cardboard, pallets and plastic packaging in the stockroom or by the back door
- Display and high-temperature lighting close to stock
- Aerosols, solvents and other flammable stock
- Bins stored against the building
- Charging e-scooters or mobility scooters
People at risk
- Customers, including children and people with limited mobility
- Staff working alone at opening and closing
- Residents of a flat above if they share an escape route
Precautions to check
- Clear routes to at least one exit from every part of the shop and stockroom
- Exits that open easily without a key while the shop is open
- A fire alarm or another way to warn everyone, including the stockroom
- Extinguishers suitable for the stock, serviced annually
- Rubbish removed daily and stored away from the building
Choose “Shop and retail” in FireRiskKit and the template asks about these points, then turns every gap into a dated action with an owner.
When to use a professional
A small single-storey shop is usually simple enough to assess yourself. Use a competent assessor if the shop has more than one floor open to the public, a flat above with a shared escape route, or stores large amounts of flammable stock.
Fill in the template in your browser, add your own findings and download a signed PDF with the action plan.
Start the free templateQuestions
Does the fire risk assessment cover the flat above my shop?
The flat itself is a home, but shared escape routes and the separation between shop and flat must be part of your assessment. Talk to the landlord about who is responsible for which parts.
How often should a shop fire risk assessment be reviewed?
The law does not set a fixed interval. Review it regularly and whenever something significant changes, such as a refit, new stock types or more staff.
Other premises
See also: Do I need a fire risk assessment? · Fire risk assessment checklist