Sectors
Fire Safety & DSEAR Consultancy for Retail & Shops
Retail premises — from high-street shops to supermarkets and retail parks — must have a suitable fire risk assessment in place to protect customers, staff and the building. The responsible person must ensure that means of escape, fire detection and fire safety management are appropriate for the occupancy and layout.
Key fire and DSEAR considerations
Fire risk assessments for retail premises must consider the number of customers likely to be present, the layout of the sales floor, means of escape and travel distances, back-of-house storage risks, and the fire safety management arrangements in place.
Back-of-house areas in retail premises — stockrooms, delivery bays, waste areas and plant rooms — often carry higher fire risks than the sales floor. These areas may have restricted means of escape and significant fuel loads from packaging, cardboard and stored goods.
Staff fire safety training is an important component of retail fire safety — particularly for staff responsible for checking escape routes and assisting customers during evacuation. Fire warden training should be provided for nominated staff at all levels and shifts.
Sector-specific risks
- Customer and staff evacuation — large numbers of members of the public
- Back-of-house storage areas — high fuel load
- Fitting rooms and electrical equipment
- Delivery and loading areas
- Fire safety management in shift environments
- Out-of-hours security arrangements
- Compartmentation in multi-level retail premises
Common questions — Retail & Shops
Request a quote for Retail & Shops
Submit an enquiry with details of your premises. A member of the team will review the information and get in touch to discuss the scope and approach.