The Monthly Fire Safety Checklist for UK Offices

The Monthly Fire Safety Checklist for UK Offices

An office can look calm and well run while fire safety quietly slips. A delivery blocks a corridor. A fire door is wedged open because the kitchen gets hot. An extinguisher gauge drifts into the red and nobody notices. None of these are dramatic on their own. Together, they make a bad day worse.

A monthly check is not about creating paperwork for its own sake. It is a short, structured walk around your premises to catch the small failures before they become serious. Done properly, it takes 15 to 30 minutes in a typical office. Print this page, work through the sections, and keep a dated record of what you find.

How to use this checklist

The responsible person for fire safety can carry out the monthly check, or delegate it to someone competent. That person should know the building, understand the fire plan, and have the authority to get small issues fixed. If you are the delegated checker, make sure you know who to report to and what counts as urgent.

Walk the building in the same order every month. Start at the furthest point from the main exit and work your way out. Carry a torch, a notepad, and your previous checklist. Look, touch, and test only what is safe to test. Do not open electrical fittings, force fire doors, or interfere with alarm systems unless you are trained to do so.

Record every issue, even if you fix it on the spot. A dated note that says “corridor cleared and boxes removed” is useful evidence. If something cannot be fixed immediately, write down who is responsible and the deadline. Review those actions at the start of next month’s check.

Fire safety is not a one-off task. It is a habit built from small, repeated checks.

Before you start

Ask one simple question before you begin: if the alarm sounded now, could everyone get out safely and quickly? Keep that question in mind as you walk. A route that looks fine in daylight can become confusing in smoke, darkness, or panic. Your job is to spot anything that would slow people down or block them completely.

• Have last month’s actions been completed?
• Has the office changed since last month? New desks, new staff, new storage, building work?
• Are keys available for any locked fire exits or cupboards that need checking?
• Is anyone on site who might need extra help to evacuate?

1. Escape routes and corridors

Escape routes are the most important part of the check because they are used by everyone. They should be clear, wide enough for the number of people using them, and free from anything that could trip, burn, or block.

• Are corridors, stairways, and landings clear of boxes, bins, chairs, cables, and deliveries?
• Do doors on escape routes open easily without a key, code, or special knowledge?
• Are final exit doors unobstructed inside and outside?
• Are outside routes to the assembly point clear of vehicles, skips, or overgrown plants?
• Are handrails, steps, and floor surfaces in good condition?
• Are any trailing cables taped down or covered safely?

Example: a stack of paper boxes left in a corridor “just until the meeting finishes” can force people to turn back in smoke. Remove it immediately and speak to the team about why it matters.

2. Fire doors

Fire doors stop fire and smoke from spreading. They only work if they are closed, undamaged, and able to close themselves. A wedged fire door is one of the most common and most serious office faults.

• Are fire doors closed and free from wedges, kick-stops, or tied handles?
• Do self-closing doors close fully onto the latch from a small push?
• Are hinges, seals, vision panels, and handles intact?
• Are there large gaps around the door or damage to the frame?
• Are hold-open devices connected to the alarm system, where fitted?
• Are fire doors clearly labelled “Fire door – keep closed” where needed?

If a kitchen door is wedged open because the room gets hot, the answer is better ventilation or a changed routine, not a fire door held open. Fix the cause, not the symptom.

3. Fire extinguishers, alarms, and call points

Extinguishers are for small, early fires and trained staff. They still need to be in the right place and ready to use. Alarms and call points need to be visible and unobstructed.

• Are extinguishers mounted correctly, visible, and easy to reach?
• Is the pressure gauge in the green area?
• Are the pin and tamper seal intact?
• Is there any corrosion, dents, or damage?
• Are service tags in date? Remember: monthly checks are visual, annual servicing is by a competent person.
• Are alarm call points clear of coats, plants, furniture, and displays?
• Are smoke and heat detectors clean, undamaged, and not painted over?
• Do staff know what the alarm sounds like and what to do when it sounds?

If an extinguisher gauge is in the red, do not rely on it. Report it and arrange

Photo: RyanMcGuire / Pixabay