Safety · Free template
Fire safety inspection checklist
A fire safety round is valuable because it happens the same way every time. A thorough but improvised walk-through is worth less than a modest checklist completed identically each period, because only the second demonstrates that a routine was followed.
This is general guidance for a routine visual inspection. It does not replace a fire risk assessment, statutory inspection or testing carried out by a competent person, and the applicable requirements depend on your building, its use and your jurisdiction.
45 check items · 7 sections
How to use this checklist
- 01
Fix the interval and keep it
Regularity is what a routine demonstrates. Record the date and time each round was actually performed, not only that it was completed.
- 02
Follow the same route every time
Walk the building in a consistent order so results are comparable between rounds and between people.
- 03
Record every check, not only failures
A round that only lists problems cannot be distinguished from a round that was not completed.
- 04
Photograph obstructions and defects
An obstructed escape route is far more persuasive as a dated photograph than as a line of text.
- 05
Raise and track actions
Record what was raised, to whom, and when it was resolved. Keep the finding separate from its remedy.
The checklist
Round details
- Building and area covered
- Date and time the round was performed
- Name of the person carrying out the round
- Previous round's outstanding actions reviewed
Detection and alarm
- Smoke and heat detectors present in expected locations
- Detectors unobstructed and undamaged
- Alarm panel showing normal status, no faults displayed
- Call points visible, accessible and unobstructed
- Weekly test carried out and recorded where applicable
- Any device isolated or disabled, with reason recorded
Escape routes
- Escape routes clear of storage and obstruction
- Final exit doors open freely from the inside
- External escape routes clear to a place of safety
- Stairways clear, handrails secure
- Escape route lighting operating
- Emergency lighting present and functioning where applicable
- Exit signage visible from all points along the route
- No combustible storage in escape corridors or under stairs
Fire doors
- Fire doors closing fully onto the latch
- Self-closers operating correctly
- Intumescent strips and smoke seals present and intact
- Gaps around the door within acceptable tolerance
- No damage to the door leaf or frame
- Doors not wedged, propped or held open without an approved device
- Hold-open devices release on alarm activation where fitted
- Signage present on both faces where required
Firefighting equipment
- Extinguishers present in expected locations
- Extinguishers accessible and unobstructed
- Pressure gauge in the operating range where fitted
- Seals and pins intact
- Service label present and in date
- Fire blankets present and accessible where expected
- Hose reels and risers accessible where present
Housekeeping and ignition sources
- Waste and combustible material not accumulating
- Bin stores away from the building where practicable
- Electrical equipment condition: no damaged cables or overloaded sockets
- Portable heaters, if used, clear of combustibles
- Flammable materials stored appropriately
- Contractor works or hot works permits in place where applicable
Information and actions
- Fire action notices displayed and legible
- Assembly point signage present and correct
- Fire safety information available to occupants
- Defects and obstructions recorded with photographs
- Actions raised, with owner and target date
- Signature and date
Practical notes
This checklist supports a routine visual round. Statutory testing, servicing and fire risk assessment must be carried out by a competent person under the requirements applicable to your building and jurisdiction.
Where a check cannot be completed — an area was inaccessible, a device was isolated — record that fact and the reason. An unexplained gap is read as an omission.
Obstructed escape routes are the most commonly recurring finding and the most consequential. Photograph them every time; a pattern across rounds is evidence of a systemic problem rather than a one-off.
Common questions
- How often should a fire safety round be carried out?
- The interval is determined by the building, its use and the applicable regulatory regime rather than by any checklist. What matters for the record is that the chosen interval is kept consistently and that the actual date of each round is recorded.
- Does this replace a fire risk assessment?
- No. This is general guidance for a routine visual inspection. A fire risk assessment, statutory testing and servicing must be carried out by a competent person under the requirements that apply to your building.
- Should a round record checks that passed?
- Yes. A round listing only problems cannot be distinguished from a round that was never completed. Recording the passes is what demonstrates that the routine operated.
Further reading
- What turns inspection data into evidenceAttachment, provenance and consistency are what separate a defensible record from a folder of images.
- Running one inspection standard across many sitesThe difficulty in multi-site work is not volume. It is keeping the standard identical when nobody can supervise it directly.
- How to measure inspection quality across a portfolioA practical measurement framework for completeness, consistency, timeliness and follow-up.
