Updated: The deadline to fill out the survey has been extended to 1 September 2023.

The Home Office is embarking on a significant effort to better understand the current landscape of fire safety professionals in England.

Through the launch of two extensive surveys, they are reaching out to Fire Risk Assessors (FRAs) and Responsible Persons (RPs) in order to collect valuable data on their experiences and expertise.

Updated: The surveys will take take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete and will remain open until 23:59 1 September 2023.

Understanding Fire Risk Assessors

The Home Office’s first survey is directed towards those individuals conducting fire risk assessments.

It aims to shed light on their career paths, training, and the nature of the buildings they evaluate.

With the Fire Safety Act 2021, the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, and the Building Safety Act 2022 introducing major changes to the sector, understanding capacity and capability has never been more important.

The responses to this survey will be utilised to shape policy development by UK and devolved governments.

The Home Office encourages all those who conduct fire risk assessments to take part. The more responses they receive, the clearer the picture of the fire risk assessment workforce becomes.

If you are a Fire Risk Assessor, you can complete the survey here.

Responsible Persons in focus

The second survey targets Responsible Persons, aiming to better comprehend how recent fire safety legislation changes have affected them.

If you are a Responsible Person or if you know of any, sharing their experiences with current and future fire safety legislation changes will be highly beneficial.

The information from this survey will also be used to guide policy development in the UK.

To participate in this survey, click here.

The Home Office noted that participation in these surveys is completely voluntary. Confidentiality is ensured as no individual or organisation will be identified in any reporting.

IFSJ Comment

The launch of these surveys demonstrates a proactive approach by the Home Office in understanding and potentially improving fire safety practices.

By gathering direct input from those on the frontlines, there’s the potential to influence legislation and policies in a way that truly reflects their experiences and challenges.