Workplace fires: The three sectors carrying most of the UK incident burden

Workplace fires concentrated in industrial, food and retail premises

System Building Services has analysed ten years of Home Office data and found that industrial premises, food and drink venues and retail buildings together account for more than 60% of workplace fires in the UK.

The company examined incident statistics for non-residential buildings between 2015/16 and 2024/25 using the Home Office FIRE0301 and FIRE0602 datasets.

Its analysis covers all recorded workplace fire incidents in non-residential buildings, including fatalities and non-fatal casualties, to map fire risk patterns in commercial settings.

Industrial premises recorded 1,656 fires in 2024/25, which System Building Services calculates as 24.85% of all workplace fires in that year.

Food and drink premises saw 1,275 fires, or 19.13% of the total, while retail premises recorded 1,177 fires, equivalent to 17.66%.

Combined, these three workplace types account for more than 60% of all 6,665 workplace fires recorded in 2024/25.

System Building Services links the higher industrial risk to flammable materials, high-temperature processes, heavy machinery and complex electrical systems operating under sustained load.

It notes that food and drink venues and retail premises couple public access with long operating hours, and in the case of hospitality, routine use of cooking and heating appliances.

Brian Michie, Managing Director at System Building Services, said: “Industrial environments carry inherent fire risks due to the nature of operations, but what many business owners overlook is how multiple risk factors can compound.

“A facility might have adequate fire doors, but if electrical systems aren’t regularly inspected or flammable materials aren’t properly stored, you’re still vulnerable.”

Hospitality settings such as hotels, boarding houses and hostels recorded 505 fires, equal to 7.58% of workplace incidents in 2024/25.

Entertainment, culture and sport venues saw 445 fires, or 6.68% of the total, while hospitals and medical care facilities recorded 433 fires, representing 6.50%.

Education premises accounted for 417 fires, or 6.26%, agricultural premises recorded 409 fires, or 6.14%, and offices and call centres saw 348 fires, equal to 5.22% of workplace incidents.

Electrical faults and smoking materials among leading causes

System Building Services reports that almost half of all workplace fires in the Home Office dataset – 49.89% – are recorded under unspecified or other causes.

Within the remaining category data, electrical distribution faults form the largest identifiable cause, with 2,126 fires, or 18.04% of workplace incidents.

These electrical distribution fires involve equipment such as fuse boxes, circuit breakers, wiring systems and distribution boards, often starting within walls or ceiling voids before detection.

Smoking-related materials form the next largest cause, with 1,505 fires, representing 12.77% of the total despite smoking bans in enclosed workplaces.

System Building Services notes that these incidents frequently occur in smoking shelters where cigarettes are not fully extinguished or in outdoor areas where embers reach combustible items.

Other domestic-style appliances are linked to 776 fires, or 6.58%, while space heating appliances are recorded as the cause in 433 fires, or 3.67%.

Matches and candles account for 366 fires, or 3.11%, showing that open flames remain a cause in workplaces during activities such as maintenance, religious observance or power outages.

Electric lighting is recorded as the cause in 362 fires, or 3.07%, often due to overheating luminaires, damaged wiring or lights installed close to combustible materials.

Blowlamps, welding and cutting equipment are linked to 182 fires, or 1.54%, mainly in industrial and construction environments carrying out hot work.

Cooking appliances are recorded as the cause in 108 fires, or 0.92%, while office equipment appears in 48 incidents, or 0.41% of workplace fires.

Michie said: “The electrical distribution figure is telling because these fires are largely preventable through regular inspection and maintenance.

“Businesses often focus on visible fire safety measures like extinguishers and alarms, but the hidden infrastructure poses just as much risk.”

Workplace fire trends from 2015 to 2025

System Building Services calculates that total workplace fires in non-residential buildings have fallen 29% over the ten-year period from 2015/16 to 2024/25.

The analysis shows that recorded workplace fires reduced from 9,347 in 2015/16 to 6,665 in 2024/25.

Between 2015/16 and 2019/20, yearly workplace fire totals fell steadily, with annual reductions ranging between 2.19% and 5.68%.

System Building Services notes that this pattern points to improved fire safety awareness and greater compliance with regulatory duties across many workplaces.

The sharpest drop occurred in 2020/21, when workplace fires fell 24.58% year-on-year to 6,134 incidents during the pandemic period.

Following the easing of restrictions, workplace fires rose 19.74% in 2021/22 to 7,345 incidents, though still below pre-pandemic levels.

The downward trend then resumed, with total workplace fires reducing by 5.46% in 2023/24 and by a further 5.23% in 2024/25.

Michie said: “The sustained reduction is positive, but we’re still seeing over 6,500 workplace fires annually.

“Each incident represents potential danger to employees and serious disruption to business operations.”

Wider non-residential fire picture and fatalities

The System Building Services analysis also examines fires across all non-residential buildings, including workplaces, communal housing and public-use buildings.

It finds that total non-residential fires decreased from 16,025 incidents in 2015/16 to 13,172 incidents in 2024/25, an 18% reduction over the ten-year period.

In the pre-pandemic years between 2015/16 and 2019/20, non-residential fires fell from 16,025 to 14,331, with year-on-year totals moving downward.

During 2020/21, the number of non-residential building fires dropped to 11,924, a reduction of 17% and the lowest level in the decade.

Unlike the specific workplace fire trend, non-residential building fires then increased for two successive years, reaching 12,952 in 2021/22 and 13,576 in 2022/23.

Figures then declined modestly to 13,297 in 2023/24 and 13,172 in 2024/25.

Fatalities in non-residential building fires varied between 11 and 23 deaths per year over the ten-year period.

The highest level occurred in 2015/16, with 23 deaths, while 2021/22 recorded the lowest level, with 11 deaths.

There were 12 fatalities recorded in non-residential building fires in 2024/25.

Michie noted: “The relatively stable fatality rate despite thousands of fires suggests detection and evacuation systems are effective when properly maintained.”

Financial and legal impact of workplace fires

System Building Services highlights that the costs of workplace fires extend beyond the initial damage to buildings and equipment.

It explains that businesses face direct expenses such as repairs, replacement of equipment and higher insurance premiums after a fire.

Indirect costs can include lost revenue during closures, failure to deliver contracts and customers moving to other suppliers.

The company notes that many businesses face long periods of interruption after an incident, ranging from months to several years depending on the damage caused.

Some businesses never reopen after a serious fire, especially where there is limited insurance coverage or few financial reserves.

Michie said: “A lot of business owners underestimate the full cost of a fire.

“Even a relatively minor incident can shut down operations for weeks while repairs are completed and safety inspections are carried out.

“For businesses operating on tight margins, that interruption alone can be fatal.”

System Building Services also draws attention to the legal duties set out in the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety Order) 2005.

Under this framework, responsible persons must undertake regular fire risk assessments, implement appropriate fire safety measures, maintain fire safety equipment and provide staff training.

Breaches can lead to prosecution, with penalties including unlimited fines and up to two years’ imprisonment for serious offences.

Following a workplace fire, fire and rescue services typically investigate the incident and may identify failings in fire safety management.

System Building Services notes that where failings contribute to injuries or fatalities, responsible persons may face criminal charges.

It adds that insurance claims may be refused or reduced if proper fire safety measures were not in place when the fire occurred.

Michie commented: “The legal consequences can be severe, but more importantly, proper fire safety measures save lives.

“No business owner wants to face prosecution, but they should be even more concerned about protecting their employees and customers from harm.”

Practical steps businesses can take to reduce workplace fires

System Building Services uses the analysis to underline the role of day-to-day fire safety management on sites with elevated risk.

It stresses the importance of programmed inspection regimes that reach beyond obvious fire safety features such as extinguishers, alarms and fire doors.

The company advises closer focus on electrical infrastructure, storage of combustible materials and housekeeping in plant rooms, storage spaces and voids.

Michie said: “Businesses can identify hidden fire risks by conducting thorough inspections beyond the obvious.

“Check electrical systems regularly, particularly in older buildings where wiring may be deteriorating.

“Look for overloaded sockets, frayed cables, and equipment that feels warm to the touch when not in use.

“Pay attention to areas where combustible materials are stored.

“Are they kept away from heat sources?

“Are escape routes clear?

“Fires often start in overlooked spaces like storage rooms, plant rooms, or roof voids where maintenance work has been carried out but debris hasn’t been cleared.

“Don’t rely solely on annual inspections.

“Train staff to spot potential hazards during their daily routines.

“Someone working in a space every day will notice changes that an annual inspector might miss.

“Regular maintenance, proper housekeeping, and a culture where employees feel empowered to report concerns can prevent most workplace fires before they start.”

How UK workplace fire data can inform risk management

System Building Services’ analysis of Home Office data offers quantifiable evidence about where workplace fire risk is concentrated across UK business sectors.

Fire safety officers can use the sector breakdowns and cause data to prioritise inspections in industrial premises, food and drink venues and retail buildings.

Risk assessors can integrate the electrical distribution and smoking-related incident figures into assessments of older sites and premises with high electrical loads or external smoking shelters.

Facility managers in hospitals, education premises, agricultural buildings and offices can benchmark their fire incident exposure against national figures for similar property types.

Electrical contractors and fire-protection contractors can draw on the cause data to support maintenance schedules for distribution boards, fixed wiring and space heating equipment.

Fire and rescue chiefs and senior officers can reference the ten-year trends in workplace and non-residential fires when planning prevention campaigns and business engagement programmes.

Architects and building services engineers involved in new or refurbished industrial and hospitality facilities can consider the incident data when specifying passive fire protection and electrical infrastructure.