Office environments are often perceived as lower risk than construction sites or industrial premises. In terms of obvious physical hazards, that is broadly true. But office-based businesses in London still carry real legal obligations around fire safety and health and safety, and those obligations apply from day one, regardless of the size of the business or the number of people on site.
Mast Safety recently completed both a Fire Risk Assessment and a full Health & Safety Assessment for ORLEN LNG Trading Limited at their London office in Westminster, a single-floor workspace accommodating 28 staff. The work is part of a growing programme of office-based compliance support that Mast Safety is delivering across London, as more businesses recognise that their H&S duties do not look after themselves.
What the Law Requires for Office Premises
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, any premises where people work must have a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment in place. That requirement applies to a single-room office just as it does to a multi-storey commercial building, and the Responsible Person (typically the employer, building owner or managing agent) carries the legal duty to ensure it is carried out and kept up to date.
Separately, under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, employers must assess the risks their employees face at work and put controls in place to manage those risks. For an office, that covers a range of areas that are easy to overlook: display screen equipment, manual handling, fire escape procedures, first aid provision, stress and wellbeing, and the general condition of the working environment.
Many office-based businesses operate without a formal health and safety structure in place, often because nobody has flagged it as a priority. The practical reality is that a visit from an enforcement authority, an incident involving a member of staff, or a query from a client requiring evidence of compliance can each expose that gap quickly.
What a Combined Office Assessment Covers
Carrying out a Fire Risk Assessment and a Health & Safety Assessment together, as Mast Safety did for ORLEN LNG Trading, is an efficient way for office-based businesses to establish a clear picture of their compliance position in a single visit.
The Fire Risk Assessment covers the identification of ignition sources and combustible materials, the adequacy of fire detection and warning systems, the condition and operation of fire doors, the suitability of escape routes, firefighting equipment provision, and whether the Responsible Person’s management arrangements are in place. The written report produced at the end of the assessment sets out any findings, prioritised by risk, and confirms when the assessment should next be reviewed.
The Health & Safety Assessment covers the broader legal framework for the workplace: whether a suitable health and safety policy is in place, whether risk assessments have been carried out for relevant activities, whether display screen equipment users have had appropriate assessments, whether first aid provision is adequate, and whether employees have received basic health and safety information and induction.
For a business of 28 people occupying a single office floor, both assessments can typically be completed in a single visit, with a clear written output for each. That gives the Responsible Person a documented starting point and a prioritised action list, rather than a vague sense that something probably needs doing.
Office Health & Safety in London: Who Needs This?
The short answer is any employer with staff working in a London office. But in practice, the businesses that most commonly find themselves without adequate compliance documentation fall into a few recognisable categories.
Growing SMEs that have moved into their first proper office space often bring the informal approach of an earlier stage with them. Compliance obligations are real from the first employee, but the structures to address them tend to lag behind.
Businesses in managed or serviced office buildings sometimes assume that the building management company handles fire safety and H&S. In most cases, the building manager is responsible for common areas, and individual tenants carry their own obligations for their occupied space.
Professional services firms, trading businesses and financial sector tenants frequently have detailed compliance frameworks in other areas of their operation but find that workplace health and safety has been deprioritised. A formal H&S review often reveals that the basics are missing despite the business being otherwise well-run.
If your organisation occupies an office in London and you are not confident that a current fire risk assessment and a basic H&S framework are in place, it is worth establishing what you actually have before someone else asks the question.
Ongoing Support for Office-Based Businesses
A one-off assessment establishes your position. But compliance is not a one-time event. Fire risk assessments need to be reviewed when significant changes occur (a change of use, a significant refurbishment, an increase in the number of people on the premises, or simply the passage of time). Health and safety arrangements need to be revisited as the business grows, as new activities are introduced, and as legislation or guidance changes.
For businesses that want a more structured approach, ongoing Health & Safety Consultancy support provides a straightforward way to keep compliance current without it becoming a recurring management burden. A retained consultancy arrangement gives you access to practical advice when it is needed, regular review of your H&S documentation, and the confidence that your obligations are being actively managed rather than left to chance.
Fire Risk Assessment and H&S Support from Mast Safety
Mast Safety provides Fire Risk Assessments and Health & Safety support for office-based businesses across London. Our approach is straightforward: we carry out a thorough assessment, produce a clear written report with prioritised actions, and remain available to answer questions and provide ongoing support as your business needs evolve.
If your London office needs a Fire Risk Assessment, a Health & Safety review, or both, contact Mast Safety to discuss your requirements.
