CareHomeDeskCareHomeDeskWhy annual is the minimum, what changes force an immediate review, and how to document both.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 does not specify a fixed review frequency -- it requires review when the assessment is no longer valid. In practice, for sleeping-risk premises such as care homes, the NFCC, HSE and Fire and Rescue Services consistently treat 12 months as the maximum interval between reviews. An FRA more than 12 months old without evidence of review is treated as out of date for enforcement purposes.
Between annual reviews, the following must trigger an immediate FRA review: any structural alteration to the building; change of use of a room; new resident with significantly different mobility or cognitive needs; change in overnight staffing levels that affects evacuation capacity; a fire, false alarm, or near-miss; any enforcement action or advisory from the Fire and Rescue Service; or new equipment installed that represents a potential ignition source.
A review is a structured examination of whether the original assessment remains valid. The reviewer must examine every significant finding from the original FRA, confirm whether physical changes have occurred, assess whether the current occupancy profile is still accurately described, and re-evaluate the control measures in place. If the review finds the FRA still valid, this conclusion must be recorded with a signature and date.
The review must be carried out by a competent person -- the same standard that applies to the original FRA. For most care homes, this means the original fire risk assessor or an equally qualified replacement. Whatever arrangement you use, document the reviewer's qualifications and the basis on which they are considered competent.
Keep every version of the FRA -- original plus all subsequent reviews -- in date order. Do not overwrite or delete previous versions. The history demonstrates ongoing management and shows what was known at any given point. Store the FRA where it can be accessed immediately during any inspection -- a CQC inspector or FRS officer may arrive unannounced and ask to see it.
CareHomeDesk gives you compliance checklists, maintenance logs, and contractor management tools built around exactly this kind of knowledge.