Usually both, and they are not interchangeable. Having one and assuming it covers the other is the most common compliance gap we see.
| Fire risk assessment | DSEAR assessment | |
|---|---|---|
| Made under | Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 | Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 |
| Who needs one | Essentially every non-domestic premises | Anyone whose work involves a dangerous substance |
| Main question | Can everyone get out safely, and will they know to? | Can an explosive atmosphere form, and what would ignite it? |
| Typical content | Escape routes, detection, fire doors, signage, evacuation | Substances, zoning, ignition sources, equipment, emergency arrangements |
| Enforced by | Fire and rescue authority | HSE or local authority |
| Output your contractor uses | Action plan and evacuation arrangements | Zoning drawings and equipment schedule |
They overlap on ignition control, emergency arrangements and training. They conflict when two consultants write them separately. We have seen a fire assessment recommend a self-closing door onto a store where the DSEAR assessment relied on that opening for ventilation. Both documents were defensible on their own. Together they were nonsense.
That is the argument for having the same person walk the site for both, and it is why we offer them together.
Most sites that need DSEAR also need a fire risk assessment, and since 1 October 2023 the fire one must be recorded in full whatever the size of the business. Booking them together means one lot of travel and two reports that agree.
Fire risk assessments in Pembrokeshire are handled through our sister site: fireriskassessmentspembrokeshire.co.uk
They can be produced together and they should agree with each other, but they answer different questions and are enforced by different bodies. In practice you want two documents written by someone who has seen the whole site.
No. A fire risk assessment deals with means of escape, detection, spread and evacuation. It will not classify a hazardous area, assess an explosive atmosphere or tell your electrician what equipment is legal in your solvent store.
Almost everyone needs the fire risk assessment, because it applies to essentially all non-domestic premises. DSEAR is on top of that, and only if you hold dangerous substances. If you hold them, you need both.
Fire risk assessments are enforced by the fire and rescue authority. DSEAR is enforced by the HSE or the local authority. Two different inspectors, two different documents, and they do talk to each other.
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