Fire Risk Assessment for Care Homes in Manchester

A fire risk assessment for a care home has to account for residents who may not be able to evacuate without help, the staffing patterns that protect them, and the building strategies that contain fire long enough for assistance to arrive. Hawkesworth assesses care homes across Manchester and the wider area, working around resident routines and shift handovers.

The 5 Steps of a Fire Risk Assessment for Care Homes 

A care home fire risk assessment follows the standard five-step framework: 

1. Identifying fire hazards across kitchen, laundry, bedrooms, lounges and storage 
2. Identifying people at risk, particularly residents with mobility, sensory or cognitive needs 
3. Evaluating, removing or reducing the risks through controls and safeguards 
4. Recording findings, informing staff and building fire safety into training 
5. Reviewing the assessment yearly and whenever something material changes 

You receive a written report with a prioritised action plan, named responsibilities and target completion dates.

PEEPs and Resident Evacuation Strategies 

Care homes rarely run on a “get everyone out the front door” evacuation. Most operate with progressive horizontal evacuation, moving residents into a different fire-protected compartment on the same floor while the brigade attends. That works only if compartmentation is intact, fire alarms and fire doors are working properly, and staff know exactly which residents need what level of help. A fire risk assessment will check all of that, alongside the Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans for individual residents.

Fire Risk Assessments and CQC Compliance 

Fire risk assessment is a legal requirement under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, with the duty sitting on the “responsible person”, usually the registered provider. The Care Quality Commission also checks fire safety arrangements as part of Regulation 12 on safe care and treatment, so your latest FRA, action-plan progress and staff training records form part of inspection evidence. 

How Often Should a Care Home Fire Risk Assessment Be Reviewed? 

Care home fire risk assessments should be reviewed once a year. They should also be reviewed sooner if there have been changes to the building’s layout, the resident population (for example, new admissions with significant mobility needs), staffing patterns or fire safety systems. Our reminder service tracks the review date and gets in touch before it falls due. 

What a Care Home Fire Risk Assessment Costs 

Care home FRA cost depends on the size of the home, the number of floors and residents, whether you run specialised areas such as a dementia unit, and how complex compartmentation is across the building. Care groups with multiple homes attract a per-site rate. Share your bed numbers and a rough layout when you request a quote, and we will work out a figure that fits. 

Fire Risk Assessments Across Manchester Care Homes 

Hawkesworth covers care homes across Greater Manchester, from purpose-built homes in Didsbury, Chorlton, Sale and Altrincham through to converted properties in Whalley Range, Prestwich, Stockport and Cheadle. Our Manchester fire safety assessors work alongside your registered manager and maintenance lead, scheduling visits around mealtimes, medication rounds and shift changeovers. Care groups operating multiple homes across the North West sit on a single programme under one account manager. 

Book a Fire Risk Assessment for Your Manchester Care Home 

Request a quote with your bed numbers, a rough floor count and your latest FRA if you have one. We will arrange a competent assessor to visit on a date that fits your home’s routine, with a written report and clear action plan delivered after the visit.