Places of worship are often used by large numbers of people for different activities throughout the day. Many are historic buildings and may contain valuable or irreplaceable items.
It’s important that you understand the fire risks in your building and take steps to reduce them.
Fire risk assessment
If you’re responsible for a place of worship, you must make sure a fire risk assessment has been completed by a competent person.
A fire risk assessment identifies the risks and hazards in a building, and the measures needed to keep people safe. You must record the findings of the assessment and review it regularly.
Read more about fire risk assessments.
Fire detection and warning systems
Fire detection systems help identify a fire early and give people time to evacuate safely.
You should:
- install a suitable fire alarm system that complies with BS 5839-1
- have the system inspected, tested and maintained regularly by a competent person
- provide fire detection in all areas where a fire could start, including storerooms and roof spaces
- consider specialist detection systems, such as aspirating or beam detection, for large spaces or buildings with high ceilings
- make sure everyone in the building can hear or see the alarm
- connect the system to an alarm receiving centre where possible
Means of escape
You must make sure people can leave the building safely if there is a fire.
You should:
- have a clear emergency evacuation plan
- keep escape routes and exits clear at all times
- make sure exit doors open in the direction of travel where possible
- plan how disabled people and other vulnerable people will be assisted
- use stewards or volunteers to help manage larger gatherings where needed
- carry out regular evacuation drills
Fire doors and preventing fire spread
Fire doors help prevent the spread of fire and smoke.
You should:
- keep fire doors in good condition
- make sure they fit correctly and are maintained regularly
- not wedge fire doors open unless approved hold-open devices are fitted
- ensure historic doors are solid, well maintained and fit their frames properly where modern fire doors cannot be installed
Historic buildings and buildings that have been altered over time may contain hidden voids. These spaces can allow fire to spread unnoticed.
Consider a compartmentation survey to identify hidden voids and any improvement work needed.
Firefighting equipment
Provide firefighting equipment as identified in your fire risk assessment.
You should:
- make sure extinguishers are serviced and maintained correctly
- store equipment in suitable locations
- consider using water and carbon dioxide (CO₂) extinguishers where appropriate, as they can handle most fire risks while reducing accidental damage to historic buildings
- make sure only trained staff or volunteers use firefighting equipment
Protecting historic and valuable items
If your building contains historic or important items, include arrangements to protect them in your emergency planning.
You should:
- develop a salvage plan
- identify priority items and how they can be protected
- create grab sheets for important artefacts
- consider fire-resistant storage where appropriate
Grab sheets should include:
- details of the item
- the order in which items should be recovered
- instructions for handling them safely
- the safest access and exit routes
You can find additional guidance in Historic England's Fire Safety for Traditional Church Buildings booklet.
You can also find guidance on producing grab sheets and protecting heritage buildings from fire on our Fire safety in heritage and historical buildings webpage.
Do not attempt to rescue items during a fire. Always follow your evacuation plan and call 999.
Training
Staff and volunteers should receive regular fire safety training.
They should know:
- what to do if a fire starts
- how to raise the alarm
- the location of escape routes and assembly points
- how to call the fire and rescue service
Reducing fire risk
Smoking and vaping
You should:
- not allow smoking on site
- manage the risks associated with vapes and batteries, including safe charging, storage and disposal
Candles and open flames
If candles or similar items are used, you should:
- place them in stable, heat-resistant holders
- keep them away from flammable materials
- never leave them unattended
- extinguish them before leaving the building
Electrical safety
You should:
- inspect, test and maintain electrical systems regularly
- avoid overloading sockets
- avoid plugging extension leads into other extension leads
- make sure electrical equipment meets relevant British Standards
- not leave equipment charging unattended or overnight
- carry out Electrical Equipment Testing (EET), previously known as portable appliance testing (PAT), where appropriate
Kitchens and cooking
You should:
- take care when cooking
- never leave cooking unattended
- keep appliances clean and well maintained
Find out more on our cooking safety page.
Contractors and building work
Before any work starts, you should:
- get a risk assessment and method statement (RAMS) from contractors
- monitor any impact on fire safety systems
- make sure fire safety measures are reinstated when work is complete
Arson prevention
You should:
- keep the building secure when it’s not in use
- use security lighting, alarms or CCTV where appropriate
- store waste away from the building
- remove waste regularly
- report suspicious activity to the police
- keep up-to-date key holder contact details available
Closing down the building
Before leaving the building, make sure you:
- extinguish all candles and other open flames
- switch off electrical equipment and appliances that are not needed
- stop any devices from charging
- close internal doors
- lock and secure the building