Review the assessment regularly and whenever material changes could affect fire risk. A planned review cycle can be sensible management practice, but it should not be mistaken for a universal legal expiry date.
When the law requires a review
The Fire Safety Order requires the Responsible Person to review the fire risk assessment if there is reason to suspect it is no longer valid or if there has been a significant change in the matters to which it relates.
Examples of significant change
Relevant triggers can include alterations to the layout, a change of use, substantial changes in occupancy, new processes or equipment, changes to escape routes, major refurbishment, changes to fire-safety systems or significant staffing changes that affect emergency arrangements.
Incidents and new information can also trigger review
A fire, serious near miss, enforcement action, new technical information or discovery of a material defect can all justify an earlier review. The point is not to wait for a calendar anniversary where circumstances have already changed.
Planned review intervals are still useful
Many organisations set a periodic review date so the assessment is revisited even where no obvious change has occurred. That can be good governance, particularly for portfolios, but the appropriate interval should reflect the premises and risk rather than being presented as a one-size-fits-all legal rule.
Keep the review record clear
Record when the assessment was reviewed, what information was considered, whether the findings remain valid and what changed. If a new assessment is commissioned, retain enough history to understand previous actions and confirm which matters have been resolved.