Hybrid working fire risks: How to prepare my property for hybrid working environments
Hybrid working fire risks are changing how properties must be managed, and this guide shows what property managers, facilities teams and compliance officers need to do to reduce risk, meet legal duties and protect people. You will learn how to identify the specific fire hazards created by hybrid working, adapt your fire risk assessment and emergency plans, upgrade systems where needed, and apply practical policies and checks to keep a mixed home/office workforce safe.
Why hybrid working changes the fire-safety picture
Hybrid working alters occupancy patterns, electrical load and staff supervision. Fewer people on site at any one time can delay discovery of a fire. Alternatively, hot-desking and increased movement of laptops, chargers and personal devices raise the number of portable electrical items in use. These factors change both the likelihood that a fire will start and the speed at which it is detected and responded to.
Legal duty: Employers and responsible persons must treat hybrid arrangements as a change in the use of premises that requires review of existing fire safety measures. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order requires the responsible person to assess fire risk for relevant people and keep precautions appropriate to how the premises are used. See gov.uk for guidance.
Assessing hybrid working fire risks
Start by updating your fire risk assessment to reflect hybrid patterns. Identify who is on site on which days and where they tend to work. Consider the specific hazards outlined below and record significant findings to demonstrate due diligence.
Increased portable electrical equipment: Laptops, chargers, docking stations and USB accessories are used more widely and moved between locations.
Temporary personal storage and belongings: Personal items stored near escape routes or heat sources create obstructions and additional fuel load.
Hot-desking wear and tear: Increased movement of leads and sockets raises the risk of damaged cables and overloaded sockets.
Reduced staff numbers and lone working: Fewer people on site may delay detection, and lone workers increase evacuation and assistance challenges.
You should also review the frequency and types of activities undertaken on site. Occasional maintenance work or use of personal appliances may introduce ignition sources not present under a fixed-occupancy model.
Record the significant findings of your assessment. From 1 October 2023, changes introduced by the Building Safety Act mean that non-domestic premises should maintain written records of fire risk assessments and ongoing safety arrangements; keeping clear documentation will aid compliance and enforcement readiness. See cheshirefire.gov.uk for more information.
Practical measures to reduce ignition sources
Reduce the number of potential ignition sources through clear policies and engineering controls. The measures below lower the chance of accidental ignition and make evacuation routes more reliable.
Specify permitted equipment: Issue company-approved laptops and chargers where possible, and prohibit high-risk domestic appliances in work areas.
PAT testing and guidance: Require PAT testing for employer-provided portable electrical equipment on a programme that reflects hybrid use. Provide guidance for staff who bring personal devices.
Remove clutter: Keep corridors, stairwells and areas near fire doors clear of personal storage and bulky items; provide secure lockers instead.
Socket and charging management: Fit socket surge protection in shared areas and consider dedicated charging stations sited away from escape routes.
Fire detection and alarm considerations for hybrid use
Hybrid working can mean periods when fewer occupants are available to notice smoke or flames. Ensure detection and alarm systems match the building’s current use and occupancy rhythms.
Detector siting: Check detectors are sited to provide early warning to anyone working remotely or alone on site.
Interconnection and monitoring: Review interconnection and remote signalling. If appropriate, have alarm systems linked to a monitoring service or mobile alerts so off-site teams or duty managers receive instant notification.
Servicing and tests: Maintain regular servicing and weekly tests of alarm call points and detectors in line with recognised British Standards. For guidance on detection and alarm codes of practice, see knowledge.bsigroup.com.
If your premises now hosts more ad hoc or lone working, a monitored alarm can significantly reduce response times. Consider upgrading as part of a wider compliance plan.
Evacuation plans, drills and lone-worker arrangements
An evacuation strategy must match how people actually use the building. Hybrid patterns mean the people present at any time may vary and include lone workers.
Update plans and responsibilities: Update evacuation plans to identify who is likely to be on site at different times and assign clear responsibilities to named staff or duty managers during each shift or working period.
Make routes obvious: Ensure escape routes are obvious to infrequent users. Provide signage and brief induction notes to visitors and agile workers.
Drills for low-occupancy scenarios: Conduct regular evacuation drills that include scenarios with low occupancy and lone workers so procedures work even when numbers are reduced.
Manage lone-worker risk: Use check-in arrangements and escalation procedures. The HSE confirms employers retain the same legal duties for homeworkers and lone workers, so on-site lone working must be risk assessed and controlled. See hse.gov.uk for HSE guidance.
Where staff move frequently between home and office, make sure they receive consistent advice on both domestic and workplace precautions.
Fire-fighting equipment and passive protection
Portable fire-fighting equipment and passive systems such as fire doors remain critical even with hybrid use.
Extinguishers: Ensure the right type and number of extinguishers are available where hybrid staff commonly work and maintain them to British Standard intervals.
Fire doors and compartmentation: Inspect and service fire doors, seals and compartmentation to prevent rapid fire spread during periods of low occupancy. Fire doors should not be propped open; consider automatic hold-open devices tied to the fire alarm where free movement is necessary.
Emergency lighting: Check emergency lighting and signage for areas that may have intermittent use at early mornings or evenings so lighting remains functional when people could be present off-peak.
Total Safe provides services to help maintain these systems and carry out remedial works when your assessment shows a gap in provision. For example, their engineers can audit equipment, complete repairs and supply maintenance plans tailored to hybrid premises. See Total Safe fire safety services and more at totalsafeuk.com.
Policy, training and staff communication
Policies must make hybrid responsibilities clear. Staff need simple, practical guidance they can follow whether working from a desk, a meeting room or remotely.
Written hybrid-working fire-safety policy: Set out expectations in a written policy that includes permitted electrical equipment, storage rules and hot-desk booking procedures.
Focused training: Offer short, focused training for all staff covering evacuation routes, how to raise an alarm and the location of fire-fighting equipment. Repeat training for occasional on-site staff.
Checklists for lone workers and hot-deskers: Provide checklists emphasising pre-departure checks: equipment switched off, chargers unplugged and no obstructions in routes.
Inductions for contractors and visitors: Keep induction materials that reflect hybrid occupancy so transient users know how to act in an emergency.
If you want an expert to help translate legal obligations into pragmatic policies, About Total Safe can advise on policy development and staff training tailored to hybrid patterns. See totalsafeuk.com.
Records, inspections and continuous review
Document what you do and review it regularly. Good record-keeping demonstrates that you have considered hybrid working and taken reasonable steps.
Keep records: Maintain the fire risk assessment, maintenance records, training logs and drill outcomes in a secure, accessible format.
Increase inspection frequency if needed: Schedule inspections more frequently if hybrid use increases wear on equipment or if staff report issues.
Use data to verify assumptions: Use building management systems, booking systems and occupancy sensors to verify assumptions in your risk assessment and adjust provisions where evidence shows different patterns of use.
Keeping records not only helps with compliance; it also helps you spot trends before they become serious risks. For guidance see cheshirefire.gov.uk.
When to involve external specialists
Bring in external expertise when your assessment identifies gaps beyond your team’s capability or where remedial work is needed.
Use accredited contractors: For alarm upgrades, emergency lighting installations and fire door repairs, use competent installers and follow British Standards. See knowledge.bsigroup.com.
Professional fire risk assessor: Consider a specialist for complex or multi-occupied buildings, or where hybrid working intersects with residential accommodation or high-fire-risk activities.
Alarm monitoring advice: Seek advice on monitored alarm options and third-party alarm receiving centre connections where reduced occupancy increases response-time risks.
A specialist can provide an independent view and practical recommendations that fit hybrid operating models.
Summary and next steps
Hybrid working creates distinct fire-safety challenges through changed occupancy, more portable electrical devices and increased lone working. Treat hybrid working as a change in how premises are used and revise your fire risk assessment, emergency plans and maintenance regime accordingly.
Immediate next steps
Update your fire risk assessment to include hybrid occupancy patterns. See gov.uk.
Targeted inspections of portable electrical equipment and communal sockets.
Review alarm monitoring and lone-worker arrangements to ensure rapid detection and response. See hse.gov.uk.
Contact a competent fire safety provider for a site audit if you need help with surveys, maintenance or training. See Total Safe fire safety services and totalsafeuk.com.
For detailed legal guidance on the Fire Safety Order and duties of the responsible person, refer to government guidance on fire risk assessment at gov.uk.
FAQ
Q: Do I need a separate fire risk assessment for hybrid working?
A: Not necessarily. You should update your existing fire risk assessment to reflect hybrid working patterns and record the significant findings. If changes are complex, a separate review or specialist assessor may be helpful. Guidance is available at gov.uk.
Q: Who is responsible if an employee working from home has a fire?
A: Employers retain health and safety duties for homeworkers so far as is reasonably practicable. Employers should provide information, training and controls; employees must follow instructions and report hazards. For lone or hybrid workers, include appropriate arrangements in your risk assessments. See hse.gov.uk.
Q: Should I upgrade alarm systems because of hybrid working?
A: Consider upgrades if reduced occupancy could delay detection. Monitored alarms or remote alerting for duty managers improve response times and are good practice where few people are present. See guidance at knowledge.bsigroup.com.
Q: How often should portable equipment be PAT tested for hybrid offices?
A: PAT frequency should reflect risk. Employer-provided equipment and shared chargers should be tested on a programme proportionate to use and wear; record all tests and remedial actions.
Q: Where can I get help implementing these changes?
A: Use an accredited fire safety contractor for surveys, remedial works and training. For an initial site audit and maintenance options, speak to a qualified provider such as About Total Safe. See totalsafeuk.com for contact and services.
