Fire Safety for London’s Electric Vehicle Charging Stations: Essential Compliance and Safety Strategies for 2025

Introduction

This guide focuses on fire safety for London’s electric vehicle charging stations. In the pages below you will learn what duty holders must do to manage risk, which standards and guidance to follow, and practical steps facilities teams and property managers should take in 2025. This article explains legal responsibilities, technical controls, inspection and maintenance regimes, and emergency planning tailored to London sites such as covered car parks, residential developments and commercial estates.

Why this matters in London now

London has seen rapid growth in EV infrastructure and in electric powered personal vehicles. Installing chargers without reviewing fire risk can expose people and buildings to rare but high-consequence events, including battery thermal runaway and prolonged fires that can reignite. Responsible persons must treat EV charging as a changing hazard and update fire risk assessments accordingly. See guidance from GOV.UK and the NFCC for detailed advice.

Practical actions now reduce long-term cost and liability. For example, covered car parks need bespoke controls because enclosed spaces can trap hot gases and toxic smoke. The GOV.UK covered-car-park guidance sets interim national measures to help managers plan and retrofit safely.

Legal duties and the role of the responsible person

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 places duties on the responsible person to carry out and review a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment, to implement proportionate fire safety measures, and to keep records where appropriate. In practice, that means EV charging installations must be considered in FRA updates, and mitigation recorded and acted on. Where new hazards are introduced, the FRA must be revised without delay. Guidance is available from Total Safe and GOV.UK.

Total Safe advises duty holders to commission a focused EV charging fire risk assessment as part of the wider FRA. Our technical teams can provide tailored surveys and documentation to satisfy regulators and insurers. For an explanation of what a compliant FRA looks like, see the Total Safe page on What is a Fire Risk Assessment (FRA)?

Standards and technical guidance to follow

Design and installation must follow the IET Code of Practice for Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Installation (5th edition) and BS 7671 (the IET Wiring Regulations). The IET code includes updated advice on location, earthing, testing and the relationship between chargers and building fire safety. Installers should also consider IET guidance and RiscAuthority RC59 and relevant local fire service guidance for enclosed car parks.

Beyond electrical standards, the National Fire Chiefs Council and London Fire Brigade publish Charge Safe resources and practical guidance notes (for example GN103) that explain storage, ventilation and access considerations for charging points and electric personal vehicles. Refer to the NFCC Charge Safe guidance and the London Fire Brigade guidance when planning charging rooms or communal charging areas.

Site design: reduce ignition and limit spread

Start with a layout that separates chargers from combustible materials and escape routes. Place chargepoints to avoid blocking hydrants, ramps or means of escape. Where possible, position chargers at ground level with direct firefighter access; if chargers are sited in basements or enclosed car parks, upgrade smoke control, ventilation and detection. See the GOV.UK covered-car-park guidance for special measures for enclosed structures.

Use non-combustible surfacing and physical protection such as bollards or segregation around high-power chargers. Fit lockable, clearly labelled isolators close to charging bays so that emergency services can de-energise equipment quickly if needed. Consider dedicated electrical containment to prevent fire spread through cable routes.

Electrical controls, monitoring and commissioning

Good electrical design prevents many risks. Always specify certified equipment and competent installers who follow BS 7671 and the IET Code of Practice. Require commissioning certificates, loop impedance and RCD test records, and documentation for any Load Management Systems. The IET guidance includes detailed testing and inspection requirements for EV installations.

Install dynamic load-balancing, Type B RCDs where recommended, and consider remote monitoring that raises early alerts for overheating or persistent faults. Thermal imaging surveys should be part of planned maintenance to spot hot joints and overloaded terminations before they fail. For larger sites, integrate charger telemetry into your building management or fault-reporting systems.

Operational controls and maintenance

Effective site controls combine training, documentation and scheduled inspection. Maintain an EV charging log that records installation dates, commissioning certificates, routine inspections, firmware updates and any defects. Total Safe recommends regular inspection intervals and can provide bespoke maintenance schedules. See the Total Safe EV charging safety guide.

Train facilities staff and fire marshals on EV-specific hazards, how to isolate chargers, and how to present accurate information to attending fire crews. Run regular drills and ensure emergency contacts and site plans with charger locations are available both digitally and in hard copy for emergency services.

Mitigating lithium battery fires: extinguishers and suppression

Lithium-ion battery fires behave differently from petrol or combustion-engine fires. They can burn intensely, produce toxic smoke and re-ignite after apparent extinguishment. Where local risk assessments justify it, provide suitable firefighting media such as water-mist extinguishers and specialised AVD-type agents designed for lithium battery incidents. Liaise with insurers and your local fire service to agree what equipment and crew response to expect. See GOV.UK recovery and fire guidance for further detail.

Remember: extinguishers aid evacuation and immediate containment; battery thermal runaway often requires large water quantities and specialist tactics from fire services.

Planning for emergencies and liaison with fire services

Share accurate site plans and risk-assessment summaries with the local fire and rescue service before full commissioning. That makes response faster and safer. For sites with clustered chargers or battery storage, agree stand-off distances and external segregation so that a single incident cannot cascade into a wider structural fire. NFCC and London guidance recommend clear labelling of isolators and accessible external power shut-offs for rapid de-energisation. Refer to NFCC Charge Safe and the London Fire Brigade.

Also, prepare an event-specific emergency plan detailing immediate isolation procedure, evacuation routes, assembly points, and a post-incident plan for contaminated run-off and specialist disposal. Keep contact details for charger manufacturers and qualified EV technicians to hand.

Insurance, product safety and procurement

Inform insurers when you install EV infrastructure and share your updated FRA and maintenance regime. Underwriters increasingly require active risk management for high-power chargers and on-site batteries. Buy chargers, batteries and accessories from reputable suppliers and insist on UKCA/CE marking and third-party certification. Check recalls and product safety notices regularly as advised by NFCC and DD Fire.

When procuring installations, use performance-based specifications that require evidence of installer competence, proof of insurance, and clear commissioning deliverables. Ask for factory test certificates and software/firmware maintenance commitments.

Practical checklist for 2025 compliance

Update your FRA: Update your fire risk assessment to include EV charging and battery storage and document changes. See Total Safe.

Standards: Use the IET Code of Practice and BS 7671 as technical references during design and installation. See IET guidance.

Isolators and signage: Install lockable isolators and clear signage for every charging bay.

Detection and ventilation: Provide appropriate detection and ventilation in enclosed charge areas. See GOV.UK.

Inspections: Schedule thermal-imaging and electrical inspections and log results.

Training: Train staff and fire marshals on EV-specific risks and isolation procedures. See Total Safe Fire Marshal Training.

Engage fire brigade: Share site plans and operational procedures with your local fire brigade. See London Fire Brigade guidance.

Conclusion and recommended next steps

Fire safety for London’s electric vehicle charging stations is achievable with careful planning, competent installation, and disciplined maintenance. Start by updating your fire risk assessment, then follow recognised technical standards and local guidance. Liaise with emergency services early and put operational controls and training in place. For many London duty holders, commissioning a targeted EV charging safety audit will identify gaps and prioritise corrective work.

If you need help with site surveys, FRA updates, staff training or maintenance regimes, contact Total Safe services for a practical, compliance-focused approach that aligns with industry guidance.