The responsibility for assessing and controling a fire risk is the employers (some employers still think it is the responsibility of the fire service, but that is wrong.)
The risk must be assessed on a regular basis, there is no specific time limit between assessments, but it is generally accepted that 12 months is the norm, or when ever there is any change in risk.
The fire service will inspect high risk places when they want to.
Perhaps the reasons that deaths are so low is a combination of factors, having suitable means of escape is a legal requirement and one that is taken very seriously by the fire service. Employees unions would accept nothing less, neither would insurers or employers or the fire service. If suitable means of escape are not provided, the fire service will not hesitate to stop work from the location, our building codes would not enable premises to be built without suitable means of escape. We do have a very high arson rate in some buildings, mostly schools, but deaths are unheard of.
It is generally accepted that an evacuation will follow a fire alarm activation. Should employees use fire extinguishers? It depends on the risk, there is a legal requirement to train sufficient numbers of employees in their use. This is an oft debated subject. Some argue that we should always undertake an immediate evacuation. I would argue this point and say that sometimes it is better to put out the fire and eliminate the risk. The reality is that most fires are put out by the public anyway.
It must also be noted that if someone dies in a fire, an employer can expect an investigation from our government's Health and Safety Executive (
www.hse.gov.uk), possible prosecution (a fine or even jail), bad publicity, angry employees and a large compensation claim.
