How long should you keep fire safety records?
By Joe Cooper · · 3 min read
The law does not set one retention period for every fire safety record. A sensible approach is to keep records for long enough to show a pattern of good management, and to follow your insurer.
A practical guide
- Fire risk assessments: keep the current one and previous versions for as long as they are useful as a history.
- Weekly checks and logs: many businesses keep several years.
- Servicing certificates: keep at least until the next service, and ideally longer.
- Training and drill records: keep for as long as the person works for you and for a period afterwards.
Check your insurance
Your insurer may require you to keep particular records for a set time. Ask them and write it down.
Personal data
Training records include names, so delete them when they are no longer needed. Digital records in a system you control make it easier to keep and to delete.
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General information based on GOV.UK guidance and common practice. It is not legal advice or a fire risk assessment. Your own fire risk assessment sets what applies to your premises. Sources: GOV.UK, Fire safety in the workplace.