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The primary role of the Protection team is to ensure fire safety legislation is upheld across all non-domestic premises. We work proactively with businesses and organisations to promote effective fire protection systems, encourage safe working practices, and provide essential education and guidance. Our team also investigates the causes of fires and helps reduce the impact of deliberate fires on our local communities.
To deliver the best possible service, the Protection team is strategically located across Cheshire, with dedicated offices in Chester, Crewe and Warrington. Additional technical and managerial support is provided from our Headquarters Protection office.
We work closely with multi-agency partners to carry out statutory consultations, helping ensure the safety and wellbeing of everyone in our community.
If you need advice or information about fire safety in your workplace, please don’t hesitate to contact your local Protection team.
Fire Protection Office, Crewe Road, Crewe, CW1 6DS
Telephone - 01270 213246
Fire Protection Office, St Anne Street, Chester, CH1 2HP
Telephone: 01244 322222
Fire Protection Office, Winwick Road, Warrington, WA2 8HH
Telephone: 01925 634593
Fire Protection Office, Winsford, Cheshire, CW7 2FQ
Telephone: 01606 868761
Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service is committed to expanding the advisory and educational role of the Service in line with government expectations for more information and better regulation. We believe that by making the business community better aware of its legal obligations under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 it will be safer and less enforcement action will be necessary.
The Business Safety team provides our local business community with advice and support, to enable owners, managers and other building occupiers comply with their statutory duties under the Fire Safety Order.
Our Business Safety team consists of a Business Safety Manager and two Business Safety Advocates.
The aim of the team is to help businesses understand their legal obligations under the Fire Safety Order 2005, while also tackling the causes of unwanted fire signals and arson.
The team also carries out a programme of Business Safety Reviews, which act as a pre-audit checklist for businesses - helping businesses to prepare for official Fire Safety Audits which should help to relieve any anxiety or uncertainty you may have regarding the audit process.
The team regularly engages with partners through projects, workshops and community initiatives.
Chamber meetings are also attended to spread key messages relating to fire safety.
Each week the team visit towns and villages throughout Cheshire, Warrington and Halton, targeting communities with a range of initiatives including fire safety, arson reduction and business continuity etc.
Seminars are delivered on a variety of subjects that could assist you and your business, please check the events section of this website.
The team arranges impact days and seminars for Cheshire West and Chester, Cheshire East and Halton and Warrington, targeting areas that have been highlighted by Fire Protection teams or actual fires.
The Business Safety team also provides fire safety advice to the occupiers of heritage buildings, schools, small and large businesses. They work closely with Fire Protection Watch Managers and Technical Fire Safety Officers to ensure that relevant, helpful information is readily available.
The Business Safety team provides fire safety, arson prevention and business continuity advice and guidance to local businesses.
Following the Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017, it was recognised through the Building a Safer Future report that Competence of those operating within the Building Regulations and Fire Safety industry needed to be more rigid.
After the report was published in 2018, the Engineering Council, as a UKAS member was invited to join the Industry Response Group’s Competence Steering Group (CSG). This resulted in a further working group, known as WG1, which developed competence standards for those working on higher-risk residential buildings in the UK.
To enhance public safety, the Engineering Council has committed to working with professional engineering institutions, such as the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) to ensure that competence is consistently and fairly assessed.
This is evidenced through a rigorous assessment process that all fire safety Regulators (Inspecting Officers) who wish to prove their competence must undertake. Each Officer must demonstrate their competence through:
a written application,
submission of a personal portfolio of work and;
a professional discussion.
Competence of individuals will be assessed by other industry professionals who have proven their ability. Once an individual has demonstrated their ability to meet the relevant competence standards, they are deemed “third party accredited” by recognised industry professionals, the Engineering Council and IFE.
Currently, only Inspecting Officers who hold a Level 4 Diploma in Fire Safety are eligible to become third-party accredited.
Once successful, Inspecting Officers will be awarded with the accolade of Engineering Technician (denoted by the post-nominal “EngTech”) and Graduate of the Institution of Fire Engineers (denoted by the post-nominal “GIFireE”). This professional recognition helps others to easily identify those who are third-party accredited as Fire Risk Auditors.
Following implementation in 2022-23, the NFCC encourages all Enforcing Authorities of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and their Inspecting Officers to engage with the process.
Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service is committed to ensuring the highest standard of public safety and so implementation of this process is well underway. It is the ambition of the Service to register all existing Inspecting Officers (at the time of implementation) by 2028. All new Inspecting Officers (since implementation) are expected to become third-party accredited.
All formally registered Inspecting Officers and other accredited fire safety professionals are listed on a publicly available register, that can be searched using the IFE website.
Many professionals, including Inspecting Officers, choose to belong to more than one professional body. Many professional membership organisations offer useful tools and resources to help enhance the skills, knowledge and behaviours of those who regulate and advise on fire safety.
Many membership organisations offer several “grades”. Each grade gives a
Last updated: Thursday, 26 February 2026