Safety packs › Front of house pack
Free PDF, 15 pagesPub front of house safety pack
Weekly, monthly and yearly safety checks for the bar, cellar, toilets, garden and public areas, plus a tracker for every certificate and service date.
Free, no sign-up. Version 1, October 2026. Typical guidance for pubs in England, not legal advice.
What's in it
How often each check is done
| How often | What |
|---|---|
| Weekly | Fire alarm test, fire doors, fire walk-round, CCTV, water flushing, first aid, gas and electrics, pests, cleaning, beer lines, play area |
| Monthly | Outside, cellar and inside checks, water temperatures, emergency lighting flick test, extinguishers |
| Every 3 and 6 months | Shower heads descaled, play area check, fire alarm service |
| Yearly | Fire drill, manager's annual review, service and certificate dates |
The jobs a contractor must do
Some jobs need a competent person: fire alarm and extinguisher servicing, the emergency lighting full test, gas work (Gas Safe registered), fixed wiring tests and the legionella risk assessment. This pack is where you record that they were done, with a tracker that shows what's due next.
Questions
How often should a pub test its fire alarm?
Weekly, from a different call point each time, with a service by a competent engineer every 6 months (BS 5839-1 good practice).
How often should emergency lighting be tested?
A short flick test every month and a full 3-hour test once a year by a competent person (BS 5266-1).
Does a pub need a written fire risk assessment?
Yes. Since 1 October 2023 every fire risk assessment in England must be written down in full, with the name of the person who did it.
What water temperatures stop legionella?
HSE guidance: hot taps 50°C or more within 1 minute, cold taps below 20°C within 2 minutes, checked monthly. Flush little-used outlets weekly and descale shower heads every 3 months.
Does Martyn's Law apply to my pub?
Only if 200 or more people could be in at once, and the duties aren't in force yet. They're expected no earlier than April 2027; check the SIA's guidance for the date.
Is PAT testing a legal requirement?
No. The law says electrical equipment must be kept safe; how often you check portable appliances is up to your risk assessment (HSE).
Get told when the rules change
Limits and laws change (Martyn's Law is due in 2027, for one). Leave your email and I'll tell you when I update the packs. Free, no spam, unsubscribe any time.
Running a kitchen too? Get the kitchen food safety pack: temperature logs, allergens and more.