You’ve found your dream office, maybe even painted a wall or two. You’ve got desks, coffee, Wi-Fi: you’re ready to roll. But hang on a second. Before anyone plugs in a laptop or fires up the espresso machine, there’s something a bit less exciting (but far more important) to sort out: making sure your premises are legally safe and secure.
For UK startups, securing your physical space isn’t optional. It’s part of your responsibility as a business owner, and ignoring it can lead to more than just a slap on the wrist.
What Are the Legal Obligations for Securing Premises for Startups in the UK?
The Paperwork Behind the Paintwork
Getting your space looking sharp is great, but there’s some behind-the-scenes work to do too. By law, you need to carry out a risk assessment to flag anything that might harm your team or visitors. Loose wires, slippery floors, poor lighting, it all matters.
One thing that’s often missed? Signage. We’re not talking about your company logo above the door, but those less-glamorous (yet completely essential) signs that keep people safe. Think “Eye Protection Must Be Worn” or “Keep Clear.”
If you’re unsure where to start, you can view our full range of mandatory safety signs to tick that box properly. Your future self, and your insurance provider, will thank you.
Fire Exits Aren’t Just for Decoration
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, you’re expected to do more than know where the fire extinguisher is. You’re responsible for making sure the whole place has proper fire precautions in place.
That means:
- Alarms? Check.
- Extinguishers? Yep.
- Clearly marked escape routes? Absolutely
- A plan you’ve actually shared with your team? That one’s crucial.
If you’ve got five or more employees, it all needs to be written down. No scribbling on napkins, a proper documented fire risk assessment is required.
Doors, Alarms and the Locks
Security often lands in the “we’ll deal with it later” pile, until something goes wrong. Depending on your industry and what you’re storing, you might need CCTV, controlled access systems or a basic alarm at the very least.
And let’s not forget insurance, many policies demand a minimum level of physical security, so check the fine print before you assume the building’s locks are enough.
The good news? Sorting this now saves major headaches later. You’ll sleep better knowing your gear, data, and dodgy-looking kettle are safe.
So, Whose Job Is All This?
If you’re a solo founder or a team of two, there’s a good chance it’s yours. Even in co-working spaces, you can’t assume the building’s compliance covers you entirely. Anything inside your private office or any equipment you install? That’s your responsibility.
Avoidable errors we see startups make far too often:
- Sticking up temporary signs with Blu Tack
- Thinking the building manager sorts everything
- Skipping staff briefings on safety procedures
- Forgetting to update their policies when the team grows
Don’t be that company. Start as you mean to go on.
A Quick Safety Checklist
Feeling overwhelmed? Fair. But here’s a no-fluff checklist to get you started:
- Do a proper risk assessment
- Put fire extinguishers and alarms where they need to be
- Clearly mark exits and assembly points
- Display correct safety signage (no, not hand-written notes)
- Lock things up and secure access points
- Have a clear evacuation plan and tell your team
- Reassess whenever something changes
Stick this list somewhere visible (yes, even in your Notion board) and review it regularly. It’s not glamorous, but it’s golden.
Safety is Your Startup’s Best Silent Partner
You don’t need to obsess over hard hats and high-vis vests, unless you’re in construction, in which case, you absolutely should. But for everyone else, getting the legal side of premises security sorted isn’t just about compliance. It shows professionalism, builds trust with staff and investors, and lets you focus on what you do best.
Because when things go wrong, it’s not your pitch deck that saves the day, it’s the boring stuff no one wanted to deal with. So tick those boxes, install those signs, run that fire drill. And then? Get back to building something great.
