Why this exists
If you run a small business with a premises — a shop, a cafe, an office, a nursery, a salon — there are a handful of safety checks you need to have done, and paperwork you need to keep. Most small business owners know this vaguely, and then get caught out when their insurer asks, or when an inspector turns up. This is a plain-English list of what actually matters.
This isn't legal advice. It's a starting point. If you're unsure about your specific obligations, check with your insurer or a competent person.
Fire safety
Every commercial premises in Scotland needs a fire risk assessment — basically, a written-down look at what could catch fire and what you'd do if it did. Most places need fire alarms tested weekly (just a quick button press), and serviced by a professional twice a year. Emergency lights need a monthly flick-test and a full annual service. Fire extinguishers get serviced once a year. None of it is complicated. It just has to be done and written down.
Water and legionella
If you have a boiler, a hot water system, a shower or a tap that doesn't get used every day, you need a legionella risk assessment. For most small premises that's a one-off check plus a monthly temperature reading on your taps and a twice-yearly descale of the shower head. Cafes and restaurants with more plumbing need a bit more attention, but it's still not a huge job.
Electrical safety
Two things here. One: your fixed wiring — the stuff inside the walls — needs a full inspection (called an EICR) every five years for most commercial premises. Two: the stuff you plug in — kettles, lamps, printers, hairdryers — needs PAT testing, usually once a year for an office or salon. Cheap, quick, keeps your insurer happy.
Gas safety
If anything in your premises runs on gas — a boiler, a commercial cooker, a heater — it needs an annual inspection by a Gas Safe engineer. Restaurants and cafes with commercial kitchens have a more demanding cycle. Landlords have their own gas safety certificate (CP12) for rented properties.
Asbestos
Any building built or refurbished before 2000 may have asbestos somewhere. You need a survey and a register showing where it is — not necessarily to remove it, but so you know not to drill into it by accident. If you own or long-lease the building, this is on you. If you rent, it's usually the landlord's responsibility.
HMO and landlord bits
If you're a landlord or letting agent with HMO properties, there's an extra layer: EICR, gas safety, smoke and heat alarms to the Scottish standard, and an HMO licence from your local council. Rules are tightening, so it's worth a yearly check-in with someone who tracks this stuff.
The thing that actually fails inspections
The usual reason small businesses come unstuck isn't that the tests didn't happen — it's that the paperwork can't be produced when someone asks. Keep a folder (physical or digital) with every certificate in one place, and get someone to remind you before anything expires. That's the whole job.
Key takeaways
- Fire alarms, emergency lights, PAT testing and legionella are the four basics
- Electrical: PAT every year, EICR every five
- Gas equipment needs a yearly Gas Safe check
- Paperwork in one place is what matters most
- Landlords and HMO operators have extra obligations