Record keeping

What to Record in a Fire Log Book

Use this guide to structure a fire logbook that is easier to maintain, inspect, and export as evidence.

8 min read

This guide is general information for UK premises teams and is not legal advice. Check the official guidance for your premises and use a competent fire safety professional where needed.

Start with site and responsibility details

Record the premises name, address, responsible person, deputies, competent advisers, fire alarm maintainer, extinguisher contractor, emergency contacts, and any site-specific access notes.

This information helps staff, contractors, and assessors understand who owns the record and who should be contacted when something needs attention.

Record routine checks and tests

A practical fire logbook should include weekly fire alarm tests, emergency lighting checks, extinguisher inspections, escape route checks, fire door observations, and any other routine tasks identified by the fire risk assessment.

Each entry should capture the date, time, person completing the check, result, location or asset, notes, defects, and follow-up action.

Keep training, drills, and contractor evidence

Training and evacuation drill records show that people have been informed about risks and emergency procedures. Contractor visit records show that specialist maintenance has been completed or that remedial work is still open.

Attachments such as certificates, photos, reports, and invoices can help make the audit trail clearer than a short handwritten note.

Keep it current and accessible

A fire logbook loses value if it is not updated or cannot be found. Review gaps regularly and make sure the people responsible for checks know where and how to record them.

Fire Logbook Pro helps by giving each site a structured digital record with QR access, reminders, attachments, and evidence exports.

Sources reviewed

These sources were reviewed when preparing this guide.

Related guides

Read next fire log book obligations for the responsible person Read next weekly fire alarm testing procedure Read next fire safety maintenance and testing schedule

Next step

Turn guidance into a repeatable record keeping workflow with Fire Logbook Pro.