Fire & HSE · 6 min read · 2026-10-10
Fire safety compliance in Kenya: a checklist for factory and warehouse owners
Which fire safety duties apply to Kenyan workplaces, how often audits are due, and what inspectors look for on site.
Kenyan workplaces carry fire safety duties under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 2007 and the Factories and Other Places of Work (Fire Risk Reduction) Rules, 2007. For most factories and warehouses, the practical question is not whether these apply, but whether your records would satisfy an inspector tomorrow.
1. An annual fire safety audit
The Fire Risk Reduction Rules require a fire safety audit, carried out by an approved fire safety auditor, at least once a year. The audit should leave you with a fire risk assessment, an evacuation plan and a dated action list.
2. Trained people, not just equipment
Extinguishers are only useful if people know how to use them. Keep records of fire marshal training, fire drills and the names of marshals for each area and shift.
3. Equipment that is inspected and tested
Extinguishers, hose reels, hydrants, sprinklers and pumps need routine inspection and testing. NFPA 25 gives a widely used schedule for water-based systems, and pump tests show whether your system can still deliver its design flow.
4. First aid is audited too
The Occupational Safety and Health (First Aid in the Workplace) Regulations, 2024 require an annual first aid audit by a competent person. It makes sense to plan it alongside the fire audit.
Quick self-check
- Is your last fire audit less than 12 months old?
- Do you have a written evacuation plan and a drill record from this year?
- Are extinguisher service tags current?
- Has your fire pump been run and tested recently?
- Are fire exits clear and signed?
If any answer is no, our HSE readiness check in the AI tools section gives you a prioritised action plan in two minutes.