Since the tragedy of Grenfell Tower on the 14th June 2017, the government has reviewed current building regulations regarding fire safety and implemented improvements now contained within the recently amended approved Document B. Sadly, there are still numerous issues found in new build homes and commercial developments which are not being addressed by developers despite this new legislation. To combat this failure within the industry, I highly recommend that you seek professional advice and request a fire safety compliance inspection of your new home or commercial development. Quality Inspections Ltd specialises in this service and provides a detailed report based on the findings of a thorough inspection.
A Fire Risk Assessment is a review undertaken of a building to assess its risk to occupants in the event of a fire. It offers recommendations to ensure that the building is safe to residents, members of staff and visitors based on the type of premises and individual needs of the occupants. It takes into consideration the existing precautions that are in place which includes; fire and smoke alarms, emergency lighting, sprinkler systems, emergency escape routes, emergency signage, fire fighting equipment and anything else relating to the safety of the building and the welfare of its occupants in the event of a fire. Risks within the building and its surrounding environment are evaluated and assessed for any additional hazards that may contribute to causing a fire and endangering life. It will also take into consideration the use of the building, it’s occupants physical and mental capabilities and disabilities, construction type, such as timber frame, high rise buildings, hospitals, schools and residential care homes as well as commercial properties and private dwellings. It is a legal requirement that every block of flats and all commercial premises conduct a Fire Risk Assessment.
Individuals who have completed an examination held by the Institute or a recognised independent body and have been deemed competent to carry out fire risk assessments on buildings that range from simple / less complex to those that are of medium complexity and normal risk. Some individuals on this Tier may work as competent specialists in a very particular sector, such as heritage buildings.
Click here to access IFSM (CFRAR) register.
A recent client, Rachel Jackson, who I recently carried out a Fire Risk Assessment for on her flat in Plymouth said:
“Eric was exceptionally helpful, friendly and professional throughout the entire Fire Risk Assessment process.
We contacted Eric as we were trying to sell our property which did not meet building regulations. With Eric’s support and guidance, we were able to implement the fitting of new fire doors which ensured the sale of the property without delay.
Eric’s knowledge and speedy service exceeded our expectations and immediately put us at ease in what could have been an extremely stressful situation.
We would recommend Eric’s service without hesitation; he provides a fantastic and personable service and his expertise speaks for itself”
A Pre-Occupation Fire Safety Assessment Report is the process of identifying fire precautions in a newly constructed building, taking into account the approved fire strategy, and deciding whether or not the new or refurbished premises is likely to be fit for occupation. This assessment can help ensure a smooth transition from the design and construction phase to the operational phase of new premises.
What will this assessment consider?
· The structure and purpose of the building/premises
· The applicable fire-related legislation and the guidance document(s) used
· Means of Escape
· Internal Fire Spread
· External Fire Spread
· Fire Fighting Provisions
· Fire Protection Measures
· Fire Engineering
· Operation & Maintenance Manuals (O&M)
· Certificates of Conformity/Commissioning Certificates
On the 30th April 2018, whilst I was employed as Construction Technical Manager for LiveWest, a serious fire broke out in one of our properties in Trafalgar Road, Exeter. A family with small children had to be rescued from their home, neighbours on each side of the property also had to be evacuated and fire crews spent some considerable time extinguishing the fire.
I was directly involved with the investigation following the fire and it was found that the national housebuilder responsible for constructing the timber frame property had failed to ensure that fire cavity barriers had been installed within the property as required by building regulations. This was missed by not only the national builder but also by local building control, NHBC and other warranty providers, employed Clerk of works, working on behalf of the housing association!
As a result I was directly involved, through LiveWest, with the national house-builder completing fire safety inspections on approximately 1000 homes within the area. This included social housing houses and apartments and went on to include privately purchased new build homes as well.
My official finding was that a catalogue of failures to ensure that fire safety elements of the timber frame construction were identified and urgent and immediate remedial action was required by the national house-builder to rectify the non-compliance issues. This created a massive public awareness that their homes were potentially unsafe to live in.
The Inspections of properties found that an extremely high percentage of new build homes had been affected by the non-compliance of fire safety requirements and this involved not just timber frame construction but also traditionally built homes. The inspections continue to this day, with accredited third party companies providing fire safety compliance inspections and reports, where urgent remedial work is still required.
The national house-builder in question, who was responsible for this serious failure in complying with fire safety regulations, was unfortunately just the thin end of the wedge. It very soon became apparent that this was an industry wide issue and thousands of homes nationally were found to have been constructed to non-compliant fire safety standards.
This shocking revelation is of great concern, and despite national house-builders making urgent changes to rectify this major failure and improve general fire safety standards, the issue still persists. Evidence of non-compliance as seen here can be found in new-build homes being constructed today!
Fire Risk Assessments do have some specific guidelines. The Fire Risk Assessment must be reviewed on a regular basis. It is recommended that the following be included in the review:
– Every 12 months after the original assessment is done
– Every 5 years a new assessment should be conducted
– If the building’s purpose has substantially changed
– If the building structure, such as the layout, has changed
– If there has been a considerable change in the occupants
Changes to a building’s layout, how it is used, or the kind of occupants using or living in the building can significantly impact your fire safety plans. Therefore it is very important that a review of your fire risk assessment be conducted if any of those have occurred.
If there are 5 regular occupants or more the fire risk assessment must be in writing.
If your block of flats or business premises normally has over 4 residents at once, then you are legally required for your fire risk assessment to be documented.
As mentioned previously, it is recommended that your assessment is in writing, no matter what size your premises are. There are a few other situations where you will be required to have a written fire risk assessment even when having less than 5 regular occupants. They are:
– You have been instructed to do so by the fire brigade (for example, after a visit)
– If your premises are required to have a licence
The main findings and actions to be taken must be recorded.
Whether or not it is written down, a fire risk assessment has 2 parts that must be generated. The first part is the actual review, which assesses the premises fire safety against several points. The second part is a list of requirements that should be acted upon in order for the build to be in compliance with fire safety measures.
It is very important for these recommendations to be acted on since that is what keeps your building safe ultimately.
Click here for latest government guidelines and further information.
By law, every block of flats and business is required to have an individual designated as the “Responsible Person” who is responsible for the building’s fire safety. The job of the designated Responsible Person is to ensure that all relevant fire safety tasks are conducted and that any necessary action is taken in order to prevent fires from occurring and to prevent death or injury if a fire takes place. The responsible person is, therefore, the one who needs to ensure that a valid fire risk assessment is made on your building. Small business owners are usually the Responsible Person for their premises unless someone else from the team is nominated. For tower blocks and blocks of flats, the Responsible Person is usually the managing agent or landlord, although it can be a Residents’ Association member as well. The Responsible Person in blocks of flats is only responsible for common areas, like stairwells and corridors. Residences are responsible for ensuring that their own flats are safe from fire.
Read my Frequently Asked Questions page or get in touch with me on: 07711 126777.
Independent New Build Construction Inspections, Heritage Buildings and Refurbishments Inspections, Fire Safety Compliance Inspections, Health and Safety Consultancy Works and Fire Risk Assessments.
