Post Occupancy Fire Safety Assessment

Our forward thinking, dynamic and competent team can complete a fire risk assessment on behalf a Responsible Person, Duty Holder or Accountable Person.

A quality fire risk assessment is a vital obligation and a legal requirement for all non-domestic, commercial buildings and for residential buildings containing two or more sets of domestic premises. The process involves identifying fire hazards and evaluating the risks to people arising from them, taking into account the adequacy of existing fire precautions, and deciding whether or not the fire risk is acceptable without further fire precautions.

For residential premises, our risk assessment process will also evaluate, where applicable, an initial evaluation of the buildings structure and external walls (to include doors or windows in those walls and attachments including balconies), common parts such as voids and services etc. and an inspection of doors between the domestic premises and common parts. Predominately Type 1 fire risk assessments are completed of residential premises but we can also offer and provide Types 2 – 4 FRA if required (see FAQ’s below for more information).

A suitable fire risk assessment is the core foundation of any buildings fire–safety policy and we have a wealth of knowledge and experience across premises risk occupancy groups such as:

• Residential Buildings
• Offices
• Schools, universities
• Public assembly buildings
• Leisure centres
• Public houses
• Cinemas and places of entertainment
• Shops
• Factories
• Warehouses
• Hotels
• Hostels
• Heritage buildings

We are third party accredited to Gold Standard for the completion of fire risk assessments under BAFE SP205-1 Life Safety Fire Risk Assessment Scheme certified by NSI – National Security Inspectorate. We are listed on the National Listing of fire risk assessors maintained by the Fire Sector Federation and our assessors hold listing on the Institute of Fire Engineers (IFE) Fire Risk Register of Assessors.

Q: What is involved?

A: Assessing the adequacy of existing fire precautions of a building will involve a physical survey of a premises where we will cover several subject areas. Also, and importantly, we review the fire safety management of any organisation to include measuring the human factors such as training and delegated responsibilities.

• Fire loss experience
• Fire hazards
• Fire prevention
• Storage and handling of flammable liquids and gases
• Means of escape
• Flammability of linings
• Emergency escape lighting
• Fire safety signs and notices
• Fire detection and fire alarm systems
• Fire extinguishing systems and appliances
• Smoke control systems
• Facilities for use by the fire and rescue service
• Arrangements for management of fire safety
• Fire procedures
• Training and drills
• Testing and maintenance
• Records

Q: Have recent changes to fire safety legislation been incorporated in Ashton Fire’s fire risk assessment approach?

A: Yes, we are fully abreast of recent changes to fire safety legislation and have incorporated changes to inspection and reporting formats as well as to our templates to encompass the new legally required changes. This is especially important in the residential premises sector where Responsible and Accountable Persons can be assured our fire risk assessment methodology will address all required areas to include the potential for a Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls (FRAEW) of external wall construction and cladding of existing blocks of flats.

Q: How is the report recorded?

A: Our fire risk assessment reporting is modelled on the Code of Practice PAS 79 methodology. This Code of Practice provides a recognised and accepted method process to carry out and record a fire risk assessment and it is intended to be used to produce a simple qualitative assessment of the risk from fire where likelihood and consequence are evaluated to provide a risk rating.

Our reports provide clear concise reporting of subjected areas supported by photographs consolidated into a ‘significant findings action plan’ for the client to then prioritise any actions with priority, risk and time scales recorded to action the findings. Our process will also identify observations and comment that may be outside the scope of fire legislation but may present themselves as a consideration for property or business continuity.

Q: What are the different types of Residential FRA?

A: Type 1 – fire risk assessment for a block of flats, sheltered housing or extra care housing, in which the scope of the fire risk assessment is limited to common parts, plant rooms and other non-domestic areas of the building (if any), and in which the inspection of the building is non-intrusive.

Type 2 – fire risk assessment that is generally similar, in scope and objectives, to a Type 1 fire risk assessment, except that there is a degree of intrusive inspection, involving opening up of construction on a sampling basis and making good after the inspection. A Type 2 fire risk assessment is usually a one-off exercise, which is carried out only if there is good reason to suspect serious structural deficiencies that could lead to spread of fire beyond the flat of fire origin. The work of opening up and making good is normally carried out by a contractor, rather than the fire risk assessor.

Type 3 – fire risk assessment that includes all work within the scope of a Type 1 fire risk assessment, and so is non- intrusive, but also takes into account the arrangements for means of escape and fire detection (usually by means of smoke alarms) within at least a sample of the flats; within the flats, the inspection is non-intrusive, but the fire resistance of doors to rooms is taken into account.

Type 4 – fire risk assessment that involves the same scope of work as a Type 3 fire risk assessment, except that there is a degree of intrusive inspection, in both the common parts and the flats, carried out on a sampling basis.

A Type 4 fire risk assessment is normally appropriate only in limited circumstances, such as when a new Responsible Person takes over a block of flats in which the history of works carried out is unknown and there is reason to suspect serious risk to residents from both a fire in their own flats and a fire in neighbouring flats. The work of opening up and making good is normally carried out by a contractor, rather than the fire risk assessor.

The integrity of passive fire protection within a building is essential and underlines the life safety expectations within any fire strategy or means of escape process. Understanding and being confident in the ability of key elements such as doors, floors walls and service penetrations to resist the passage of fire is vital when considering life safety in our built environment.

In many cases, it is not practical to remove and test or remove and replace existing built elements within a building’s fabric and consequently, demonstrating fire-resisting performance becomes extremely difficult. Such situations may arise due to the historic nature of the building, a change in use of the property, as identified by the building’s fire risk assessment or as part of a planned maintenance program.

Our team include individuals who have significant experience in the inspection of installations and in fire resistance testing and, therefore, have the skills to establish fire performance of existing and installed separating elements and service penetrations. Much of that experience has been gained from working in fire resistance test laboratories and being directly involved in establishing fire test programs for product manufacturers and the subsequent provision of assessments to extend the application of test data results.

By undertaking on-site assessments and surveys of existing building elements, we have the expertise to provide insight into the likely inherent fire performance against current fire test standards or to provide a risk-based approach to account for the fire growth expected within a specific space and the consequential ‘actual’ performance needed against the predicted real fire condition. Whichever is considered more suitable may depend on aspects such as insurance and/or the nature of the building, but either way, undertaking a survey by one of our team can prevent unnecessary demolition or replacement or provide a determining conclusion on whether the extent of upgrades necessary is in fact, cost-effective and appropriate.

Fire Door Inspections.

A fully assembled and installed door assembly can only be identified as being compliant if it is appropriately labelled or its construction can be confirmed as being consistent with the details outlined in the accompanying fire test/assessment documentation. Door assemblies fitted in a brand-new building could be deemed as being non-compliant if there is no way of establishing their construction details which will link them to the supplied documents outlining their expected period of fire resistance.

Even when the construction of the door assembly can be established and has suitable test evidence, regular inspections of door assemblies are recommended to ensure that they have not deteriorated through everyday use or prolonged exposure to environmental conditions. Such issues could be an increase in leaf perimeter gaps/distortion due to timber shrinkage, damage to leaf/frame edges, deterioration of hardware items, not closing fully within the frame reveal or missing intumescent strips.

Regular inspections of previously compliant fire door assemblies and rectifying any shortfalls in their constructions are a way of ensuring that they will perform as originally tested when it really matters.

For expert advice and detailed assessments tailored to your specific needs, please get in touch with Chris Houchen at chris.houchen@ashtonfire.com or call 07907 867415.