AnthonyB

First Tier Tribunal - challenge the necessity for the door being changed - most flat fire door replacements are not required to meet the functional requirements of the law and the guidance (which has special status such that if you follow it you tend to be deemed compliant if someone alleges there is an issue) However you need to establish that the current doorset meets the requirements applicable to the block - the minimum standard being based on age, layout & height of the block. This note reinforces that wholesale replacement is often not required - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-england-regulations-2022-fire-door-guidance/fire-safety-england-regulations-2022-fire-door-guidance

It's not quite a BS7273-4 device, but it's probably the nearest guidance - this would equate to weekly rotational testing, servicing in accordance with manufacturers instructions = basically it's risk assessment based

https://specialistdoorsolutions.com/latest-news/what-are-vision-panels

Yes, for the external walls and due to the hallway. Not many requirements would be expected to come off the back of it though.

It may be at a lower than usual height for wheelchair users (even though I'm guessing there aren't any!) Their safeguarding & fire risk assessments need to match up to provide a suitable balance between placement for escape and placement to avoid children escaping.

Are there internal common areas for the flats? If not then a building owner FRA would be of the exterior of the building primarily. Where there are internal common areas as a minimum a sample of flats would need access to their hallways to inspect the front fire door properly from both sides and to check if any common fire alarm system devices are present. If the tenant is still in occupancy through & after the works then it is for them to review their FRA not you - it is up to them whether they do this in house or via an external accredited person.

As the law is risk based to achieve functional standards and is not a prescriptive list of specific individual requirements for every aspect of Health & Safety if there is no risk of entrapment your H&S risk assessment might accept it - speak to your H&S person to see if your HSRA can accept this

Report it to Trading Standards, it must have the permanent label if sold for domestic use.

If you follow the longstanding and current guidance for existing blocks, then FD30 doors and glazing fire protected unless the bottom sill is 1100mm high or greater.

I assume they mean an illuminating sign and siren to warn of 'fire shutter closing' often included in modern purpose built kits, sometimes missing from older set ups or those assembled using standard shutter parts. The requirement for warnings may be in the powered shutter standard BS EN 13241-1:2003 (I don't have a copy) plus some form of warning would be likely under The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 Just because it wasn't mentioned before doesn't mean it shouldn't have been!

Q : do we need to replace domestic twin & earth cabling to these detectors with fire proof/resistant wiring ? If cable failure would cause the AOV to fail safe to the open position then no, otherwise yes Q : is there a legal requirement for an AOV or can we convert to a MOV ? No, if the existing installation is an AOV you can't make something worse than original, just equal or better Q : is there a legal requirement for signage in this single staircase, single exit, less than 9m run scenario ? No requirement for fire exit signage, no requirement for floor and flat numbering if an existing building (but good practice), fire instructions notice required near entrance or on notice board, etc

If you actually need to upgrade at all (often not actually required in smaller existing blocks as backed up by official guidance) then you should be going for combined intumescent & smoke seals. (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-england-regulations-2022-fire-door-guidance/fire-safety-england-regulations-2022-fire-door-guidance) Costs are down to the individual leases & agreements for the block - front doors are usually the flat owner, the meter cupboards more of a grey area

Unfortunately Building Control are getting less helpful and less flexible than before, often they require a Chartered or Incorporated Fire Engineer to author any strategy that varies from the norm and for the cost of that you may as well have upgraded your heritage doors!

Real trees are only a particular problem if not watered regularly - also it's whats on the tree and around it that need to be considered (ignition source from lighting on the tree, flammable decorations, etc) as well as where you are wanting to put it. It's a risk based approach for each venue

The guide doesn't address your layout as it assumes protection of the stair rather than the greater expense of an external stair unless you are a storey higher than you are. You could argue to Building Control that the stair is over and above the requirements and would compensate for an unprotected stair as the upper floor isn't relying on it for safe escape, after all Approved Document B isn't law & if you can show an alternative approach provides equal safety they are meant to accept it- they an only say no