Fire Risk Assessments

Can anyone help me. I've been asked by a client if they could avoid the expense of providing 60 minute fire rated boarding between their commercial units and the flats above, if the commercial units became empty? I can't find any particular guidance around this and wonder if it just comes down to a risk assessment? Any help would be appreciated. Many thanks.

Is anyone aware of CEW specifications within the HTMs. The only specific reference to CEWs I can find is in Health Building Note 00-04: ‘Circulation and communication spaces’ - HTM 05-02 does not specify CEWs in detail but directs you to this document. My question is, does Health Building Note 00-04 only apply to circulation and communication spaces or does it apply throughout a hospital i.e. to wards and operating theatres where bed and/or trolley evacuation is required?

Hi all, The kitchen in my rugby club has just undergone extensive refurbishment. There are 2 separate doors, neither of which has currently been designated or signed as a fire exit. I've been down and inspected the refurb and was concerned that both doors open inwards into the kitchen. I thought this was odd and the Operations manager said he would confer with the architect about why this has happened. If the doors were to open outwards (in the direction of escape) one would open into the main bar area and one would open into the foyer which is where I suspect the majority would be exiting in the event of a fire. I thought the RRFSO was quite clear about emergen…

Good morning,can anyone help please.I have a 2 bed flat with 2 tenants, it's a private rental in a converted house.Downstairs is another private rental with 2 tenants . I had a fire risk assessment of the hallway as a friend of mine said I needed to ensure it was safe ,and now have many works that need to be carried out .Including a fire alarm system in the hallway .I haven't got any issues with this ,but being a small set up it says online that these systems as well as monthly checks they also need weekly checks and recording of this . Is this system necessary for communal hallways in non HMO dwellings ? I'm so confused as the maintenance of this seems a l…

Evening, These emergency lighting control units are wall mounted in the communal corridor within a high rise block. mains fed and house 12 lead acid back up batteries. the corridor forms part of the escape route from the FED to the stairwell. what are your views on fire separation and would you recommend they are encased in a fire resisting enclosure to REI30 cheers all.

Hi all, Is there a requirement to undertake an audibility test under BS5389 apart from service & inspection by a specialist contractor? Weekly fire alarm test & check of audibility in areas are carried out in-hose. Thanks

Hi all, in the case of a large site with multiple buildings, would every building require an individual fire risk assessment? I understand most occupied buildings would certainly require one but what about say a small GRP security kiosk, single unit portacabin or vacant/derelict buildings etc?

Hi, am looking to remove a wall in our flat which is one of 4 flats in a converted victorian house. Main reason is to open a fairly narrow kitchen up and more open plan. Obviously I am aware of structural things related to such a task, but am interested to know if there is any fire risk issue. The wall in question is marked yellow. The floor plan is as we bought it. Currently the entrance to this 1st floor flat is already open to the kitchen as you can see. In the kitchen is installed a fire detector and siren. That entrance door is a fire door and the building passes fire checks. By removing the wall, I will need a building control notice from the council, in my vie…

Hi, Modern conversion (2017) of office block to self-contained residential flats. Gas boilers for flats are installed in common part cupboards. FD30S doors and semi-reasonable fire resisting construction but no lobby separating the place of 'special fire hazard' from the stairway, as the cupboards open directly onto the corridor leading to the stair. Does this meets with ADB, I don't think it does and I am also concerned that there are flues running into voids, but that's a separate gas regulation issue. All thoughts gratefully received. Mark

Hello, I live in a flat in a former 1960s or 1970s post office building that was converted into flats in 2014. It's a Waitrose mini supermarket on the ground floor and the 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors contain 11 flats in total (quite high spec with a lift and very thick and solid doors which I suspect are 1 hour fire doors as not much sound gets through). It has an addressable fire alarm system that covers the communal areas (I don't think it's linked to Waitrose) but no Grade A detection or sounders in the 11 flats. A fire risk assessor has said that a Grade A combined heat detector with sounder is required in the hallway of each flat and the sounder must …

Hello. I’m having a disagreement with my housing association landlord regarding the enclosed porch at the front of our flat. I know the stairwells are communal, and the flats opposite share a porch landing, however ours is completely enclosed and has a door fitted. Is this enough to define it as private under the law?

I am trying to establish what Fire regulations or certification applies to a Manor house converted into 13 self contained flats. Can anyone help me with this query? Kind Regards Mike

My friend took a few general safety courses as a manager but he needs to make sure that he is covering all bases as plenty of time has passed since then. Will an iosh managing safely refresher be viable? Could I get more details on this? Does it cover everything he needs, such as fire safety?

I have started to work for a small company of 13 people, we have a new office which is mostly open plan and a few offices, 2 bathrooms, kitchen, 2 x meeting rooms. At the moment there are is no fire alarm fitted, there is a bell but I think it has been disconnected there is a shop underneath us (our landlord) so I think it used to belong to them. I think it falls on me to get this sorted and it makes me really nervous having to plan all this and not 100% what we need. We have fire extinguishers that are due to be checked every 12 months. Can we just get smoke detectors fitted all around the office or do we have to have a fire alarm fitted? I didn't want to…

Hi All, Does anyone know what the minimum/ maximum recommended time delay is between hearing the audible fire alarm activation voice messages and the intermittent sounders that follow that message. This is for an 8 story open planned cooperate office building. Many thanks MFD

2 containers one on top of the other, the top container is used as an office that has stairs leading to it that is the only way of getting in and out. Do these stairs have to be periodically tested every 6 months like emergency stairs as they are for all purpose use?

Hello all, We have had a fire risk assessment completed by a new company, who are gladly more stricter than past companies. My question is, that our main buildings were built in 1958. Some of the pick up points were concerning risks which are due to the building being built before such regs, whilst we complete as many pick points as we can. Some like the pvc windows and panels for example were fitted before such rules came into place. And the due to the cost of replacing these which would be enormous. So how do we stand in such matters, what reply do I give, If the cost is simply not practicable due to the age of the premises?

The flat I live in has 3 exits, 2 exits have emergency release buttons, the car park exit doesn't. The flat has 2 blocks, it's possible the other block has a fire alarm system, I don't live there so I wouldn't know. My block doesn't have any sort of fire alarm system. For the past month someone has been continuously pressing the emergency release button disabling the electromagnetic locks on the gate. I've been resetting it for almost everyday and now recently it's being pushed more than 2 or 3 times a day which is causing people to enter and loiter around the flat. And I'm a bit frustrated and cannot continue to reset i…

Given the explicit requirement of BS7671 for these devices in care homes, high rise residential buildings, student accommodation and HMOs, will fire risk assessments of such premises acknowledge their absence in existing buildings within this group? I ask because many in the electrical installation industry do not share the view that these devices are an effective means of reducing fire statistics where the ignition source is electrical in nature. Quite apart from the view of whether they actually function, there is no sufficiently detailed body of fire statistics that could be referred to in order to form a valid opinion.

Could anybody point me ro correct FRA guidance document I would use for what is basically 3 story flats (2 flats per floor), but are used for holiday let's. Thanks in advanced.

Good morning everyone, I'm looking for advice about a fire safety issue at a complex of eight residential apartments. I was recently appointed as Company Secretary, and act as the Responsible Person for issues related to fire safety. Unfortunately, fire safety issues have not been seen as a key priority in the past, so I am working to address the many issues that I have identified. I have already engaged an external specialist company to carry out a Fire Risk Assessment for the company, as it appears that the company has never previously carried out an FRA, and there is no paperwork related to fire safety in the company's archives. I am awaiting the full…

Hello, Apologies if this is a basic question but I just want to know for sure before I take any action and will appreciate your professional advice. I own a ground flat in Edwardian house which is less than 11 m in height. There is one more flat and we have communal lobby which officially belongs to my flat. I had it for 11 years. The managing agent just wrote to me and my neighbour stating that the front doors to our flats need to be of certain specifications such as 3 hinges, self closing mechanism etc. and if not they need to be replaced for fire doors. I’ve been looking at the relevant legislation and there are references made to single dwell…

Does anyone know how often the little green override switches fixed next to electronically locked doors along exit routes need testing in-house? I've been pointed to BS7273-4:2015 and the maintenance section suggests every week in-house and every six-months by a competent person?? But, the FRA produced shows that the green boxes only need testing in-house every quarter to comply with British Standards so we're all really confused! Due to security, the doors do not release upon actuation of fire alarm, so we thought every quarter is a bit risky...but then again, every week is a bit much!! HELP!! :)

Hi, I thought I had posted this post for advice. so here it goes again. I live in an apartment purpose built flats over 3 floors. Two flats on each floor. Risk assessor and fire service have said to replace some of the front doors to the flats due to not being fire doors. Over time being changed for upvc and other wooden doors. Fine with this. What’s confused me is that the door to the stairs are fire doors but the risk assessor has said they can’t be rising butt hinges so need replacing with self closes and seals. The project manager has said this isn’t the case and that the stairs to the flats don’t even need this door as it doesn’t ha…

I wonder if somebody could help, I have just built a one bedroom unit in the Georgian house in the basement I had ordered an inward opening tilt door but the builder installed an opening door which doesn’t tilt and therefore cannot give ventilation without the door being open. I wonder if somebody could help, I have just built a one bedroom unit in a Georgian house in the basement I had ordered an inward opening tilt door but the builder installed an outward opening door which doesn’t tilt and therefore cannot give ventilation without the door being fully open. I was told this was due to fire regs but there are numerous other escapes in the flat th…