Fire Risk Assessments

Is there a more durable solution than drop down seals? The premise I recently inspected has a high transit of users and the seals are becoming damaged easily. Hardwood strips on the communal doors would be a trip hazard I assume. recommendations would be gratefully received.

Hi I am looking for any approved codes that can help answer my concerns in regards to existing and purpose built blocks of flats of up to 3 or 4 floors with a single staircase and single final exit, being the front door. In particular my concern is in regards to external windows. In some properties the stairway has windows which are sealed casement units and cannot be opened. In other properties these same windows have openers, either with or without locks. Are these windows to be kept locked, can they be considered of use to allow smoke to exit or a risk allowing oxygen to fuel a fire? I've been through the approved codes I have to hand but c…

It’s a building that we converted ourselves during 2003 and an enormous amount of work was done regarding fire protection to comply with the regulations at the time. The communal hallways/means of escape was completely lined to achieve 1 hour protection and each flat was horizontally protected to an hour. Each flat has an internal hallway with all doors, those to the communal hallway and those in the flat, having new doors and frames to FS30s. There are 3 flats with 4 floors above ground level and the top flat comprises 2 of the floors with a protected hallway inside the flat to the top floor. The building inspector specified mains operated detectors inte…

Thanks in advance for any advice ? I am selling my Victorian flat, which is one of 4 in a Victorian townhouse. The conversion was done in the 1980s. As far as any of my fellow freeholders know, there has never been a fire risk assessment done. I only learned about the concept during the final query stage of the property sale. I guess my questions are: 1) Is it true that I don't need to record the assessment, since we don't employ anyone? If so, then how can solicitors for the buyer expect to see it? 2) Would it be enough to do the assessment so the record exists, or would I have to carry out all the recommendations for my sale to happen? I realis…

If a paint retailer is storing 150 Gallons of solvent paint are they allowed to store it on standard racking?

Wheelie Bin Storage. I live in social housing and the Housing association are building a new wheelie bin storage area which will consist of 6 general waste and 6 recycling waste bins. This area is 2 metres away from the building where I have a gas pipe entering my flat. Is this acceptable and if not what requlationscdoes it breach. Thanks in advance for any replies

A recent FRA has raised a substantial action concerning the internal storage/charging of 2 mobility scooters in a communal lounge. The property is a specialist housing scheme. There is currently auto fire detection, extinguishers, Fd30s doors and 30min fire rated ceiling's and walls with 24/7 staffing. Can anyone advise if there is a a safe amount of scooters that could be stored in this room and if it is a requirement that an external store must be provided? Charging is also restricted to daytime only. Any advice appreciated.

Can anyone tell me if a stud partition wall, timber with 12.5mm plasterboard either side, built to separate the area above offices/stores from a workshop, meets fire safety regulations as it is or does it need to be clad/finished before it meets regulations. I believe the plasterboard itself is 30 min fire resistant. Thanks in advance

I understand that a purpose built block does not need lobbied corridors if there are only 2 flats on each floor, close to the stairway. I have come across a block that has 4 flats on the ground floor (the most distant one is about 7-8 metres from the entrance door). There are 2 flats on the first floor and 3 flats on the second (top) floor. There is AOV at the top of the stairway. The building operates a Stay Put procedure. Is this acceptable? Can the ground floor and top floor have more than 2 flats without being lobbied? Thanks

Hi, could anyone tell me when the Building Regulation's first made the following a requirement in a sheltered housing scheme / purpose built block of flats please. "Rooms containing refuse chutes, or provided for the storage of refuse, should be approached either directly from the open air or by way of a protected lobby provided with not less than 0.2 m2 of permanent ventilation."

Can anyone offer advice regarding appropriate travel distances in a basement corridor? This is a sheltered housing block to which the specialised housing guide applies. The basement has a 77 metre long L shaped corridor, off of which are storage and plant rooms. It is locked and accessible only by the manager and contractors. Normal entrance is from one of two staircases serving the building. At the far end of the service corridor is an escape hatch leading to a well with a Jacobs ladder to street level, which I believe is no longer suitable as a final exit. There is currently no cross corridor separation but AFD is present and there is no sleeping risk. If the escap…

Hi All, Just had an enquiry from a supported Living home about an action on their recent FRA. The action required heat detection to be fitted in the ground floor wet room to protect the electric hoist and to fit a FD30s Fire door to the room as well. In my opinion, this seems unnecessary as there are no combustible items within the room, the appliance is PAT tested and the electrical installation is within its test date. With the addition of a FD30s on the wet room complete with automatic closer, I feel this would impede access and egress and would then require a hold open device, otherwise the dreaded wedges would appear! I would like your thoughts on this plea…

I stayed in a large chain hotel this week which unfortunately had a power cut from mid evening and did not come back on. I noticed that there was no emergency lighting in the corridors and none functioning on stairways. Our room was pitch black too. In the morning I noticed they had propped up torches in the corner of the corridors and knocked on before bedtime to offer a candle. Can anyone tell me whether it is a legal requirement as giving candles to rooms and then no lighting to be able to escape is an accident waiting to happen. Many thanks

I have received a fire risk assessment report. The report recommends installation of a Grade D LD2 automatic fire detection system, in accordance with BS 5839-6:2019, to include smoke detectors and sounders within all common escape routes, and heat detectors and sounders within the flat entrance hallways. The building is Victorian conversion and we are all owner occupiers (2 ground floor flats and 2 flats on first floor). Hallway is small and only one set of stairs from from front door to first floor landing. We all have LFB installed alarms in our respective flats. We want to install necessary alarms in hallway as recommended in report but using the simpl…

I am currently scoping the refurbishment of a large dental practice, I am wondering if a patient undergoing an unconscious procedure would be considered a sleeping risk, because if not I can remove the fire rating from most of the treatment room doors

I am opening a sandwich takeaway in Leeds, no gas in premises. What do I need legally? Many thanks

What are your views on producing separate FRA’s for individual cluster flats in the same building? One FRA for the whole building? Or separate ones for the cluster flats? I have had differing requests from different clients on this. Thanks

Hi All, I have a question I hope you can help me with. Is there an alternative solution to Georgian Wired Glass in fire door vision panels? I have an enquiry from a care facility that has a tenant who constantly smashes the vision panels in the cross corridor fire doors. Has anyone else had this issue? If so, how did you achieve maintaining compliance? Obviously blocking them up is a non starter as you still need to see through the doors. Any guidance would be appreciated!

In 2019 I had a professional fire risk assessment carried out for my Guest House by an ex fire officer. At the time he said we should decommission the fire escape (as its unsafe) provided we upgraded the ceilings in the basement to 2 hours compartmentation, updated the basement doors to half hour fire doors and carried out additional staff training as this would reduce the risk and extend the travel distance from 18 meters. 2 weeks later the local authority fire officer visited us and said we should carry out the work noted in the fire risk assessment which we did. About 2 weeks ago we had a visit from a different fire officer to carry out an audit of the fire risk a…

Is it possible to put a fridge in a cupboard under the stairs?

Hi all, Long time viewer of these forums, but this is my first post. I have a question on doors opening onto corridors in what is essentially a mixed usage office/educational building. The rooms onto the corridors are within a building containing a mix of office admin usage with some other rooms being used for teaching/delivering training input and lectures. My question would these doors require to have intumescent strips and smoke seals fitted along with self closers? The building dates from the late 1960's and the existing doors are what appear to be simply nominal doors rather than fire doors. However some of the doors in question have self closers on them a…

I have been asked to fit new fire rated hinges to a fire door, the original hinges have 4 screw holes, the new ones supplied have 5 screw holes but do not align with the old screw holes, would this defeat the fire rating of the door or do the old holes need to be plugged before new hinges are fitted

I have a plan in for a 90 seater ground floor restaurant with an enclosed kitchen with fairly large openings such that a fire would be obvious to patrons. Two MOE one at the opposite end to the kitchen and one which is accessed by passing by one of the openings. BC have rejected plan on the basis of the route passing the opening. TD is well within limits. On the principle that a fire will be in one place only, I see no issue. Would appreciate comments.

Hi, I sure if in right place, let me know if need to move to another forum. Just qualified as a Surveyor and noticed something odd with own 4 bed New Build House. 1. Windows in bedrooms are all too high up to be egress windows. Not 1 window upstairs complies, builder agrees. 2.Bedrooms have intumescent strips on frames (3 sides) 3. Building claim it complies as stairs and landing are a protected stairway. 4.stairs lead straight down to small hall and front door. 5. Between stairs and door is Kitchen diner door (glassed), (left) and Sitting room right 6. Also on right between stairs and door is Electric consumer uni…

I live in a block of flats built in 1984, the front was retained from an 1890 commercial building but the rest of the flats were purpose built with solid concrete floors, smoke vents at the top of the communal stairs and fire doors off the stairs. The flats are over 4 floors including the basment flats. A fire assessment has been carried out each year professionally and commissioned by the management company which consists of 5 of the residents, no fire safety issues have been raised in these assessments. More recently the local city council environment health have visited and said that because the building does not adhere to 1991 building regulations it must have smoke a…