Fire Risk Assessments

I have been asked by a Landlord to advise on potential fire safety improvements to a small three-storey converted terraced house which is now studio apartments/rooms. The single stairwell which is the primary means of escape is lined with Woodchip walls. Not surprisingly I'm finding it difficult to find info in relation to performance of woodchip in terms of resistance to fire and limiting spread of surface flames etc... Initial thoughts would be that it's not be suitable for this application, however when researching online some say it's not combustible as you may tend to think? Does anyone have any knowledge/advise/experience with similar cases? Si…

Hi, I'm looking some advice. I'm currently carrying out a fire risk assessment in a village hall. The main hall has vaulted ceilings which span across the main hall itself and the escape route. At ground level the hall is divided into two sections - main hall and escape corridor however, above ground floor ceiling height the ceiling is open. This means that a fire in the main hall could filter smoke into the escape route. There is a fire alarms system in place with detectors in each area. The escape corridor has two fire escape doors at each end of the corridor and the main hall also has a fire escape door too. I'm just a little concerned at how quickly the sm…

Hi, 4 storey building (G-3rd floor), single stair way with lobby protection to flats on each floor. The AOV on the third floor roof is within the protected lobby. Surely the FD30s door negates the AOV from clearing smoke from the stairs? Would you recommend removing the door? Thanks in advance.

Guidance needed. Purpose built flats (2004) 3 floors, 2 flats per floor. lobbied at all levels. Single common stair with lift serving all floors. Risk assessor wants fire alarm/detection in common areas. Is this correct and where would guidance be found.

Hi, Just working with an company who has offices over 3 floors but very limited numbers of staff usually working in the offices at present due to COVID restrictions. Would you consider it to be necessary to have Fire Marshals in place at all times when the offices are in operation? The offices are open plan with multiple exits and the staff have received training informing them of the evacuation arrangements and assembly point etc. The are different people in on different days. It doesnt really seem risk proportionate to require that they must have Fire Marshals in place at all times. However, the alternative of having a sign in/out board may also not be re…

Hi I have come across glass blocks as part of the wall in a protected staircase aprox 2m wide to ceiling height. There is no visible marking on the blocks for fire rating. The building is aprox 12 years old and should be built to building regs. Any advise please. Steve

I was filling a FRA report and came across an expression FLAT POSITION and the answer to select from is Basement, Ground Floor, 1st Floor, 2nd Floor. What does the expression flat position means? Thanks

In a circa 1987 five story block of older persons sheltered flats there are AOVs at the end of the corridors with OVs directly below them. As I understand it, current principle is the AOVs should only open on a fire floor to prevent ingress of smoke ventilated from a lower floor into a higher floor. Where there are OVs directly below the AOVs that are used for day-to-day ventilation and generally left open, this seems somewhat pointless. In these circumstances should the aspiration be for the OVs to be sealed / replaced by AOVs or is it the case that as the building was approved at the time of its construction it remains acceptable?

Hi there, I own a flat in an Edwardian property converted into two flats a long time ago (25+ years). There is a small communal area when you enter, and up high on your right is a cupboard containing the master fuses to the flats. There is no fuel source in the area and there is a smoke alarm fitted a metre from the cupboard. An FRA has said the cupboard needs to be replaced to a FD30S standard and our freeholder has got two quotes that are £2-£2.5k+VAT! Can you please advise whether this cupboard needs replacing?

Please can we ask for some steer on a subject relating to a block of flats we manage - we dont expect anyone to comment on the FRA's judgement, just whether or not you think Building Control should be involved in the final decision... Sorry if there is too much info here, but the situation we have is... 19 privately owned and occupied flats in a building which is ground floor + 7 upper floors and 1 basement. In addition, a roof space room houses water tanks and lift motor equipment. Single internal stairway - protected by FD30s doors at each level. Simultaneous evacuation adopted in 2017 - prior, was a 'stay put'. Communal alarm with AFD (smoke…

The following indicates that a fire door tested to BS 476-22 can no longer be accepted for an external fire door, i.e. a door which opens onto a balcony with a single direction of travel in a block of flats: https://www.robust-uk.com/new-ce-marking-regulations-for-external-fire-rated-doors/?utm_content=buffer85944&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer Is this correct? I can see no mention in the MHCLG guidance issued in 2020 of BS 476-22 not being a suitable standard for fire doors which open externally.

I work at a charity and they have matresses with bs7177:1996 labels on them. (Bought like 10years ago or something). I am wondering if the fire safety regulations on furnitures has been changed since? Are the matresses still considered to be safe to use? Or do I need to buy new ones? (It still works very fine) does bs7177:1996 label still meet the today’s regulation? If it does, I would like to know where I can find the information or something

I'm redecorating a Grade II Listed office building and have upgraded several doors with Envirograf intumescent coatings and seals, adding intumescent felt behind all ironmongery and ensuring the door closers work correctly. Being old, the hinges are heavily over-painted and probably non BS stamped (but you cannot see for sure). The hinges are all intact, firmly screwed in and have held the doors for decades. The FRA says they all need to be BS 1154 (I think he meant BS 1935) which would mean replacing over 100 hinges. I'm not replacing any of these doors with new ones, as they having some heritage value, so is it necessary to replace these working hinges? They n…

I have just read a FRA conducted at our care home. It says that BS 5831-1 recommends that the fire alarm is linked to an alarm monitoring station for the earliest summoning of the fire brigade. Being that the home is manned 24/7 is this now a requirement as I thought this was for monitoring unoccupied property mainly? Would a alarm monitoring station automatically contact the emergency services upon activation... if so would this in reality just be similar to a member of staff informing them that we have a fire alarm activation & are investigating the cause? Thanks in advance Tony

I live in a block of flats , 3 flats ground floor , 3 flats first floor . Electric meter cuboards are beside each flat door in communal area hallway . Meter cuboards aren’t supposed to be used for storage of things , due to fire risk however , is it ok if parcels are delivered there which remain there for short period of time there’s no other way to receive parcels food essentials My understanding is there needs to be some allowance for circumstances , such as removals people jamming fire doors open in order to be able to bring furniture in and out of properties during home removals for example , and the one given above .

Hi We own a a one bedroom retirement flat which has entrance hall. We want to replace four interior doors in the hall. 2 are fire doors. Is it necessary to replace the fire doors with the same ? DIY Tom

Hello all, We are about to start a project (as a principal contractor) which involves the erection of 3rd floor roof extensions to 9 terraced houses (privately owned), clad in zinc with timber and steel framework. The occupants (who are also the owners) will stay in their homes throughout the duration of the project. My question is whether we can carry out a FRA ourselves (it's normally done by one of our employees who's got NEBOSH fire safety management certificate) which we feel confident about, or do we legally require assistance from an external source as this project involves occupied buildings being under construction? Thank you

HI I am in process of selling a flat purpose built with one entrance and communal area, providing access to separate properties with own front doors Block is 3 stories high. Now buyer is insisting on a fire risk assessment report current within 5 years and any remedial work needed. Also how work would be paid for. Flat is leasehold. Is this a legal requirement and who is responsible for providing this information? Also how do you get a report. any information would be great. Thanks Julie.

Hi all, I signed up today after lurking around this forum for the great info it's provided as I have a question A brief summary: I've been helping a professional with documentation and other on-site efficiency for the FRAs of a property management company's properties for the last few years. This company has started conducting their weekly fire tests and has just appointed me as the responsible person for the weekly tests of all their properties. I'm used to most systems now, but as I understood it, the only requirement was to set off alternating red MCPs for the weekly check. However I came across one property with no red MCPs, and instead these orange Smoke Ve…

Hello, I own a share of the freehold and live in one of three owner occupied flats in a converted Victorian building. We don't have a management company and arrange any maintenance etc amongst ourselves. I'm currently selling and my buyer's solicitor requested a fire risk assessment and asbestos check of the shared common areas, which was conducted last week. The level of tolerance towards hazards from fire was found to be low and consequences for life safety in the event of fire levelled at slight harm. The report detailed a number of requirements ranging from smoke detector testing and recording in a fire log book to the installation of emergency lighting,…

Hi, we have a quick question regarding a new restaurant we are managing for a client. fairly small with each floor level approximately 250-300sqm. Ground and basement only. Mixed purpose groups above (offices and some flats higher up). Kitchen is at rear of ground floor. Client wants open servery. Basement is served with single stairway only. Once at the top of stairs, customers have to head towards front entrance / exit doorway which leads to high street. Distance from top of stairway and the wall / door / servery to kitchen will be approximately 3-4m. Looking at L2 fire alarm systems. Glass smoke vents to basement at pavement level. L…

I have inspected a high rise recently and noted the dry riser is located in a corridor (albeit protected) and not the landing lobby (which in contrast has a much larger area for firefighting operations and Bridgehead set up. Current location would impede potential evacuees(whilst FRS operations ensue) with the flats that egress onto the corridor and there is potential for some smoke transfer to the said corridor. ADB states preference for dry riser outlets to be sited in protected lobbies or stairways but doesn’t go as far to say they can’t be in corridors if they’re protected. Anybody got any views on this??

I’ve come across quite a few small blocks of general needs flats (G-2) approx 6 flats. Where they’ve been built for stay put with a Grade D1 in place in each flat (not linked between flats) and a separate communal fire alarm in the communal lobby, stairs, corridors areas etc. Im of the opinion that general needs blocks designed to support a ‘stay put’ policy, it is unnecessary and undesirable for a fire alarm system to be provided. A communal fire detection and alarm system will inevitably lead to a proliferation of false alarms. This will impose a burden on fire and rescue services and lead to residents ignoring warnings of genuine fires. Communal Fire detection m…

Can anyone tell me if there is any specialised guidance for carrying out an assessment in a large Grade 1 Listed Building that is open to the public...I have GN80 and also large places of assembly for reference at the moment?

I own a flat with shared access front door and pay an annual service charge, I have been told I need a smoke alarm linked from inside to the outside (exit door) of the flat,that is at the top of a stair well, what I want to know is am I responsible for the alarm at the top of the stairwell? Or is my management company responsible?