Fire Risk Assessments

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?

Hello, I live in a 3storey purpose built block of apartments (15years old) with 4 apartments and lower ground floor internal garages. We are wanting to construct two internal garage doors to two garages located away from secondary fire escape on the lower ground floor. They would be a minimum of 6metrs away from the fire escape and would present no obstacles to the escape route. The main fire escape is on the ground floor. Can you please advise if the fire reulations would allow this to be constructed.? We alread have a fully integrated fire alarm system with smoke alarms in the area for door construction.Thanks Bruce

I am on a residential management committee for a block of 9 flats ,3 at ground ,3 at 1st and 3 at 2 floor.We have 2 entrances to the block and all flats have their own fire doors to the communal areas ie stairs.We have smoke alarms on the 3 levels albeit not connected together.Will we require independent fire risk assessment or can we self assess..? If so what documents are required.

Hello I wondered if someone could advise me. We are trying to sell our flat. We got a certified company to do our fire risk assessment for our common area (hallway and stairs) in our property which is a house converted into 3 flats. Can we get anybody to complete the actions or even do it ourselves? We know exactly what needs doing. Thanks

I’m selling a leasehold purpose built first floor maisonette with its own external front door. The front door to the ground floor flat is next to it and we share the use of a covered brick and stone porch area. This is used by us, visitors, postman, delivery services etc. My buyers’ solicitors have requested an FRA for any communal space, (which is only the porch). I gather I can do this myself (as a ‘competent person’), but there’s so little to report I’m not sure how to present this to them. The sample templates I’ve found are all applicable to communal areas inside properties, not outside. The management company for the freeholder doesn’t service the proper…

I understand the responsible person for a business or workplace may be the owner or person who has control but does it have to be a name, i.e J. Bloggs, or can it be a company name or title as in office manager or director, where there may be several different persons doing the same role. Also can it be a management company or freehold company for flat owner/occupiers or does one of the residents have to put their name to the risk assessment. My reason for asking is, can the enforcing authority take a management company/business to court or does it need to be an individual. I am finding that, especially for communal areas, the residents are asking for either …

We manage a few properties on behalf of a landlord - this query relates to a commercial property occupied by a single tenant for Office purposes. The tenant occupies 100% of the building. No shared or sub-let parts. As there are no common areas, does the Landlord need to arrange a FRA for anything, or should the tenant be responsible for this entirely?

Where do you draw the conclusion if a property needs separate FRA’s? For example residential blocks not connected by MOE, own ingress and egress but managed and connected by the same AFD. Some clients insist on separate FRA’s whilst some want one to cover all for overall reference and autonomy. Thoughts greatly received.

Hi, I was looking around a premises last week and found there to be an oil fired boiler at the bottom of stairs from a mezzanine floor. It is also being used as a kitchen point; microwave, kettle etc. There is only one escape route in that part of the building. Would I be correct in suggesting they need some form of fire resisting construction enclosing the boiler in order to protect the escape route? Re siting the stairs is not an option! Look forward to (sensible) replies Thanks