Fire Risk Assessments

Hi there, wondering if anyone could give me any advice, I recently converted my studio flat into a 1 bed which involved putting up a stud wall, replacing an existing window that was covered up with a new double glazed one, I also removed a doorway and door to create a more open plan hallway area/lounge. Have recently sold the flat, somehow throughout this whole process no one told me that I needed to get building regs approval (don't ask..), so have paid for regularisation/retrospective approval with my local council building control. Have been speaking to one of their people over the last few weeks sending pics of stuff etc and have an inspection in a few days time. Alth…

In a general needs property converted into flats with a communal fire alarm system (linked to heat detectors within the flats), a simultaneous evacuation strategy and no staff on site, is there a requirement to identify a specific assembly point on the fire action notice?

I work for a company and we own a complex of flats. In our last annual Fire risk assessment, we have been told we have to remove the class A fire Extinguisher from the stair well because of lack of training to residents. However they are only there to aid in escape, not to fight a fire. Is there any signage we can put up to negate the FRA or something?

BS5839 Pt 1 2017 requires a zone plan to be displayed at the all FA panels including slave panels. My question is, if the building is small with a single zone is there a requirement to display a zone plan? Reading BS5839 it does not state single zone FA systems are omitted from this requirement and I suppose a single zone plan would actually inform the fire service that an alarm actuation covers the whole building, which is useful from a search and rescue perspective.

Hello all First post, and it’s a lengthy one. I joined this forum especially to ask this, so please bear with me. It concerns a fire risk assessment, specifically on the type of fire extinguishers required. I'd like people to poke as many holes in this as possible, so do your worst. I’d like to thank in advance any and all who reply. Names of organisations omitted deliberately. I am a chemist, and work in a chemical analysis laboratory, related to law enforcement ? We have approximately 50 litres of solvents in the lab, mostly in 2.5 litre glass Winchester bottles, and appropriately stored in fire-resistant cabinets. (HSE guidance suggests 50 litres …

Hello all, I understand the role and responsibilities of a local fire authority fire officer and their powers but what about as an independent risk assessor. What are the implications of completing an inspection where you believe there is a risk to life. I.e chained and padlocked/ blocked fire exits. What can a risk assessor do, so that they can walk away with a clear conscience, if indeed they do walk away before rectifying the situation. You can obviously inform the responsible person verbally. Does it need a follow up e mail, before they get the report? Do you report to the local fire authority, but then are you in breach of GDPR or does that overrid…

Do we need to do a fire assessment in a house with converted flats due to the communal areas of stairs and hallways? Also do the solid wood front doors to each flat have to be FD30s with self-closers? The conversions were done post-war.

Hi, wondering if anybody could help please? My neighbours do no like our kitchen extractor and have covered the outside vent up with a wooden box. The wooden box is on their land in their front garden. I am concerned that this may be a fire hazard. Could somebody advise please? I have added an aerial photo from our upstairs window and a photo taken from our street. Thanks

In existing properties converted into flats with a simultaneous evacuation strategy, is there ever a requirement to sub-divide the roof void/loft space? For example, a four storey mid-terrace Victorian property converted into flats accessed via a single communal stairwell with two flats located at top floor level.

The ground floor storey of a modern purpose built block of flats is separate from the upper storeys. There is an external communal entrance door that leads to a corridor, at the end of which there is a door which leads to a flat lobby with entrance doors to three flats. There is a riser cupboard (with landlord's consumer unit and water pipes) within the entrance corridor and access panels to service duct/risers within the flat lobby. The flats do not have alternative external exits. Is there any guidance that applies to this scenario in relation to means of escape, travel distances, ventilation requirements etc? (for example, is it a case of adapting the guidance …

Hi, you have probably been asked this 1000 times, but I couldn't find an answer so here goes. I have been asked to assess the risk of permanently removing a fire door from an office. The office has a single point of access / egress, through said door, and no window. Once out of the door, turn left 3 meters or right 20 meters to get to Fire exits. The office is manned 24/7. Has the usual Fire detection systems. Fire sources would be from a small kitchen, electrical or paper. Kitchen and bins emptied at least daily. Kitchen generally clean and tidy and bins emptied daily. PAT and Fire System are well maintained. What should I be considering? If the door was…

Small, simple, single story building used as a takeaway, with a reception area for customers at main entrance and comercial kitchen with fire exit for kitchen staff. Approx 1000 - 1500sqft. Thoughts on fire warning/detection requirements within premises?

So, I understand the need for fire risk assessments under the RRO, and previously under the Workplace Regulations, but this is unprecedented times! I undertake FRAs as a sub-contractor, and the company I primarily work for is insisting this is covered under 'essential work' during the coronavirus outbreak, but I don't necessarily agree. If the premises (i.e. all premises were the RRO applies) does not have a FRA, it's no longer valid or there have been significant changes, affecting fire safety, then a FRA must be carried out - no question. However, if a FRA has been completed and is still 'valid', is it necessary to complete a review/new FRA for that premi…

Hi, Was wondering peoples views with regards fire wardens. A small business that has only 2 employees 5 - 10 people in the shop at one time, all on the ground floor? Do they need to be fire warden trained?

For 2 standalone maisonettes with an entry/exit via a single external metal staircase would a Fire Risk Assessment required? and if so, practically speaking, given the staircase itself is non-flammable what would an "assessment" entail?

For 2 standalone maisonettes with an entry/exit via a single external metal staircase would a Fire Risk Assessment required? and if so, practically speaking, given the staircase itself is non-flammable what would an "assessment" entail?

Hello Experts I should like your opinions on something if you wouldn`t mind, scenario is: 3 storey build, a house that has disabled living in with full time sleep in carers, so as you would expect, full lighting, alarms, signage, compartmentation etc, however, Top floor is a flat that has an alternative exit of Iron stairs, said stairs pass 2 large windows of 2nd and ground floor, Would you expect the glass of those windows to be Fire resistive to counteract any flame/heat radiating out across stairs from fire below ? Thank you

Hi, I am looking for some feedback please. I am one of two leaseholders who share a communal entrance to our residential flats. A couple of years ago a builder friend of the freeholders managing agent carried out a FRA on the communal area. The same builder has been back recently to do some work on the guttering and suddenly we are being told we have to upgrade the meter cupboard and have been asked to pay £1400 for the work needed to upgrade it. Our meters are in a large cupboard in the communal hallway that has concrete floor, walls and ceiling. Because there are only two flats there are only two electricity meters (modern smart meters) and two gas meters (…

I'm a leaseholder of a purpose-built block of 8 flats built in 1985. The current managing agent had a FRA carried out in July which seems highly dubious in its recommendations. It is a 3 storey block with a services riser shaft, where each access cupboard on ground/1st/2nd floors has a fire door. Leaseholders were misled in 2008 by a previous managing agent to have a communal fire alarm installed "to comply with new legislation". I have known for many years that this requirement was false. The alarm system has been depowered and non-operational since 2015. For some inexplicable reason, the assessor failed to notice that the alarm system was not operational (Ther…

Dear all, I write to kindly request some advice and/or guidance on what is the legal requirement when it comes to being the “competent person”. A few of my former clients (mainly small construction businesses) asked for my help with creating fire risk assessments (construction projects and a joinery workshop). I previously worked for a health and safety consultancy company (for 5 years) where I also dealt with fire safety management. Based on my experience and knowledge, I feel confident providing a full and adequate FRA, however I’d like to make sure it’s legally compliant for me to do that. I have 5 years of experience within health and safety in …

I have been a tenant in a block of four purpose-built flats run by Guinness Northern Counties Housing Assoc. I have just received a note (shoved through my door) from them demanding that we remove all articles from our communal areas as they constitute a fire risk. This would make sense if it referred to bulky items like bikes or prams - but this insists we immediately remove living plants and DOORMATS as well as pictures. In fact the few things that make our soulless entrance look ma little bit welcoming. Further If we do not remove them within a week they will be "collected and disposed of" this is apparently the edict of "an independent assessor" . How…

Hi Folks This photo is from a ceiling of a twenty year old home can't quite make out what kind of sensor it is, has anyone come across this before? Many thanks

We are carrying out work to bring firedoors up to standard, following a FRA, many of the hinges in this 10 year old apartment block have oil leaking from the hinges, mostly on corridor doors heavily used. Should we be changing these or are they okay ?

I'm working on a FRA in a 10 year old apartment block, various blocks maximum 6 floors high. Fire door upgrades, mostly reducing gaps on fd30 doors (120 number) when the door gaps cannot be achieved by fitting hinge packers we sometimes remove the mdf 18mm x 70mm architrave s to wedge the frame into position. We then seal the gap between the frame and the structure with intumisent mastic and fire batt if the gap is above 15mm. Should we be removing the opposite side architrave s and sealing from that side also. Then knowing that all of these frames has no fire stopping between the frames and structure, should we not be sealing every frame

We are carrying out work to bring firedoors up to standard, following a FRA, many of the fire door keep shut signs are 1950mm heigh, this has not been picked up on the FRA, should they not be at 1500mm to 1600mm eye level.