Fire Risk Assessments

Hi All John here! Writing here as we speak to so many Fire Risk Assessors on a daily basis and keep getting conflicting advice. So, We are Fire door installers and do all remedial works etc and most clients want us to do the work and certify the doors afterwards which we can do as we're qualified for that too but... The issue is, we can fit a new fire door with all the bells and whistles to make it compliant but is that enough to sign it off afterwards? in our training it says 'preferably' it's best to change the door lining but as long as the new door is compliant it should be fine and it's down to us to take the responsibility in the long run.…

A basement end passageway has a resident flat. The flat entrance is a final exit door onto an exterior escape route (the outside) so doesn't have to be a fire door. Directly opposite that flat door (no more than three feet) is a riser room under the above pavement which contains electrical meters/cables etc. This riser room door vents to the outside so does not have to have a fire rating. My issue is - despite the correct calls from the fire safety assessment - that the resident must surely have their safety compromised should there be an outbreak of heat/smoke/fire from the riser area. The escape route is compromised and the resident and their property are vulnerable at …

I have recently been asked a question by a bar/restaurant, and they have been told they can only have 60 persons, when originally it was 100. I am reading contradicting guides or not showing information I require. The premise, · 3 Interconnecting rooms with no door’s large openings with a central open plan kitchen. · Exits Front Open Inward 850mm from restaurant · Exit Rear Open Inward 850mm from restaurant · Central – Open outwards but you are required to pass through Prep room, that at present has 1 small electric hob and small storage. If I disregard the Prep Room Exit – as it is a prep room, I …

We own an apartment in a house converted in into five apartments in 2000. From reading your information we are not an HMO and only the communal areas are subject to Fire Regulations. Am I also correct that we do not legally require a fire safety assessment? Our Management Company has informed us this was needed and it has been carried out. One outcome is the recommendation of installing a fire alarm. Am I correct that neither is required by law?

Hi, I have a 2 storey mixed-use premises, consisting of a commercial unit (takeaway) on the ground floor and single residential unit (1 bed flat) on the first floor. There are no common area and separate entrances to both units. I am aware that I require a commercial FRA for the takeaway downstairs, but I am unsure as to whether I require a residential FRA for the flat as there are no common areas and both have separate entrances. I understand that the Fire Safety Act 2021 states that an FRA is required for building containing two or more dwellings, regardless of whether there are common area or not, but does not mention mixed-use in this way. Basically, d…

If I’m on the 3rd floor (top floor) and my kitchen window opens onto a public landing leading to a residence either side (I am the only flat that has a kitchen window situated in the shared landing area) with the only internal staircase opposite my front door, and no other exit other than through my front room (which cuts off every other exit should I have a fire), what should I do and is this legal/safe?

Have a number of simple one up one down properties that I am carrying out FRAs for. The gas meters are stored in a cupboard within the communal area. These cupboards do not have ventilation or door signage ie Gas meters keep shut. I have recommended a vent is added to the cupboard preferably to the outside also signage added. Unable to find any regs etc mentioning the need for signage, can anyone assist with this? The buildings were building 1965

We live (and are co-freeholders) of a 2 storey Victorian building that comprises 2 flats; one upstairs and one downstairs, with a small communal hallway at ground level (1x3m) which contains both flat entrance doors. The building was converted long before 1991. The FRA recommends a simultaneous evacuation strategy with Grade D2 LD2 alarms: The premise is recommended to have installed a Fire Alarm System installed meeting BS5839-6 designed to Category Grade D2 LD2, as per LACORS. Grade D2 - A System of mains powered detectors with user-replaceable batteries. Category LD2: a system incorporating detectors in all circulation areas that form part of the es…

Our recent fire risk assessment says we need a fire-resistant enclosure around the communal electrical distribution board. BS 7671 compliant. The issue is that the board runs right up to the ceiling, so there’s no vertical space above it, and there’s also a very thick incoming cable entering from the floor at the bottom. So a simple overbox won't do. We initially thought about building a box around it, but read that using MDF (or standard timber) wouldn’t meet fire-resistance requirements? What’s the usual or accepted way to enclose something like this when there’s no space above?

We are in a converted house with two flats (one upstairs, one downstairs) and a small shared communal hallway (less than 2m²). The FRA indicated that we need to install mains powered fire alarm, Grade D Category LD2 with a connected heat detector in each flat.However, I’m struggling to find clear guidance that a communal alarm is required at all in a small two-flat conversion, as I understand these are usually designed as “stay put” buildings with alarms only inside the flats. Can anyone clarify whether a communal alarm system is legally required? We will be installing fire doors if that helps. In addition, if it is required, does this mean the alarms inside the flat…

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Can anyone please let me know which fire safety guidance applies to such an establishment? I have looked at DCLG documents such as residential care, nursing homes and sleeping accommodation but these do not appear to be relevant. Not sure that Specialised Housing is appropriate either. As mentioned staff are there 24/7 and sleep there. Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks

Hello there I am helping with a licensed event feasibility study and am trying to calculate the safe capacity of the venue. This will help determine if the event is financially viable. The room proposed is approx. 700sqm and located on the lower ground floor of a former high street shop. The lower ground floor has one 1900mm final exit door and one 750mm final exit door, both lead directly outside; both doors are relatively close to each other along the same side of the room There are two more 750mm exits which lead upstairs, where there is one 1900mm and one 750mm final exit doors, both again lead directly outside. I am veering towards a safe capac…

Has anyone come across a situation whereby they have encountered unenclosed electrical meters and their associated electrical wiring in the common stairway enclosures serving domestic dwelling flats? If so would they consider enclosing such installations and why? The stairway enclosures in which the installations are located have no form of ventilation to fresh air.

Is there any reference in the FSO that you educated people could point me towards that - Pacifically says that separate blocks/properties require separate FRAs. I’ve encountered a housing association that will ask for one FRA for two separate addressable blocks which are semi detached but have their own entrances and exits with their own addresses.

Hi, Apologies if this isn't posted in the correct place. I am currently selling my flat. It is a one bedroom ground floor in an old converted building with it's own entrance. My buyers solicitor is telling my solicitor I need to agree to install "an FD30S and provided with intumescent strips, cold smoke seals and a self-closing device, mounted on three fire rated BS 1935 hinges". My query is that my flat door does not connect to any common areas. It goes directly to the outside on the ground floor. There are no other flat entrance doors near mine. Is it a legal requirement to have my door changed before I can sell the property or not? I don't really want to spe…

Hi- I appear to have come across a classic bit of poor interdepartmental referencing and archiving. Approved Document B Volume 2 states: "Prisons provided under section 33 of the Prisons Act 1952 0.15 Prisons are exempted from the functional requirements of Parts B1 to B5 of the Building Regulations under section 33 of the Prisons Act 1952. It is usual that prisons should comply with the fire safety requirements of the Building Regulations, except where the requirements are incompatible with safe custody, good order or security. HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) provides guidance documents on fire precautions in prisons, which take account of the public sa…

Hi Please can we ask someone for their advice... We have a fire service access control mechanism (drop-key) fitted to the gate of a school we look after. Does anyone know how often they should be tested by the school and serviced by an engineer? Also, does anyone know the correct British Standard for these devices (we were told it was BS7273-4)?

First of all, thank you in advance for your responses. I would greatly appreciate your expert suggestions or experiences on this matter. We are renovating the ground floor of our 1930s three-story house. The house already has a loft conversion, which we are not altering. The council is objecting to our proposal and is requiring us to add a wall that we had removed to create an open-plan design—this was a key aspect of our renovation. To be specific, we have an open-plan kitchen/living room that is connected to the rest of the house via the stairs. We plan to install a sprinkler system throughout the ground floor, fire-rated (FD30) doors for all bedrooms, an…

Current legislation requires freeholders or their appointed managers to carry out fire safety audits of blocks of flats. These audits commonly find that front doors to flats are not compliant with current Building Regulations. However, building regulations only apply to new buildings. Is there any legislation which confirms a duty upon leaseholders to upgrade the front doors of the flats, if they do not meet current standards?

Hi, I own the freehold to a 3 storey house converted into 3 flats. The lower flat has a separate entrance. The upper 2 flats share a front door and hallway but no shared stairwell - does this property require a Fire Risk Assessment? Thanks

Hello, I hope someone can assist. Is there a definitive answer of how many FRA's are required for a building comprising: Building is owned by one person. Large RENTAL retail unit on the ground floor with independent escape routes. Rented out by the building owner. 10 flats on the upper floors with independent escape routes. Rented out by the building owner. Is it three FRA's? One for the flats communal areas One for the commercial One for the entire building Or is it two? One for the flats communal areas One for the commercial Or is it something else?? Thanks for reading this far!

What’s everyone’s thoughts? 4 storey block of flats, one escape stairs, all flat entrance doors open onto an external open walkway, all doors and windows are uVPC, walkway width is 1.2 meters should all doors be FD 30 fire doors and glazing FR30?

We have recently had a FRA on a single staircase over 11m (but below18m) block of flats. We are told the sounders need to be removed for a 'stay put' strategy but smoke detectors retained. Q : do we need to replace domestic twin & earth cabling to these detectors with fire proof/resistant wiring ? Q : is there a legal requirement for an AOV or can we convert to a MOV ? Q : is there a legal requirement for signage in this single staircase, single exit, less than 9m run scenario ? Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

Hello a recent fire risk assessment requires fire seals around individual apartment exit doors and 3 hinges,in a purpose built block of apartments 3 and 4 storey high,do the seals need to be both smoke and intumescent or just intumescent seals,and is it the managing agent or the apartment owner liable for the cost of fitting Also the electricity meter boxes are situated in fibre glass fronted boxes on the landings on escape routes,i can understand these being replaced with fire proof ones as meters do seem to catch fire quite often, in fact a neighbour was re-homed after her meter caught fire in her old house. Again who is responsible for the replacement cost…