Fire Risk Assessments

Hi, I'm a leaseholder in a terraced building with 2 flats - ground floor and first floor. I have a fire door inspection next month and wanted some advice in advance. Because there is a very small "communual area" entrance hall (1.5m x 1m) and a shared front door, both flats need to have fire doors. Both flats do already have rated fire doors. The ground floor flat has a door that opens inwards with an automatic closer. My flat is the first floor flat, where the door to the flat opens directly onto a staircase, and so this door opens outwards. This, to me, poses an issue for my door having an automatic closer. There cannot be one on the inside as it would po…

I am after some guidance currently available regarding the charging of Ebike and Escooter (as a mean of transport by staff) within a workplace and the impact it should have on the FRA. Is there any guidelines for the responsible person or whoever complete the FRA on their behalf? Thank you F

Should toilets/toilet lobbies be included in compartmentation lines on drawings in dead end situations?? I understand they are no immediate fire risk, however my concern would be occupiers of the toilet being offered the same level of protection for those in adjacent rooms if excluded? Cheers

Evening All, I have just had an FRA for the communal area in our converted house. Its a 4 storey house with 3 flats each sharing an entrance way through the main front door. Most of the recommendations are easy to understand but im struggling with the following parts - can anyone offer advice? Secondly - are these requirements something that has to be done or advisories? Obviously we bought the flat about 10 years ago and none of this ever came up - is it that new or is it just advice? The electrics cupboard in the hallway requires upgrading to be 30-minutes fire resisting. It must also be fitted with a lock to lock it shut. It must have comb…

A question for fire risk assessors. Both of these properties have two or more residences. The external walls are masonry but there is some decorative cladding. How concerned should I be in light of the requirements for external wall consideration in the fire risk assessment.

Hi When deciding on simultaneous or stay put strategies in blocks of flats risk assessors seem to decide based on whether the building was built to current building regulations. What year would a conversion be acceptable as being built under current building regulations, and so suitable for stay put?

I understand that blocks of flats with common parts should have fire risk assessments, and this was clarified earlier in 2023, but building owners are still arguing that this only applies to enclosed common parts, and doesn't apply to first floor flats where flat doors open onto a balcony walkway and staircase is open air. Can you point me to an official statement that clarifies this. Thanks

🙂 I need some advice on a topic that may affect quite a few people with the same issue. It is regarding the change that the UK has made towards air conditioners that use a propane based refrigerant, R290, and whether this is safe to use in an environment with minimal air flow? I run a rehearsal studio for local bands to play in, and for the sake of soundproofing all of the windows are bricked up, and we have built a "room within the room", where we leave an gap of about 18 inches from the outside of the room, and then build a new internal room from industrial cinder blocks. As a result the thermal insulation is incredibly high, so we have air conditioners that …

Hi. If a gym is located on a farm who would be responsible for the fore risk assessment? The landlord or the occupier of the gym? the gym neighbours a car mechanic I've looked in the RRO but is a bit ambiguous. Cheers

Dwellings converted for supported housing (low and high risk) under NFCC Guidance. Single occupancy resident with 24hr carer. Does this fall under the FSO?

Hi. Would I need to do a Fire Risk Assessment for my home-based beauty clinic that I run from my detached garage at the bottom of my garden? It's just me, no staff. Thanks for your help.

Hi, I am after some help and advice please. My Mum lives in sheltered accommodation with a warden and intercom system. In May she had a fire in her flat. It started in the kitchen. A neighbour saw smoke coming from underneath her front door and alerted the fire brigade through the communal intercom. I have a copy of the call log. When I raised a complaint with the housing group they said an alarm did go off and alerted the fire brigade. The alarm is one heat detector in the hall way above his front door. This alerted the alarm in the communal hallway. Am I right in thinking that she should of had hard wired smoke alarms fitted in the l…

Question, two storey (or three for that matter) small sleeping accommodation block. The lighting in the common area will be maintained, however, if its not illuminated in the day time (enough borrowed light) is it on a timer? and if so how do you know if its works (EL test records would show that, if available, I presume.) I know non-maintained are easier to recognise by their charging light.

Hi there, I've had an FRA completed for a residential premises - 4 storey 'townhouse' dwelling converted dwelling into 4 flats. The building has a fully operational fire alarm system, but the assessor has stated: The fitted alarm system is out of date for the premises. • There is only 1 SD head in the common parts. • The premises requires a Grade A LD2 fire alarms system (mixed) compliant with BS5389 pt. 6 • Flats should be fitted with Grade D L3 detection in compliance with BS5389 pt.6 Would this be a legal requirement as I can't see why the existing alarm system is not fit for purpose? Seems like an unneccesary expense for the…

I look after some holiday lets, and with the new regulations coming out affecting holiday homes, they say that all doors on the escape route should be "notional fire doors". My understanding is that this means the doors should be of a standard that was thought to be fire doors at the time of construction, but several of these houses are over 100 years old, and still have the original doors. At that time fire doors weren't really a thing, so how does that apply? I also have a couple of newer houses that have solid doors, but no intumescent strips, which at the time were fitted to meet the building regs requirement for FD20 doors. Do these now need fire and smoke sea…

A person with severe learning disabilities refuses to move when the fire alarm actuates so staff close the bedroom door and leave the person there due to the fire resistance of the door, is this acceptable in a real fire situation? This is what the support workers have been instructed to do by management. Advise appreciated

Will a 1930,s block of purpose-built flats with 5 flats per floor over 3 floors that are above commercial premises need to have fire doors to each flat entrance. The building in total is over 11 meters but under 18 meters high. Thank you

I would like clarification on the differences of Fire safety requirements for having 1 to 2 lodgers in your own home, or having Airbnb 1-2 guests staying in your own home please? Is my understanding correct that Fire doors are not required when having lodgers but they are required when doing Airbnb? Thank you

Should and are a FRA be available to all residents in a multi occupancy block of flats, by asking the Leaseholder,or should each flat owner be given a copy as well as all new flat owners who move in. Also should all residents be advised of any work required to make the flats/building conform to the FRA.

Hi. Can anyone tell me if a 3 story holiday let is classed as a small premises or a large one? It is mid-terraced and has living accommodation on the ground floor, 2 bedrooms on the first floor, and 2 bedrooms on the second floor. It can hold up to 9 people at any one time. Thank you.

I have a flat in a block under 11m in height. They were built in 2003 and have fire doors and hinges but they are unmarked. Does the new safety legislation require them to be replaced?

Hi, apologies if I've already posted this topic, but my draft appears to have been wiped somehow. 1970s PB block of flats with two entrances to the outside street and rear. Approx 3 Flats on each floor to a communal landing and one exit staircase, no balconies nor second stairs or fire escapes. 3 storey but height difference due to unusual site. Flat roof. Managed block for owners but some flats are rented out. Plenty of fire notices on ground floor communal entrance which is a key lock (same lock for rear as well). However, what is a major concern for a rental is that the flat in question appears to flout all regs. I can't find specific absolute definitiv…

I live in a retirement living its a block of 27 flats in the the door frame were the seal is has been painted over is this illegal

Hi All Does a shop always need a commercial fire alarm system? I visited a large retail shop today with a domestic system fitted with some detectors on the ceiling 20ft high….how can these be tested? There were fire action notices stating to activate the alarm but there were no manual call points fitted to activate. Can a part 6 system be used in a large retail space instead of a part 1 system?

Reading Lacors it states that a six storey converted premise into self contained flats should have fire resisting doors across the stairway between, fourth and fifth and first and second. The premise I've inspected has flats (FD30s) opening directly onto a stairway with an AOV (head of stair) and no lobby or FD30s across stairway. The property is a converted Georgian townhouse (converted 1996) Basement (2 flats), Ground (2 flats), 1st (1 flat), 2nd (1 flat), 3rd -4th.(2 flats per floor). There is a secondary MOE on the first floor with FD30s to the neighbouring premise. Travel distance is 40m from top floor to ground exit/30m to cross corridor secondary MOE to neighbourin…