Fire Risk Assessments

I was called out by an owner of a maisonette who rents his property out to have a look at the fire detection within the property and make recommendations. Firstly I am not 100% conversant with fire alarms to be honest. There are a row of 5 maisonettes above a single storey library, access is via a rea staircase onto an open deck. The property was purpose built no roof voids and full compartmentation between library and flats and between flats exists. All internal doors are original fire doors with intumescent strips and seals to frames and perko closers which work! When the property was built back in 1992 a full fire alarm system was installed linking both the l…

We have three storey purpose built blocks of flats. One entrance and one stairwell with lobbied approach to flats. Built in the 90’s. There are 2 x AOVs which have gas canisters to open the AOVs in two of the blocks. These no longer work and cannot be tested. 3 of the other blocks, there are Velux windows (not AOVs). Would it be possible for these to be turned into openable Velux windows as opposed to AOVs or do they need to be AOVs? If they need to be AOVs do the other blocks need to be changed.

Good afternoon We want to have an open plan layout that combines the living area and stairs/hallway. The kitchen would be separate with it's own door. There is also a fire escape from the balcony off the kitchen to the ground floor courtyard at the back (not shown on the plans). The property is a flat covering the first, second and third floors of a victorian building. There's a separate ground floor flat below us. I've tried reading up on the fire regulations to see if this layout is possible, or whether we need to keep the hallway to separate the stairs from the living room. I've attached some plans (existing and proposed). Welcome any advice. T…

Hi All In a multi occupied premises consisting of multiple units rented out to individual businesses would you need compartmentation between each unit? And if so how many minutes? The purpose groups are 3 and 6. The units are not ancillary to each other and are totally independent businesses but share common escape routes and fire detection system. Many thanks.

Hi, Please can someone clarify if an empty commercial unit (small ground floor unit with residential accom above) requires a Fire Risk Assessment? I have received some conflicting advice- A local Fire Risk Assessor said it is required regardless of occupation (and quoted handsomely for the pleasure), as is a working and tested fire alarm(?!?) and that it says so in the legislation. I decided to speak to a friend of mine, who happens to be a retired fire officer, who said that it was a ridiculous suggestion and that a written FRA on an empty building isn't required under the Regulatory Reform Order. I have googled and tried to read through the RRO itself but it isnt…

Our 1st floor flat (built 1998 ) in block of 6 flats, had fire stopping survey carried out in 2023 by Managing Agents and stated that defects were found with flat front doors and communal doors and none met new fire safety regulations 2022. Initially we were advised by letter in September 2023 that Managing Agents were in discussions with original builders and were hopping they would cover some costs. In October I chased for an update and an email response stated "the site was developed with indadequate firestopping protection and discussions were taking place about necessary works and costs with original builders". Eight blocks of flats were covered under this au…

We have an attached annex converted 10 years ago which is now let out as a single let. It's ground floor, but part of our habitable accomodation is above, with standard plasterboard ceilings. Can we base on recommendations here having a grade D and ld2 be acceptable? Many thanks housing – fire safety | cieh https://www.cieh.org/media/1244/guidance-on-fire-safety-provisions-for-certain-types-of-existing-housing.pdf P47 Fire separation (see paragraph 19) 30 minutes fire resistance between flats throughout is the ideal, but on risk assessment there may be no requirement for additional fire-resisting separation between units providing walls a…

Fireangel have advised me that for grade D system, I only need one mains wired alarm and all other can be battery operated. I thought they all needed to be mains wired but they are adamant that this is the case. I informed them: It's for a single let rental . Kitchen lounge bathroom and 2 beds. They referred me to: https://www.fireangel.co.uk/british-standard-bs-5839-6-2019/ Grade D1. A system of one or more mains powered detectors, each with a tamper‑ ... Also will one smoke in hall, one in lounge and one heat detector in kitchen suffice for ld2? Any help much appreciated.

Forgive me, im posting this again. 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. I had one reply with diagram of a external stairs and the regulations that apply, but that doesn't answer my question. I still can't get the management company to do a FRA because they are arguing that only applies if the stairs are enclosed. Th…

S156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 has amended the FSO 2005 as of 1 October. I am interested in how people are addressing the new requirement at 21A 3(A) to: "give residents of the domestic premises comprehensible and relevant information about the relevant fire safety matters. The fire safety matter at 3(A) is "the risks to residents of the domestic premises identified by the risk assessment" I work with an organisation that provides supported housing and many of the tenants are vulnerable or have learning disabilities. I am concerned that a serious finding in an FRA that increased the assessed risk to say, substantial would cause undue alarm and…

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