AnthonyB

If it's empty for any significant period I will justify the non provision of equipment in the FRA and environmentally dispose of it. It is assessed on a case by case basis though and in some situations certain strategic provision may remain. If it's staying in place it needs to be serviced, so more often than not the client goes for removal and off I go with them. Insurers don't usually object but should be consulted.

Unlike earlier in the year there is no essential work only lockdown in England. Only specified sectors are forcibly closed and the others are expected to work, the only requirement being that where the job can be done from home it is. Covid does not stop fires occurring and whilst some RP's have postponed FRAs because of the reasons you cite others are keeping going with their program. Many are having to revise their FRA because of the Covid situation due to significant changes in the risk in the premises and the persons at risk resulting from measures to be COVID secure. If the premises are due a review, it should continue. If not then why would they do it even if there wasn't Covid? If you are in the ultra high risk group then there is a case for you not working and being able to claim the resultant benefits or seeing if you can be furloughed, if not then the contractual requirement to work (if there is work to be done) remains.

Instead of going through an Alarm Receiving Centre? Fire alarms haven't been directly connected to equipment in fire service control rooms for a very long time.

Normally bathrooms and toilets opening onto protected stairways do not require fire doors unless containing an additional fire risk (e.g. a boiler) - however current Building Regulations as applicable to dwellings don't have this clause in so arguably all the doors should be fire doors. As such as conversion requires Building Regulations approval (distinct from Planning Permission) then LABC or your Approved Inspector should have stated if the door needed changing or not and if they did not require it at the time (by a sensible interpretation of the guidance) then you are fine.

Simple answer - no. Breaches both fire and H&S legislation.

Do the flats not have means of escape windows? If modern then Approved Document B or BS9991 will have been used at the time of build.

No. To test awareness of other routes staff can be advised that a particular route is 'blocked' by fire (a situation anticipated in the Building Regulations when it comes to escape route provision) but it would be wrong to actually lock a route.

Both apply. BS8524 covers the design and installation of the curtain, BS EN1634 covers the fire and smoke tests that the curtain should be subject to and pass.

That's up to the Responsible Person and their FRA - plus Building Control if carrying out alterations.

They need to be trained appropriately to their expected role, which would include ensuring the safe evacuation of the store, however there is nothing to say this has to be an external course, training can be in house as long as it's adequate, particularly if a small lower risk business.

The full rated duration of the fittings - which these days is almost universally 3 hours.

If you don't need a key on the inside to open the door, which with a Yale night latch you don't, and it can't be snibbed shut, then it's fine on an existing building. It's only an issue if you need a key to get out, not to get in. If they wanted the upper floor to have extra privacy and security, then it's not an issue, the premises sound like they have gone through the s257 process by the fact of having the full communal alarm so were accepted as they are.

Are you in Scotland? That's the only area where there has been a change to the law. In the rest of the UK the law hasn't changed, only the British Standard for Residential Fire Alarms (BS5839-6:2019), which is not law and not retrospective. The let out flats still only need a Grade F LD3 system (battery only smoke alarm to the hall) although it would be best practice to be Grade D LD2 (mains & battery interlinked, hall, kitchen and principle habitable room) and if you have a rewire you will be upgraded to this standard. Owner occupied can do what they want (including having nothing) As for your specific situation, the system covering the flats with the common areas as required under s257 remains legal as there is no retrospective requirement to extend. The flats not on the common system should not need including if never on before as the assumption is they are suitably fire separated from the other part of the building so as not to have needed inclusion - they therefore only need self contained detection if let out and strongly advise self contained detection if owner occupied. Sounds like someone is trying to make a few quid! I can't be definitive without seeing the site, but even if (Unlikely) something needs adding it doesn't sound right the way they've said.

In most cases toilets do not require fire doors anyway and so single cubicle toilets of any type don't have self closers, larger ones have them more for ventilation control/privacy.

You are looking at the wrong register (there is more than one!) https://www.ifsm.org.uk/fra-registers/assessors/buck-anthony-charles/

I'm on the Nationally Accredited Fire Risk Assessors Register (NAFAR).

You will require Building Control approval for this work (it's not exempt as Building Regulations are not the same as Planning Permission & permitted development doesn't remove the requirement for Building Regulations compliance) As part of this a fire door will be required for Part B compliance, not sure about the step, will depend on the change of level and comes under Part M.

Yes, as long as they are owner occupiers it wouldn't be an issue as long as they accepted the risk as it would only be raised if they were doing further alterations under Building Regulations.

No, only use the manufacturer's approved anti freeze agent in the correct amount otherwise you invalidate all warranties and more importantly could degrade the foam removing it's class B capability.

As above. The FRAs would have to consider the effect of a fire in the shop on the ceiling separating it from the flats as well as it's effect on the ability to use the stair.

The version of building regulations in force at the time of build is here: https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20141202130432/http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/BR_PDF_ADB_2000.pdf Older version of ADB required self closers in flats & certain houses, however the current approach is such that you no longer need them to the stair. However on all levels you must retain the fire doors. If you wish to sell your house without hitting problems you need to refix the missing doors, but not the self closers

The attached image summarises the guidance.

Yes!

Powder and gaseous extinguishing agents are generally accepted as non conductive on all voltages - liquid based agents have also been tested to high voltage (35,000V) but in practice are marked for up to 1000V to give safety margin.

Check with BWF/Certifire & BM TRADA who operate the certification schemes - they should be able to advise if certification is current.