The importance of fire safety has been at the forefront of the public’s and industry’s consciousness following the devastating Grenfell Tower tragedy. The Hackett review, as well as the enhanced media scrutiny on the subject, has rightly resulted in a far more comprehensive assessment of fire safety measures and processes.
We have outlined a number of fire safety requirements that are sometimes unwittingly overlooked by those that are responsible for estates and facilities.
Fire risk assessments and compartmentation plans are required for all properties and keeping them up to date and fit for purpose is essential.
Scott Barlow, our Director of Building Surveying, said: “It is important to reduce the confusion that currently exists when it comes to fire knowledge and more specifically fire risk assessments. Property managers need to be aware of their ongoing responsibilities.
“A property’s fire risk assessment should be a live document which is checked on a regular basis. If any alterations are made to a property, the assessment should be reviewed. Often we find that this is not being done.
“In the event of an incident, building insurers will always look at how a fire has spread so it’s vital that plans are up to date and fit for purpose.
“In hospitals – because patients can’t be moved too quickly – fire safety and compartmentation plans will often be zonal, preventing the spread of fire and loss of life. Where the plan isn’t available it is often a challenge to establish how the building was originally designed and zoned. Particularly if it’s an old building where the original strategy is unknown. We’re quite often asked it we can put together a fire safety plan retrospectively, but that is very difficult.
The role of the property manager is vitally important in relation to the overall fire safety of a building. There are many factors to consider which could affect the fire safety of a property, including work carried out by external tradespeople.
Scott continued: “Unsupervised contractors can sometimes damage fire barriers – something as simple as running IT cables through a ceiling or a wall for example can have a significant impact. The property manager should be aware of their responsibilities and should manage these situations to ensure all work is completed correctly.
Fire doors are an integral part of a property’s fire risk protection and general safety. They are often downgraded when specified or neglected during their service life. It is important to ensure that the correct installation and maintenance is carried out to properly guarantee their performance.
Scott added: “We see many examples of poorly installed fire doors. The measurements only need to be a few millimetres out to make the door ineffective and negate the presence of an intumescent strip.