Fire safety is of paramount importance in the United Kingdom, and ensuring the safety of building occupants in case of fire is a legal requirement. One of the key ways to ensure fire safety is by conducting a fire risk assessment.
PlanRadar’s digital fire safety software assists with fire safety measures, such as fire risk assessments, and allows fire safety personnel, such as fire engineers, to implement fire safety regulations and keep buildings or structures safe from fire risks.
1. What is a Fire Risk Assessment?
2. Types of Fire Risk Assessments
3. What is reviewed as part of a Fire Risk Assessment?
4. Who is responsible for completing a Fire Risk Assessment?
5. Where does PlanRadar come in?
What is a Fire Risk Assessment?
A fire risk assessment in construction is a process that aims to identify and evaluate potential fire hazards in a building or part of a building under construction. The goal is to ensure that the building is designed and built to minimize the risk of fire and protect the safety of the people who will use the building.
Examples of fire hazards that may be identified during a fire risk assessment include:
- Flammable materials being used in the building’s construction
- Insufficient fire exits or poor layout of exits
- Lack of fire sprinklers or other fire protection systems
- Poorly-maintained electrical wiring
- Lack of proper fire-stopping in walls and partitions
All commercial and residential buildings and common parts of buildings are subject to fire risk assessments in the UK. Building owners and managers have legal obligations to carry out and keep up-to-date fire risk assessments and to take actions to reduce or eliminate identified fire risks.
Related reading: Find out how PlanRadar can help you weave the Golden Thread into your fire safety
Types of Fire Risk Assessments
The current guidance endorsed by the Fire England ‘Fire Safety in Purpose Built Blocks of Flats,’ issued by The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in 2012 (and due to be updated in 2023), identifies 4 types of Fire Risk Assessments.
|
Type of Assessment |
Areas Examined |
Invasiveness |
|
Type 1 Fire Risk Assessment: Common parts only (non-destructive) |
Common areas |
Non-invasive |
|
Type 2 Fire Risk Assessment: Common parts only (destructive) |
Common areas |
Invasive |
|
Type 3 Fire Risk Assessment: Common parts and flats (non-destructive) |
Common areas and flats/apartments |
Non-invasive |
|
Type 4 Fire Risk Assessment: Common parts and flats (destructive) |
Common areas and flats/apartments |
Invasive |
Type 1 Fire Risk Assessment: Common Parts Only (Non-destructive)
This type of fire risk assessment focuses on identifying potential fire hazards in the common areas of a building, such as hallways, stairwells, and lobbies. The assessment is non-destructive, meaning it does not involve any damage or alteration to the building’s structure or systems.
It includes examining the building’s fire protection systems, such as smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, and emergency lighting. Recommendations are made for necessary improvements to the building’s fire safety systems and procedures.
Type 2 Fire Risk Assessment: Common Parts Only (Destructive)
This type of assessment is similar to the Type 1 assessment but involves a more invasive examination of the building’s systems and structure. The assessment may include drilling holes or removing wall coverings to examine the building’s fire protection systems and structural integrity. It is more thorough, but it may cause some damage to the building.
Type 3 Fire Risk Assessment: Common Parts and Flats (Non-destructive)
This type of assessment is similar to the Type 1 assessment, but it also includes examining the flats or apartments in the building. The assessment identifies potential fire hazards in the common areas and the individual flats. It is non-destructive, meaning it does not involve any damage or alteration to the building’s structure or systems.
Type 4 Fire Risk Assessment: Common Parts and Flats (Destructive)
This type of assessment is similar to the Type 3 assessment but involves a more invasive examination of the building’s systems and structure.
Type 4 assessment may include drilling holes or removing wall coverings to examine the building’s fire protection systems and structural integrity in the flats and common areas. It is more thorough, but it may cause some damage to the building.
Recommended: How PlanRadar can bring efficiency to your Fire Surveys and Inspections
PlanRadar is a really intuitive piece of software. It’s easy-to-use, you can expedite survey work and be able to provide real time progress with our client base.
What is reviewed as part of a Fire Risk Assessment?
A fire risk assessment is a comprehensive evaluation of the fire safety of a building. The assessment is designed to identify potential fire hazards and to evaluate the effectiveness of the building’s fire protection systems and procedures.
During a fire risk assessment, the following elements are typically reviewed:
- Fire hazards: The assessor will identify any ignition, fuel, and oxygen sources that could contribute to a fire starting or spreading. This includes flammable materials, electrical equipment, and heating systems.
- Means of escape: The assessor will evaluate the building’s fire exits and evacuation routes to ensure they are adequate, easy to access, clearly signposted, and not blocked.
- Fire detection and warning systems: The assessor will evaluate the building’s fire alarms, smoke detectors, and other fire detection systems to ensure that they are working properly and can promptly alert occupants to a fire.
- Firefighting equipment: The assessor will evaluate the building’s fire extinguishers, hose reels, and other firefighting equipment to ensure they are in good condition and are easily accessible.
- Emergency lighting: The assessor will evaluate the building’s emergency lighting to ensure that it is working properly and can guide occupants to safety in the event of a power failure.
- Maintenance: The assessor will evaluate the building’s maintenance program, to ensure that it is adequate and that all the fire safety systems and equipment are being properly maintained
- Fire safety management: The assessor will evaluate the building’s fire safety management plan, including procedures for evacuation, staff training, and fire drills.
- Staff responsibilities: The assessor will evaluate the building’s staff training, responsibilities, and procedures to ensure that they are adequate and can respond in case of a fire.
The fire risk assessment report will include recommendations for necessary improvements to the building’s fire safety systems and procedures. The responsible person must act on these recommendations and keep a record of the fire risk assessment and any action taken.
Related reading: 5 ways PlanRadar can help you achieve a Golden Thread in fire safety
Who is responsible for completing a Fire Risk Assessment?
In the United Kingdom, the responsibility for conducting a fire risk assessment for a building falls on the “responsible person” as defined by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. The responsible person can be the employer, owner, landlord, or anyone who controls the premises, such as a managing agent.
The responsible person must ensure that a fire risk assessment is conducted for the building and that any identified hazards are eliminated or controlled. The assessment must be reviewed regularly and updated to ensure that it remains valid and that any new hazards are identified and addressed.
The responsible person is also required to keep a record of the fire risk assessment and provide it to the enforcing authority (usually the fire and rescue service) on request.
It is important to note that fire risk assessment should be carried out by a competent person, meaning someone who has the necessary knowledge, experience, and qualifications to carry out the assessment and identify fire hazards and risks. A competent person can be an internal employee or an external professional, such as a fire safety consultant.
Where does PlanRadar come in?
PlanRadar is a customisable fire safety software used by leading fire engineers and consultants in the UK and Europe. It is compliant with the UK’s fire doors building regulations.
It allows you to use current fire risk assessment forms to ensure that all your projects adhere to the latest fire safety regulations. For future reference and insurance claims, you can keep a copy of every fire safety document safely stored in the cloud. Find out more about our fire inspection checklist templates.
We currently have more than 120,000 users in over 65 countries. Users can access key information and regularly updated reports in seconds, from any device!
Book a demo or start your free trial of PlanRadar’s fire safety software today.
Webinar: How to transform fire door inspections with digital technology
Register for our webinar today. Date: 31st August, 1pm
Register for our Fire Door webinar today
Find out how PlanRadar can transform your fire door inspections
31/08/23, 1pm
