FAQs-Fire Risk Assessment-

FAQs-Fire Alarm and Detection Systems

FAQs-Fire Door Surveys

FAQs-Emergency Lighting

  • By law all business premises and blocks of flats must have a Fire Risk Assessment. This is inclusive of dwellings with multiple occupants for example care homes and HMO’s as well as businesses that are not of a residential nature.

  • As of the 1st of October 2023 it became a legal requirement for all fire risk assessments to be recorded irrespective of the number of employees or whether there is a license in force. The Building Safety Act 2022 came into effect with Section 156 amending the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

  • Yes, While it is dependent on your business, size of your premises and the type of people accessing your premises as to how often you require your Fire Risk Assessment to be reviewed the recommendation is to reveiw at least annually, or more frequently if there are significant changes to the buildings structure or usage.

  • Your local fire and rescue authority visits premises to check the fire risk assessment and fire prevention measures are appropriate. Fire safety officers should help you understand the rules and comply with them.

    They can also take action if they think your fire safety measures are not adequate. For example, they might issue an informal notice suggesting safety measures.

    They could also give you a formal fire safety notice. They’ll tell you how to fix the problems described in the notice.

  • You could be fined or go to prison if you do not follow fire safety regulations. Minor penalties can be up to £5,000. Major penalties can have unlimited fines and up to 2 years in prison.

  • The fire risk assessment must be completed by a competent person with the expertise required to complete it. Therefore they should hold knowledge of the following;

    • How to identify the hazard

    • How to identify the people at risk

    • How to evaluate, remove or reduce the risks.

    • How to record your findings, prepare an emergency plan and provide training to those who require it.

  • A fully comprehensive assessment report detailing recommendations, remedial actions and risk ratings. FRA certification and full legal coverage for the life time of the certification (t&c’s apply) for more information please see our services page and click on the fire risk assessment section or alternatively please do not hesitate to contact us and one of our dedicated team will be happy to assist you.

  • If when completing your fire risk assessment our fire safety technician has serious concerns and is unable to issue a pass for fire safety they will work with you to implement the changes required to meet legislative requirements this is inclusive of but not limited to; organising and carrying out installations of fire safety equipment and compartmentalisation, servicing and replacing equipment and assisting with fire safety plans/ evacuation plans and documentation.

  • Current UK fire alarm regulations state that all business premises must have 'an appropriate fire detection system'. That means that if there's a fire, there needs to be a way for that fire to be easily detected and occupants can be warned easily.

  • Yes, It is recommended that a five-minute check of your fire alarm system should be carried out once a week. In terms of an inspection and servicing visit this should be carried out every six months by a competent person otherwise the fire alarm system will fail to meet BS 5839 compliance.

  • A fire alarm and detection system service or inspection must be carried out by a competent qualified fire safety technician. Our Fire Safety Technicians are all IFSM registered and hold the relevant qualifications to complete a fire alarm and detection service or inspection as required.

  • Minor penalties can be up to £5,000. Major penalties can have unlimited fines and up to 2 years in prison.

  • If for any reason your fire alarm and detection system do not pass inspection our fire safety technician will provide you with a record of their findings and recommendations. They will then assist you with implementing the recommendations if required. This is inclusive of but not limited to fitting a new system, replacing faulting equipment, moving existing equipment if required, supplying and fitting any required signage or equipment as needed.

  • By law all business premises and blocks of flats must have a Fire door survey. This is inclusive of dwellings with multiple occupants for example care homes and HMO’s as well as businesses that are not of a residential nature.

  • Yes, A fire risk assessment will include information with regards to fire doors and exits however it is used as an overview of your fire safety measures as a whole through out your premises. A fire door survey is a indepth inspections of a critical component within the fire safety measures you have in place. Therefore it will focus on not only the condition and suitability of the fire doors in place but also the condition and suitability of fire exits and effectiveness of fire compartmentalization which is vital in the event of a fire to slow the spread of the fire down and allow safe evacuations and/or rescues to take place.

  • Your local fire and rescue authority visits premises to check the fire risk assessment and fire prevention measures are appropriate (i.e. fire door survey). Fire safety officers should help you understand the rules and comply with them.

    They can also take action if they think your fire safety measures are not adequate. For example, they might issue an informal notice suggesting safety measures.

    They could also give you a formal fire safety notice. They’ll tell you how to fix the problems described in the notice.

  • You could be fined or go to prison if you do not follow fire safety regulations. Minor penalties can be up to £5,000. Major penalties can have unlimited fines and up to 2 years in prison.

  • By law all business premises and blocks of flats must have a emergency lighting. This is inclusive of dwellings with multiple occupants for example care homes and HMO’s as well as businesses that are not of a residential nature.

  • Emergency escape lighting needs to remain on for a minimum duration of 3 hours on premises that you cannot evacuate immediately, such as places where people sleep, like hotels. The minimum illumination duration falls to one hour in buildings where occupants can evacuate the building quickly and do not have to reoccupy it right away.

  • Emergency lighting systems are designed to provide illumination during emergencies so people can find their way out of the building safely. The installation must be done properly and regularly tested, which requires documentation in the form of certificates

  • You could be fined or go to prison if you do not follow fire safety regulations. Minor penalties can be up to £5,000. Major penalties can have unlimited fines and up to 2 years in prison.

  • The main purpose of emergency lighting is to illuminate escape routes however it also allows occupants to find fire-fighting equipment if there is a fire. Legislation states that emergency lighting should undergo a thorough annual test completed by a competent person and certified. As well as this emergency lighting requires short functional testing monthly which needs to be recorded within your fire safety file.