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A Fire Risk Assessment is a legal requirement for all workplaces and properties barring a few exceptions...
Residential blocks, houses converted to apartments, offices, shops, town halls and churches all require a fire risk assessment. It is the person with control of the premises (the responsible person) who is legally obliged to have the Fire Risk Assessment completed; see our FAQs page to find out if you are the responsible person.
Article 9 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO) requires that “The responsible person must make suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to which… relevant persons are exposed”. This means most business’s and properties will need a written Fire Risk Assessment completed by a competent person.
An expert Fire Risk Assessment company like FastR Solutions can identify the risks that you may overlook, this not only ensures you are compliant but have some protection should you be visited by the enforcing authorities.
Astonishingly, in excess of 60,000 inspections are conducted by enforcement authorities every year and hundreds of these visits result in sanctions, because of inadequacies in Fire Risk Assessments, Failures to implement basic fire safety management or a lack of training for staff.
Sanctions range from enforcement notices to heavy fines and prison sentences (due to a complete lack of a fire risk assessment, or a fire risk assessment which is deemed to be “unsuitable and insufficient”). These easily resolved problems put you, employees and the general public at risk, but can only be addressed once a suitable & sufficient assessment has been done.
So whether you need a type 1 assessment or a full on type 4 assessment FastR Solutions team of experienced fire risk assessors can help.
Utilise the PAS 79 standard for Life Safety; they are written to help you comply with the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 whilst being clear and concise.
Please keep in mind when comparing our assessments with others that we do not compete on price. What you do pay for is an exceptional ‘right first time' jargon free and simple to understand report with recommendations that protect you, your business and your bottom line.
Fast R Solutions are an independent safety consultancy with a specialist team of fire risk assessors and safety professionals dedicated to providing you with Fire Risk Assessment service you can rely on. You can be sure any recommendations are based on what you need, not what we can sell you.
Choosing the right fire risk assessor is essential as getting it wrong can be costly. The Fast R Solutions team of highly qualified and experienced assessors have been providing fire risk assessments since the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 came into force.
Peace of mind is what we offer so you can rest assured you have fulfilled your responsibilities and received the right level of service from your fire risk assessor. Which is why you need to choose your fire risk assessment company with care.
With our expertise and realistic approach we will furnish you with a “suitable and sufficient” comprehensive fire risk assessment; which is easy to understand and free of unnecessary jargon.
Check out our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information.
Whether for a block of flats, commercial or industrial premises there are four different Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) types that can be carried out. They differ in the extent to which the building is inspected. It is important that the type of fire risk assessment be appropriate to the premises and the amount known in respect of the structural protection. The responsible person must be clear on what they need to know, why and how it is going to be achieved.
Check our Frequently asked questions page to find out if you are the responsible person.
An inappropriate type assessment will have a negative impact on your wallet and / or the property. The more in depth an assessment is the more it is going to cost; and in some instances the costs could be considerable.
A property can also suffer if the risk assessment type is in appropriate. Invasive inspections may result in damage, that if not dealt with quickly, could potentially impact the passive safety measures installed or result in unsightly repairs.
Our fire risk assessors are highly qualified and able to fulfil your fire risk assessment requirements with the minimum of disruption. On the more invasive assessments we will arrange all the other trades required so you only have to deal with one company.
Outlined below are guidelines to the four different types of fire risk assessments available, to help you define exactly the type of fire risk assessment you need.
The most common fire risk assessment type; which is a non-destructive inspection of the communal and managed areas of a residential property.
Although it does not include demised areas it does consider the construction of the property, apartment doors and the separation between apartments. Service risers, roof areas and above false ceilings, where installed, could be accessed during the inspection.
Unless it is suspected that there are serious deficiencies in structural fire protection for example inadequate compartmentalisation, or poor fire stopping – a Type 1 Fire Risk Assessment would normally be sufficient for most buildings and apartment blocks.
Need a Type 1 Assessment? – Contact us to find out how we can help
Type 2 fire risk assessments are similar to those of a Type 1 fire risk assessment, except that there is a degree of destructive inspection, carried out on a sampling basis to check the separating construction of the property.
This fire risk assessment type is usually a one-off exercise, which is carried out only if there is good reason to suspect serious structural deficiencies that could lead to spread of fire beyond the point of fire origin.
A Type 2 Fire Risk Assessment is a serious undertaking requiring time and resources to complete. Several trades as well as the fire risk assessor may be needed to work together. Properties built before the year 2000 will also need a specialist asbestos assessor to be present as these materials may be hidden within the structure.
A building contractor will also be required; both to help gain access to the structure of the property and to make necessary repairs. Although most good fire risk assessment companies will use an endoscope in order to minimise the damage.
Need a Type 2 Assessment? – Contact us to find out how we can help
A Type 3 fire risk assessment covers what is involved in a Type 1 fire risk assessment and is non-destructive. Going beyond the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 but not the scope of the Housing Act.
Assessments of this type consider the arrangements for means of escape and fire detection (i.e. smoke alarms) within at least a sample of the flats. Within the flats, the inspection is non-destructive, but the fire resistance of doors to rooms is considered.
Type 3 Fire Risk Assessment may be appropriate for rented flats if there is reason to suspect serious risk to residents in the event of a fire in their flats. (This might be, for example, because of the age of the block or reason for suspicion of widespread, unauthorised material alterations).
Type 3 fire risk assessments are not usually possible in the case of long leasehold flats, unless there is something seriously wrong, as there is normally limited rights of access for freeholders and managing agents.
Need a Type 3 Assessment? – Contact us to find out how we can help
A Type 4 fire risk assessment has the same scope of work as a Type 3 fire risk assessment, except that there is a degree of destructive inspection, in both the common parts and the flats, carried out on a sampling basis.
This is the most comprehensive fire risk assessment type, but will only be appropriate in exceptional circumstances – such as when the history of works carried out is unknown and there is reason to suspect serious risk to residents.
A Type 4 Assessment is a major undertaking requiring time and resources to complete. Several trades as well as the fire risk assessor will need to work together. Properties built before the year 2000 will also need a specialist asbestos assessor to be present or on call as these materials may be hidden within the structure.
A building contractor will also be required; both to help gain access to the structure of the property and to make necessary repairs. Although most good fire risk assessment companies will use an endoscope in order to minimise the damage.
Need a Type 4 Assessment? – Contact us to find out how we can help
There are certain questions we often get asked in relation to fire risk assessment and who has responsibility for ensuring they are completed and findings etc are dealt with. So we thought a simple clear explanation to these questions would be useful to our visitors.You can Contact Us or call tel: 0800 246 1802 if you still cannot find the answer you are looking for.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and/or your local Fire and Rescue Service have the right to inspect your FRA. They may also carry out random spot inspections of premises. So if a business, company or organisation haven’t completed a Fire Risk Assessment they will be breaking the law.
The length of time that it may take to carry out a fire risk assessment can vary greatly as there are many factors to take into consideration. Size of the property, complexity of the building, building usage, access restrictions, construction, type of assessment (see Fire Risk Assessment Types), etc. However, most assessment visits are completed in a day. Writing the report may also take time based on the above factors; however, we do like to have them sent within 10 working days.
The current legislation regarding fire safety in workplaces applies to any person who has control over a workplace or building. You need ensure that your tenants are made aware of the legislation and work with them to ensure full compliance.
First published in 2005 and revised in 2007, PAS 79 sets out a methodology for undertaking a fire risk assessment. It is a Publicly Available Specification. Although not a British Standard, it has been developed and published by the British Standards Institution, BSI.
Fast R Solutions complete their fire risk assessments based on the templates and process based on PAS79. This allows clients to gain an understanding of what is required by the standard, what we as Assessors are looking for and how information is presented.
The original Fire Risk Assessment should be reviewed at regular intervals, at least annually, to ensure it remains “suitable and sufficient” in relation to the property. If there are any material changes to the property then the assessment must be reviewed.
It is also a good idea to have the fire risk assessment reviewed by a competent person should it be deemed not to be “suitable and sufficient” or should a fire or other fire safety incident occur.
The FRA should identify and assess:
The assessment must include any significant findings and any recommendations for improvement.
To provide an assessment of the risk to life from fire in the premises, and where appropriate, to make recommendations to reduce those risks to life.
A fire risk assessment does not provide protection from a fire, but acting on the recommendations can help reduce the chances of a fire occurring and should a fire occur reduce the impact on relevant persons
According to The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO) the competent person is someone who has ‘sufficient training and experience or knowledge and other qualities in order to complete the FRA’. These other qualities should include integrity and an ethical approach to their role.
As a minimum, the person should have undergone a fire risk assessment course, appropriate to the assessments they are completing, and belong to a professional body focused on fire safety.
Fast R Solutions are members of the Fire Protection Association and assessors belong to the Institute of Fire Engineers
The responsible person is identified under article 3 of The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO) as:
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 came in to force in 2006 and did away with the old fire safety certificates issued by the Fire & Rescue Service. This effectively moved the responsibility for proactive fire safety to building owners, managers and occupiers also known as the responsible person.
Under the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 every property, excluding a single private dwelling, is required to have a “Suitable and Sufficient” FRA completed by a competent person.
Article 9 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005; states:
“The responsible person must make suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to which relevant persons are exposed”. Furthermore article 9 (6) states “that as soon as reasonably practicable after the assessment or review the responsible person must record the significant findings of the assessment including measures which have or will be taken by the responsible person and details of any person(s) identified by the assessment as being especially at risk.”
There is a requirement under Article 21 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order to provide Fire Safety Training to employees.
FastR Solutions provide a range of fire safety training courses both in-house and open access including: -
All evacuation chair training is based at your premises If you need an in-house fire safety training course we will tailor the content to suit your company policies and procedures.
Check out our Fire Safety Training page for more details.
If you have as suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment already in place there may be no need to have another one done.However, there is a growing trend by professional bodies that want a fire risk assessment dated within the last 12-24 months particularly when selling a property.
But did you know that your fire risk assessment needs to be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure it is still “suitable & sufficient”? This should be done at least annually, when there are changes to the property or if it is thought to be no longer valid.
There are many reasons why your risk assessment should be reviewed from legal and environmental changes to changes of use or users of the building. If you need help to review your risk assessment then contact us, and one of our highly qualified fire risk assessors will be able to help.
FastR Solutions are a Fire Risk Assessment provider who concentrate on providing a Fire Risk Assessment service. We do not actively sell fire safety equipment nor do service fire alarms etc.
So when you engage us to to do your Fire Risk Assessment you can be sure any recommendations are based on what you need, not what we can sell you.
A Fire Risk Assessment should offer you peace of mind, knowing that you have fulfilled your responsibilities and received the right level of service from your fire risk assessor. That is why you need to choose your fire risk assessment company with care.
With our expertise and realistic approach we will furnish you with a “suitable and sufficient” comprehensive fire risk assessment based on the PAS79 standards for life safety; which is easy to understand and free of unnecessary clutter or jargon. So you comply with the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 whilst being clear and concise.
Although we love working for our clients in the West Midlands, we travel up and down the country daily completing fire risk assessments. Our dedicated Fire Risk Assessors carryout in excess of 300 Fire Risk Assessments per annum in London alone.
It is essential to choose the right fire risk assessor as getting it wrong can be costly. FastR Solutions highly qualified and experienced assessors have been providing fire risk assessments since 2005 when the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 came into force.
Our expertise and realistic approach will furnish you with a “suitable and sufficient” comprehensive fire risk assessment; which is easy to understand and free of unnecessary clutter or jargon.
Our Fire risk assessments utilise the PAS 79 standard for Life Safety; they are written to help you comply with the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
Specialising in the Block Management industry providing Fire Risk Assessments and advice to some of the countries most well know management companies and developers we are the singular best choice for any property manager who wants an expert service from specialists in Fire Risk Assessment.
Our expertise covers but is not restricted to:
We are always happy to answer any queries you may have about our Fire Risk Assessment or Health & Safety services
Fast R Solutions Limited,
Unit 69,
Hartlebury Trading Estate,
Hartlebury,
Worcestershire,
DY10 4JB
