Fire Safety Solutions

-Fire Risk Assessment (FRA)-

Pre-occupancy fire risk assessments can be invaluable prior to handover of a building or initial occupation.

Assessments can ensure that all of the required fire safety measures are in place and have been tested prior to occupation. A pre-occupation FRA will:

Help ensure that relevant persons are not put at risk on occupation and provide a fire safety snagging list that can be actioned prior to handover/occupation.

IMPORTANT - A full fire risk assessment will always be required on occupation as this reflects the fire safety assessment of the premises at that point in time.

-Alternative Solutions-

There are often a range of solutions that can be applied to achieve the required level of safety and compliance.

Sometimes pre existing buildings and design do not fit standard guidance and often greater design freedom is required for more complex and bespoke buildings where alternative standards are required to achieve a specific design aim.

Elemental Fire safety can explore design options and fire strategies to best fit your needs and to provide alternative approaches for you to propose to the Fire Authority and /or Building Control or Approved Inspector for consultation.

- How to choose a Fire Risk Assessor-

If you decide to outsource your fire risk assessment it is important that you carry out your due diligence and make reasonable checks to ensure that the person or company you employ are suitably qualified and competent with experience with your premises type.

One method of demonstrating competence is through accreditation to either:

A professional body registration scheme or,

Certification by a certification body that is UKAS accredited for the activity.

Elemental Fire Safety's director Steve Mathieson is a member of The Institute of Fire Engineers [IFE] (GiFireE EngTech) and is currently undergoing the transition process from Inspecting Officer accredited IFE fire risk assessor.

-Why do you need one?-

-Business & Premises types-

• Airbnb

• Holiday lets

• Hotels & Guest Houses

• Residential Care & Nursing Homes

• Offices

• Shops

• Commercial

• HMO

• Flats

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The responsible person(s) is required by the Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order 2005 (FSO) as amended to carry out a formalised assessment to determine the fire safety risks relevant to both workplaces and buildings with 2 or more sets of domestic premises and to occupants and other persons associated with the premises in which they control or operate.

It is the duty of the responsible person to ensure that this is carried out, although they may appoint someone on their behalf, such as a Elemental Fire Safety, to carry it out.

-What does it involve?-

The process involves an assessment of the fire risk within the premises and curtilage to enable the responsible person to determine any remedial actions necessary to comply with the Fire Safety Order by ensuring, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety of the occupants or tenants, and other relevant persons whilst at the premises.

The Responsible Person is required to:

• Identify any significant findings of the fire risk assessment and to record these findings.

• Provide and maintain general fire precautions as are necessary to safeguard occupants and visitors to the premises.

• Provide appropriate training (or information given over) to certain persons in prevention, evacuation, fire detection system function e.g., zones, what to do on activation etc., and other emergency procedures.

• Provide information on hazards and risks that may be present within the premises.

• Provide and maintain a management system that ensures the fore-going requirements (and others within the FSO) are met and satisfactorily monitored and reviewed.

-Elemental's Fire Risk Assessments-

All assessments are completed by qualified, experienced and competent assessors using their professional expertise, judgement and guidance contained in publicly available specification (PAS 79: 2012) and fire safety risk assessment guides issued by H.M Government.

Our assessors look at the hazards, risks and existing fire safety measures in place. Furthermore assessments consider the nature and design of the building, the occupants, including any vulnerable occupants, the protection afforded, safety provisions and any procedural arrangements observed at the time of the assessment.

The comprehensive assessment report will identify any improvements required for compliance and further recommend areas of good practice. Any deviations from guidance will be benchmarked with either appropriate justification or recommendation for additional mitigation measures.

Fire risk assessment forms the foundation for compliance and good fire safety management (see Fire Safety Management section). As such it is vital that the assessment provides you with all relevant facts and clear compliant guidance, as without this you are set up to fail.

Although the focus and purpose of a fire risk assessment is life safety, assessors will always give good practice advice in relation to property protection and business continuity as 80% of businesses that suffer a significant fire do not survive.

Elemental Fire Safety take your safety extremely seriously and will always work with you to find the right balance of cost versus safety and compliance.

-Fire Risk Assessment review-

Your fire risk assessment should be periodically reviewed to ensure that it accurately reflects the current hazards, risks and required fire safety mitigation measures. A periodic review also ensures that you are up to date with any changes in Fire Safety Legislation and guidance. Elemental Fire Safety can assist you with your periodic reviews so that you can rest assured that you have everything in place for compliance and to keep people in your premises safe.

-Assistance during and/or following a Fire Service inspection-

Elemental Fire Safety can support you during Fire Service inspections or help you work through any deficiencies identified in their post inspection audit (formal or informal) correspondence.

We can provide you with a range of solutions to achieve regulatory compliance which best fit your premises and budget.

-Pre-occupation FRA-

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