All About the Importance of New Fire Safety Regulations

The new legislation specifically looks to improve co-operation and co-ordination between the Responsible Persons. There must now be a continual record of fire safety information throughout the lifespan of the building which can be shared with enforcing authorities, residents, and relevant persons.

There is also a legislative requirement where the Responsible Person must appoint an accredited Fire Risk Assessor to carry out a Fire Risk Assessment for the Building. This is to ensure that the Fire Risk Assessment supplied is ‘suitable and sufficient’.

A ‘suitable and sufficient’ Fire Safety Risk Assessment should include the following

 

·         Fire Safety Risk Assessment Report

·         Fire Safety Management Action Plan – Significant Findings

·         Fire Safety Policy

·         Fire Safety Emergency Plan

If you require a Fire Safety Risk Assessment for your London or Manchester premise, then London Fire Risk Assessments may be able to help you. They are completely independent of any companies offering Safety and Fire Protection Services therefore their advice is unbiased. They have been established for over 17 years and all their Fire Safety Risk Assessors have qualified with the Institution of Fire Engineers the Fire Protection Association, CS Todd Associates and the Institute of Fire Safety Managers.

 

They are also on the IFSM Register of accredited Fire Risk Assessors and the National Register of Accredited Fire Risk Assessors. They are fully insured, and all their Assessors are retired Fire Brigade Fire Safety Officers, so they know how to put Fires out and how to prevent them!

 

So if you are the ‘Responsible Person’ for a commercial or residential premise and you wish to arrange a Fire Safety Inspection and Audit by an accredited Fire Risk Assessor then contact London Fire Risk Assessments now on 0781 8888626 London or 07824 185293 Manchester alternatively click here

LFRA’s safety measures for high-risk areas Snippets

The Home Office show that approximately 30% of the Schools inspected up to the year ending March 2022 had an unsatisfactory rating during Fire Safety audits.

A Fire is unlikely to start in two different places in a building it is most likely to start in accommodation areas such as an office. This may be different in the Educational sector due to the much higher threat of arson which may include the setting of multiple Fire’s or the igniting of items within escape routes such as displays and storage areas.

The following are just a sample of high-risk areas that require regular Fire Safety checks.

Escape routes

Travel distance should be as recommended Guidance for education premises maximum of 18 metres for on direction of travel and 45 metres where there are two directions of travel. All final exits should be operational and checked regularly.

Compartmentation

Many buildings are old with poor compartmentation including large voids above false ceilings. Fire Doors are often damaged through wear and tear and service areas have penetrations normally caused by service providers these are should be regularly checked. Protected staircase and high-risk areas such as kitchens, science labs and plant rooms should be a high priority when carrying out Fire Safety checks.

Fire Alarms

Regular checks of the Alarm Panel for faults and a process in place for swift replacement of any faulty detector heads. Regular inspection, testing and maintaining is essential.

Extinguishers

Tampering of Extinguishers by Students may be a problem, relocating the extinguishers to staff-only areas could be considered if they are still accessible within the recommended travel distances. Regular inspection, testing and maintaining of the Extinguishers plus Staff training is essential.

Combustible Materials

There is often conflict between wall-mounted displays of Students work and Fire Safety mainly in areas such as Art Classrooms, Drams and Design and Technology rooms. “Notice boards should not be more that 3m wide, and there should be a gap between notice boards on the same wall of at least 1m” this is outlined in BB100. Plant Rooms and Electrical cupboards or risers should not be used for storage and regular checks should be made of these areas.

Emergency Escape Plan

The Emergency Escape Plan should be regularly tested and any deficiencies identified within the Fire Drill should be addressed immediately.

Fire Safety Training

All Staff should have regular Fire Safety Training which should be recorded. The appropriate number of Fire Marshals should be in place at all times.

 

Fire Safety Risk Assessment

Every Education premise should have a current Fire Safety Risk Assessment carried out by a competent Assessor. The deficiencies identified within the Fire Safety Risk Assessment for the Building should be actioned on within the timescales outlined and the Fire Safety Management Action Plan – Significant Findings should be kept up to date at all times.

London Fire Risk Assessments are completely independent of any companies offering Fire Safety Protection Services therefore their advice is unbiased. They have been established for over 16 years and all their Fire Safety Risk Assessors have qualified with the Institution of Fire Engineers the Fire Protection Association, CS Todd Associates and the Institute of Fire Safety Managers. They are on the IFSM Register of accredited Fire Risk Assessors and the National Register of Accredited Fire Risk Assessors. They are fully insured, and all their Assessors are retired Fire Brigade Fire Safety Officers, so they know how to put Fires out and how to prevent them!

If you are a School, College or University in London or Manchester and don’t have a current Fire Risk Assessment for your Building you are in breach of the Fire Safety Laws. If you wish to arrange a Fire Safety Inspection and Audit by an accredited Fire Risk Assessor then contact London Fire Risk Assessments now on 0781 8888626 London or 07824 185293 Manchester alternatively click here

Updates to Fire Safety Regulations: Implications for Private Landlords in London and Manchester

If you are a Landlord and privately rent out residential accommodation or you appoint a Managing Agent to manage the premise for you, you are both responsible for the Fire Safety of the Premise and the Tenants.

The following are just some of the Fire Safety requirements you should be providing

·         Sufficient Fire Detection and Alarm

·         Fire Doors – must have effective Self Closing devices, never wedged and regularly checked for damage.

·         Fire protection and Fire stopping to service risers, and between individual flats, corridors and the means of escape routes.

·         Storage – there should be no storage on the means of escape, communal areas and electrical and gas risers.

·         A current Fire Safety Risk Assessment which must include an Emergency Escape Plan.

·         Communication – Fire Safety information and the Emergency Escape Plan must be given to the Tenant and kept up to date.

Every Purpose Built Block of Flats or Houses converted into Flats in London and Manchester must have a ‘suitable and sufficient’ Fire Risk Assessment – it’s the law.

The Landlord or Managing Agent for the premise must also ensure that the Fire Risk Assessor they appoint is accredited. But how do they know if a Fire Risk Assessor has met the competency criteria?

A third-party certified provider gives assurance that the risk assessment will be conducted by a competent assessor who will go beyond the cheap, basic tick-box approach in order to meet the ‘suitable and sufficient’ legislative requirement.

London Fire Risk Assessments are completely independent of any companies offering Fire Safety Protection Services therefore their advice is unbiased. They have been established for over 15 years and all their Fire Safety Risk Assessors have qualified with the Institution of Fire Engineers the Fire Protection Association, CS Todd Associates and the Institute of Fire Safety Managers. They are on the IFSM Register of accredited Fire Risk Assessors and the National Register of Accredited Fire Risk Assessors. They are fully insured, and all their Assessors are retired Fire Brigade Fire Safety Officers, so they know how to put Fires out and how to prevent them!

 If you are a Landlord or Managing Agent and don’t have a current Fire Risk Assessment for your premise you are in breach of the Fire Safety Laws. If you wish to arrange a Fire Safety Inspection and Audit by an accredited Fire Risk Assessor then contact London Fire Risk Assessments now on 0781 8888626 London or 07824 185293 Manchester alternatively click here

 

Enhanced Fire Safety Emergency Plan for Security

 

Manchester Fire Safety Risk Assessments are now available with an Express Delivery Service! Manchester Fire Safety Risk Assessments can be delivered in just 5 working days from the Fire Safety Inspection and Audit!

A new Fire Safety Services division has arrived in Manchester – After 14 years of dedicated Fire Safety Services in London and the South East, London Fire Risk Assessments has now expanded to Manchester and surrounding areas. The expansion is in response to client demand and is an extremely positive development in these uncertain times.

The Express Service is offered across all sectors, Offices, Shops, Schools, Colleges, Care Homes and is ideal for Residents needing to sell their Flat!

LFRA has a range of Fire Safety Risk Assessment packages including Standard and Plus all are available with the Express Service.

The Standard package includes, Fire Safety Inspection and Audit, Fire Safety Risk Assessment, Fire Safety Management Action Plan, Fire Safety Policy and a Fire Safety Emergency Plan.

The Plus package includes all the above PLUS and Asbestos Type 1 Visual Survey and Report or Fire Brigade Liaison.

If you have been identified as the Responsible Person for a premise in Manchester and need a Fire Safety Risk Assessment in a hurry, contact London Fire Risk Assessments Manchester division on 07824 185293 or click here for a free Quotation.

Three London Shop Fires in November

Three London Shop Fires in November – All Shops should have a Fire Safety Management Plan are you actioning on yours?

London Fire Brigade has reported 3 Shop Fires in the first part of November.

A Shoe Repair Shop in Teddington was damaged by Fire and Five people were evacuated from adjacent flats as a precaution. The cause of Fire is believed to have started in a machine used to fix shoe soles.

A Fire in a shop in St John’s Wood resulted in the ground floor being damaged.

And Finally a Shop in Islington had its ground floor gutted by a blaze. Part of the First floor and some of the external fascia was also damaged by the Fire. This Fire is believed to have been caused by a discarded cigarette!

To read more on these incidents click here.

London Fire Risk Assessments advice to Shop Owners:

All London Shop’s should have a current Fire Safety Risk Assessment for their premise. Part of the Fire Safety Risk Assessment is a Fire Safety Management Plan – Significant Findings. This document identifies all the Fire Safety deficiencies within the premise and outlines the Actions that are required to rectify them. For more information click here.

As part of the Fire Risk Assessment process a Fire Safety Inspection should be carried out at your London based Shop this should be conducted by a competent Fire Risk Assessor.

LFRA TIP! - always check the Assessors accreditations to ensure you are getting a qualified Assessor.

Checking that Shop machinery has been maintained and tested regularly, to meet the British Standards, is part of the Fire Safety Inspection process. Also it will be noted if a ‘No Smoking’ Sign is displayed at the premise – just these two examples may have helped prevent the Fires in the above mentioned premises!

If you have any Fire Safety questions we have a friendly team who will be happy to help – call now on 01689 890879 or click here to arrange a call back.

If Your Fire Risk Assessment Says "Reduce Your Fire Loading" Then Act Instantly

London Fire Brigade reported on their incident page a ‘Fire in a 20 Storey Block of Flats in Peckham’.

Four fire engines, 21 firefighters and officers dealt with a fire in a block of flats on Wyndham Road in Peckham. A storeroom on the ground floor of the 20 storey block of flats was badly damaged by the blaze.

Two men left the property before the Brigade arrived. They were both suffering from burns and taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service crews. Around 40 residents were evacuated from the block.

The Fire is still under investigation click here to read more.

London Fire Risk Assessments advice to customers: London Property Management Agents/Companies should have a current fire safety risk assessment for their Blocks of Flats. An in-depth fire safety inspection and audit should be carried out and any deficiencies identified should be actioned upon. 

One of the most common deficiencies is Fire loading and in our experience it is this that causes the most contention with Residents.

      (a)Why should we remove the BBQ cylinder from our car parking space

 (b) Why should we remove the petrol canister or 3litre container of oil? 

 (c)Why should we remove all the items stored outside our Front door we don’t want it in the Flat they take up too much room!

  (d)Why can’t we store our Bikes and scooters in the common corridors they aren’t hurting anybody - and so it goes on!

Ignition sources and obstructions in the common areas just make the Risk Factor for the premise higher. Residents should witness a copy of the Fire Risk Assessment for the Building and then hopefully they will take onboard that it is everyone’s responsibility to keep the premise as safe as possible from Fire. If you need a Fire Risk Assessment for your London Block of Flats call us now on 01689 890879.

Fire On Our Door Step!

London Fire Brigade reported that a fire broke out in a laboratory in a chemical factory on Cray Avenue in Orpington.

Firefighters worked hard to contain the fire to the room where the fire started and managed to prevent the fire from affecting any of the flammable and combustible chemicals within the building. A temporary safety cordon was set up as a precaution and 15 people evacuated before firefighters arrived on the scene.

The Brigade’s fire investigators attended the incident. They believe the fire was an accidental electrical fire.

London Fire Risk Assessments advice to clients: All Factories should have a Fire safety Risk Assessment for their premise by law! This all-important document is even more essential if the Factory has flammable and combustible chemicals or materials stored within. As in the case outlined above it may not be the flammables that ignite and cause a Fire it could be a faulty electrical appliance.

Always test your electrics – your premise should have a 5 year periodical certificate and your appliances should be PAT.

If you are not sure if your premise has an up to date Risk Assessment then ask the question to the Responsible Person don’t leave it until something goes wrong.

Contact London Fire Risk Assessments on 01689 890879 for friendly Fire Safety advice – its free!

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