Changing use, keeping safe

F&RM Editor, Simon Brand, looks at the fire safety implications to be considered when a warehouse changes use or occupant.

The warehouse building stock across the UK is made up of a very wide range of types, from brand-new, purpose-built ‘gigafactories’ taking up thousands of square feet, to Victorian-era buildings that may have spent many years empty and disused, and everything in between.

From 2015 to 2021, 66 million square feet of second-hand warehouse space saw new leases or sales recorded, according to research undertaken by Savills, highlighting the large number of warehouses seeing changes in occupancy. As new occupants come in, their business needs will likely differ, with changes made to fire load and storage, machinery, and usage of space.

Whilst the incidence of fires in warehouses is generally low, alterations made to the building fabric, the activities undertaken, or the type and/or volume of combustible material being stored must be reflected in the fire safety systems, equipment, and management being used. Fires in warehouses can pose significant challenges for fire and rescue services and can result in significant property losses and disruption to business continuity. A time of change is, therefore, an opportunity to ensure all reasonable and appropriate mitigation steps are in place.

As part of the Fire Protection Association's continuing commitment to increase fire safety awareness across the built environment, a number of informative feature articles are available to read on our website.?You can read the full article here.