Fire Safety Engineers. What’s the risk, why is this such a hot topic, and how is it we can help?

Background

The ramifications of the Grenfell Tower incident are still being felt to this day. In part, this due to the austerity measures set by the UK government, and wide application of “tightening budgets” due to costly materials during the 2010s, post 09s recession. However, during the independent inquiry, which is due to be published in 2024, the UK government where soon to respond by making changes to legislation, specifically within the Fire Safety Act(s).

To reference the UK government,

“Following the Home Office’s call for evidence in response to the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, the Home Office launched the Fire Safety Consultation which ran from 20 July to 12 October 2020. Section 2 of the Fire Safety Consultation outlined the intention to lay regulations under article 24 of the Fire Safety Order to implement the Inquiry’s recommendations which required a change in the law. The Consultation also included proposals to implement the recommendations in a practical way.

The government’s response to the Fire Safety Consultation was published on the 17 March 2021 which demonstrated that there was broad support for these proposals. Following the commencement of the Fire Safety Act 2021 which clarifies that the Fire Safety Order applies to a building structure, external walls, and any common parts of premises including all flat entrance doors for buildings containing two or more sets of domestic premises, we will proceed with these regulations to implement the Inquiry recommendations.

The regulations sit alongside the Building Safety Act amendments to the Fire Safety Order, and the government’s update of supporting guidance issued under the Fire Safety Order aims to improve fire safety outcomes designed to protect the public from the risk of fire, by better supporting compliance and effective enforcement in all regulated premises.”

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-england-regulations-2022/fact-sheet-overview

New Fire Safety Regulations;

New?Fire Safety Regulations?are coming into effect in England from January of this year.? This act requires that residential buildings must update some of their fire safety equipment and procedures. The most pivotal change to the Fire Safety Regulations 2022, is the introduction of amended procedures to, inspection fire doors, including routine checks.

What are the Fire Safety Regulations 2022 updates?

From the 23rd of January 2023, it became a legal requirement?for the?“Responsible Person”?for multi-occupied buildings?over 11 metres?to:

• Carry out quarterly checks of all fire doors in communal areas
• Carry out annual checks on all flat entrance doors
• Provide information to residents about the importance of fire doors

The Responsible Person should be able to check for and identify any obvious issues with fire doors,

Who is the Responsible Person? The Responsible Person is ultimately the person(s) who has legal responsibility for the fire safety within the building. They are generally the person who owns or is in control of a building or property. This could be the landlord, managing agent, site manager, or estate manager. Additional responsibilities for these organizations or individuals include, but are not limited to;?

• Provide the Fire Service with electronic and paper versions of the building plan
• Provide information about the materials used on the exterior of the building and the level of risk these materials have
• Regular checks on firefighting lifts and equipment within the building and resolve any issues
• Installation of an information box with documents of the Responsible Person and the building plan
• Installation of evacuation and wayfinding signage visible in low light or smoky environments

Beyond the means of the responsible persons, the demand for Fire Safety Engineers (FSE) has become more prevalent within the UK, and ROI. Therefore, there is a greater emphasis taken when inspections are undertaken within building(s). Without sign-off by the FSEs’, work simply cannot be continued or be occupied. Naturally, with such responsibilities, insurance policies will be scrutinized.

Two key aspects insurers will look to review, and what these mean to you? These are broken into, passive and active protection.

Passive Vs. Active Fire Protection

The two primary categories of fire protection are active and passive. Active fire protection employs automatic or programmed fire detection and suppression systems that respond when triggered. Certain active fire protection systems necessitate human operation or manual application. In such instances, building personnel or occupants must receive adequate fire safety management training to equip and ready them for emergency situations.

Active fire protection (AFP) encompasses a range of measures, including fire extinguishers, fire hose reels, fire blankets, fire hydrants, water sprinkler systems, smoke alarms, firefighters/emergency services, thermal detectors, gas suppression, and fire control systems.

Passive fire protection (PFP), is a fire-retardant barrier, material, or solution that attempts to stop, contain, or delay the spread of fire, heat, and smoke from one area to another for a certain period of time. PFPs, are typically preferred over their active counterparts due to their safety and convenience, as they require minimal maintenance and do not necessitate manual intervention by personnel, which could pose a potential hazard.

Examples of passive fire protection include fire doors, fire walls, fire floors, flame shields, mineral fibre matting, and fluorescent paint. mortar, coating, emergency exit lights, dampers, protection of muster/refuge points, and spray fireproofing.

What is Passive Fire Protection?

PFP refers to a collection of protective systems that employ fire-resistant materials and design features to compartmentalize a building. The process of dividing a building into smaller sections is of paramount importance in impeding or forestalling the propagation of fire and/or smoke from one room to another. This approach serves to minimize the extent of damage incurred and to provide occupants with additional time to evacuate the premises.

Examples of Passive Fire Protection.

Passive fire protection is mainly concerned with the following areas:

1.???????????? Structural fire protection – The use of concrete materials or thin film coatings to form protection to the structure of the building. Examples are spray-on thin-film intumescent, gypsum-based plasters and cementitious products, mineral wool wraps and insulation, and fireproofing cladding.

2.???????????? Compartmentation – Compartmentation is essential to a building’s compliance and PFP measures. Each fire compartment is designed and built to contain the spread of fire and smoke for a set amount of time, this is known as the compartments Fire-Rating. Fire compartmentation is often pre-built into a structure but can become more effective with additional measures. Compartmentation attempts to protect lives and assets. Theoretically, it should also allow enough time for the fire service to reach the building(s) in time. It is a mandatory part of a building’s construction in order to comply with all relevant legislation and most building insurance.

3.???????????? Cable coating – The use of fire retardants or fire-rated cable coatings on wires, sheaths, or cables to stop fire spread and protect assets. An example is intumescent coating. Examples include fire doors, fire walls, fire floors, emergency exit lights, dampers, flame shields, intumescent paint, mortar coating, mineral fibre matting, protection of muster/refuge points, and spray fireproofing.

4.???????????? Firestopping – The use of materials to limit fire spread through penetrations or hidden holes in a fire barrier. Examples are fire-rated mortars, panels, and sealants.

5.???????????? Opening protection – The use of fire doors and windows to maintain the fire resistance of a barrier. Examples are fire-rated glass or frames.

6. ??????????? Quality of passive fire protection solutions - Like all products, the choice of PFPs products is pivotal. Ensure that they have undergone rigorous testing procedures and carry legitimate certifications issued by international organizations and think tanks in research and quality assessment.

What is Active Fire Protection?

Active fire protection pertains to the utilization of systems and equipment to detect, manage, and extinguish fires in a building or structure. These systems necessitate a response, either automatic (such as sprinkler systems) or manual (such as fire extinguishers), to detect and address a fire.

Examples of Active Fire Protection;

Fire alarms: Fire alarms are engineered to detect the presence of smoke or fire in a building and alert occupant to evacuate. These alarms can be manual or automatic, and they can be linked to a central monitoring system.

Smoke Control Systems: Smoke control systems are specifically engineered to regulate the flow of smoke within a building. These systems are instrumental in ensuring that stairwells and escape routes remain free of smoke, thereby facilitating the safe evacuation of occupants.

Fire extinguishers: Fire extinguishers are portable devices that can be utilized to manage small fires. They contain chemicals or agents that can extinguish fires, and they are designed to be easily accessible throughout a building.

Why is Active Fire Protection Important?

Occupant safety - The primary objective of active fire protection is to safeguard the occupants of a building in the event of a fire. By providing timely alerts for evacuation or extinguishing fires, active fire protection can prevent injuries and fatalities, ensuring the safety of occupants.

Compliance - Many buildings are legally required to have active fire protection measures in place to comply with regulations. Failure to meet these requirements can render a building unsafe and result in legal consequences.

Prompt response - Active fire protection systems are designed to detect and respond to fires swiftly. This can help contain the spread of flames and smoke, minimizing damage to the building.

?With the above cleared, it begs the question of how is this reviewed. Naturally, this is via a Fire Risk assessment.

Fire Risk Assessment

A Fire Risk Assessment is a thorough examination that evaluates the potential fire risk of a building by considering its construction, layout and intended use, with the aim of recommending necessary modifications. Unlike an assessment of subsurface protection measures, a Fire Risk Assessment scrutinizes the quantity of fire hazards present, including electrical equipment that may ignite unexpectedly. Additionally, it considers the placement of smoking areas, portable heating devices, combustible materials, and any obstructions that may impede the function of fire doors.

A Fire Risk Assessment will additionally disclose the quantity of fire doors, signage, smoke detectors, and sprinklers present within the edifice. Essentially, a fire risk assessment encompasses all visible aspects. If the building accommodates more than five individuals, these assessments necessitate official documentation. It is noteworthy that fire risk assessments frequently exclude an examination of a building's fire compartmentation, which mandates a passive fire protection Survey.

What’s included in a fire risk report?

During fire risk assessments, all building areas are checked against the latest fire safety laws and guidelines, ensuring compliance with the required safety regulations.

Our fire risk reports cover the following:

?????????????? Building structure & property layout

?????????????? Occupancy levels

?????????????? Fire history

?????????????? Escape routes & fire safety signs

?????????????? Emergency lighting testing

?????????????? Fire doors & fire extinguishers

?????????????? Fire alarm testing s

?????????????? Fire hazard check schedules

?Where do we come in?

?Hopefully, this article demonstrates to you and your clients that we have a deep understanding of the needs and demands of those FSEs that you administer. With this knowledge and access to the Lloyds of London market, and specialist wording(s) we are able to handle these accounts on your behalf.

?Disclaimer

The information contained in these articles and documents is believed to be accurate at the time of the date of issue, but no representation or warranty is given (express or implied) as to their accuracy, completeness or correctness. Servca accepts no liability whatsoever for any direct, indirect, or consequential loss or damage arising in any way from any use of or reliance placed on this material for any purpose. The contents of these articles/documents are the copyright of Servca. Nothing in these articles/documents constitutes advice, nor creates a contractual relationship.

?

?