Your fire survey (your Fire Risk Assessment) is vital when it comes to keeping your people and premises safe. But if you’re still unsure whether you need a fire survey for your commercial property, look no further than our guide.
Do I need a fire survey?
Yes, if you own, run or manage a non-domestic premises, you have a legal obligation to keep your people safe from fire.
Nothing is more critical to any business than the safety of your personnel, and fire surveys play an essential role in ensuring your passive fire protection (PFP), including fire door sets and fire-stopping compartmentation, is up to scratch.
What is passive fire protection?
Passive fire protection refers to the elements or systems within your building that stop or slow the potential spread of fire, smoke and toxic gases. Examples include fire walls and floors, as well as fire door sets and dampers.
A fire survey – officially termed a ‘Fire Risk Assessment’ – can help identify any breaches, and ultimately mitigate these risks through effective fire stopping.
Why fire surveys matter for your passive fire protection
You might think your existing passive fire protection is up to standard, but until you carry out a fire survey, you can never be truly confident.
If you have work carried out on your building, such as plumbing, electrics or Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC), it could unknowingly cause breaches in your compartmentation and render your PFP defective. Similarly, fire door sets can become non-compliant following wear and tear, or poor repairs or adjustments, which your fire survey may flag as a risk.
What does a fire survey involve?
A fire survey (Fire Risk Assessment) can ultimately help you fulfil your legal responsibilities in line with the Fire Safety Order – this is the legislation which outlines your fire safety obligations in England and Wales.
Some of the features of a fire survey include:
- A thorough investigation into the fabric of your building. This helps to identify any areas where your passive fire protection measures are substandard, degraded, or missing entirely.
- A comprehensive inspection of your fire safety systems and components to examine their condition. This includes fire door sets, compartmentation, lift shafts, ventilation and more.
- A good fire survey doesn’t simply describe the problem – you’ll get a fully costed step-by-step plan of action to ensure you’re able to make your building compliant, and ideally, without exceeding your budget.
How often do you need to book a fire survey?
While there is no legal timeframe for booking a fire survey, the Fire Safety Order recommends that the Responsible Person, such as the owner, occupier or employer, should review their building’s fire safety regularly.
Frequent fire surveys are even more important in multi-storey buildings, and in premises which have been recently modified or changed.
Need a fire survey? Choose Commercial Fire Protection
Your fire survey (or to use its proper title, your Fire Risk Assessment) is a legal requirement that is simply too costly to delay or get wrong. But when you choose Commercial Fire Protection, you can rest assured that your fire risk assessment will be carried out to the highest professional standards.
Our experienced team are members of both the Institute of Fire Engineers (IFE) and Institute of Fire Safety Managers (IFSM), giving you peace of mind in knowing that your fire survey is in expert hands.
To book a professional fire survey, visit our website, call 0800 059 0113 or send us an email at hello@commercialfireprotection.co.uk.
