Fire Strategy Reports are a requirement by law to ensure that every commercial property has the proper precautions in place to minimise the risk of fire. It is a technical document that must be carried out by a qualified and experienced Fire Engineer or fire risk assessor. This is because it takes into account the complexities of the building and identifies any hazards that might exist.
A Fire Strategy is normally developed during the design https://www.fire-safety-services.co.uk/ phase of a new build however existing buildings require a strategy also and these can be carried out retrospectively. This is because a package of fire safety information must be assembled and given to the responsible person under Regulation 38 of the Building Regulations whenever a building is erected, extended or undergoes a significant change in use. A fire strategy document is a good way of keeping this information in one place and helps to demonstrate that the building will comply with Building Regulations.
In general a Fire Strategy will cover things such as escape routes and fire alarm locations, the ability for the fire service to access the property, any requirements for fire fighting lifts, how much water can be stored on site, the type of emergency lighting required and whether or not sprinklers are appropriate. It will also identify the fire precautions that are in place, including a fire detection and alarm system, and any fire safety training that has been undertaken by employees.
When Do You Need a Fire Strategy?
When a new development is built or refurbished, a fire strategy needs to be completed in order for the developer to gain approval from the local authority. It will assess ways of preventing internal and external fire spread to allow the architects to meet the standards set out in Approved Document B of the Building Regulations. This will often involve complex calculations and assessing the ability of the different materials to prevent fire spread.
After the fire strategy has been completed, it will be submitted to the Local Authority for approval with the building plans. If the property is already an existing building then a Retrospective Fire Safety Measures Report or Review of Fire Strategy Report will need to be completed instead. This will look at the fire precautions in place at the time of construction and will be compiled by a fire engineer.
The Fire Safety team at RM Risk Management are highly experienced and used to working on a wide range of buildings, from office blocks through to hospitals and listed properties. We have a variety of qualifications that allows us to carry out fire safety surveys and prepare fire strategy reports for any type of building. We understand that developers and architects need robust fire engineering solutions to help them meet the requirements of Building Regulations, whilst respecting their initial design concepts. If you would like to find out more about our services or discuss your requirements in further detail, please get in touch.