General Bulletins

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Basement Smoke Ventilation

Fire in a basement is very different to that above ground for two fundamental reasons. Firstly, true basements are enclosed, with no windows or means of ventilation, this condition allows for rapid heat build up with nowhere for the heat to dissipate to, other than internal openings within the basement.

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Fire Safety Housekeeping & Management

Housekeeping, to many people, may refer to activities such as domestic chores. However, in the world of fire safety, it is a term frequently used to describe a vast range of issues that are often deficient and can have adverse effects on the residual risk posed by fire.

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Fire Safety Penalties

It must be understood that fire safety requirements are not optional and are required under statute.

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Fire Safety Penalties

It must be understood that fire safety requirements are not optional and are required under statute.

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Fire Safety - Maintenance of Protection Systems

In general all commercial/public buildings in the UK will incorporate some form of active fire protection system.

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Fire Safety Training Requirements

The importance of fire safety training is commonly underestimated. Whilst significant resources are often ploughed into fire safety systems, it is often noted that many building occupiers do not have an adequate understanding of the building and what facilities are in place to prevent the occurrence of fire / fire spread, as well as the importance of other features such as the means of escape design.

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Fire Safety Management Audits

With much emphasis placed on physical fire safety precautions, it must be ensured that adequate management systems are also in place.

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Fire Risk Assessments, Suitable & Sufficient?

There has been a fundamental regime change in Fire Safety Legislation / Enforcement with a shift in responsibility from the authorities onto the owner/occupier. The basis of fire safety precautions and their acceptability focuses on a building’s Fire Risk Assessment (FRA). However, with the progression of time, knowledge and understanding of these assessments, the quality of some FRA’s is being called into question by the fire authorities, with the terminology used stating that the assessments are ‘not suitable & sufficient’.

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Fire Safety, Competency Considerations

Fire safety is the same as any other discipline, in that reliance is placed on professionals to be competent and equally importantly to maintain their competence to achieve continued success. However, defining / classifying those persons who are deemed to be competent presents a number of difficulties.

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Fire Safety, Planning for the Future

The current economic situation will have an effect on most people, either personally, professionally, or both. However, few of us will consider the effects of economics in terms of fire safety.

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