Why ongoing fire risk management is essential during remediation
Remediation is undertaken to make a building safer.
But the process of carrying out that work can temporarily change – and in some circumstances increase – the fire risk within an occupied building.
Opening external walls, removing cavity barriers, undertaking internal compartmentation, introducing scaffolding and combustible materials, altering escape arrangements or discovering previously unknown defects can all affect the assumptions on which the building’s existing fire-safety arrangements are based.
Fire risk therefore needs to be actively managed throughout the project – not simply assessed before work begins and again when it has finished.
REMEDIATION CHANGES THE BUILDING
As work progresses, the actual condition of the building may be different from that anticipated at the start of the project.
Investigations may uncover defects that were previously concealed. Existing fire-safety measures may need to be temporarily removed or altered. remedial works themselves can create new interfaces and temporary conditions that need to be considered.
Where residents remain in occupation, these changes need to feed back into the building’s ongoing fire-risk management.
THE FRA SHOULD BE A LIVE PART OF THE PROJECT
Rather than treating the Fire Risk Assessment as a static document, we recommend a structured process throughout remediation.
01 — Establish the baseline
Understand the building, occupancy, existing fire precautions and known defects before intrusive investigations or remediation commence.
02 — Review what is discovered
Reassess the position when opening-up works identify previously unknown defects, construction details or changes in risk.
03 — Manage change during the works
Maintain communication between the remediation team, responsible person, property manager and competent fire-safety professionals.
04 — Maintain appropriate interim measures
Ensure temporary changes to compartmentation, escape routes, alarm arrangements and other fire precautions continue to be considered as the project develops.
05 — Review before handover
Confirm that the completed works and supporting evidence have been considered before temporary or interim fire-safety measures are altered or removed.
EVIDENCE INFORMS RISK
As remediation progresses, new evidence may change the assumptions on which the existing Fire Risk Assessment is based.
Investigation findings, opening-up records, design changes and information provided by the remediation team should therefore be reviewed to determine whether the level of fire risk has changed.
This review can support the Responsible Person and their competent advisers in determining whether the interim measures, fire strategy and evacuation arrangements remain appropriate throughout the works and upon completion.
A CONNECTED APPROACH TO FIRE RISK
Effective fire-risk management during remediation relies on communication between those undertaking the work and those responsible for the safety of the occupied building.
The developer, Principal Contractor, specialist contractors, property manager, Responsible Person and design team may each hold information about new findings, design changes or temporary conditions that could affect the level of fire risk.
Buildtech can provide the structure to bring this information together at the appropriate stages, review it’s effect on the Fire Risk Assessment and obtain fire-engineering input where required. The findings can then be clearly reported to the Responsible Person and property manager, supporting informed decisions about the building’s ongoing fire-safety arrangements.
HOW BUILDTECH CAN SUPPORT YOUR PROJECT
Are you planning or currently undertaking remediation to an occupied residential building?
Buildtech can provide a structured fire-risk management process from the initial assessment through investigation, remediation and completion, including:
- Baseline fire-risk assessment
- Review following intrusive investigations
- Technical fire-safety support during remediation
- Ongoing FRA review and change control
- Inspection and evidence review
- Fire engineering input where required
- Final assessment and completion review
Our aim is to provide the project team and those managing the occupied building with a clear, evidence-based understanding of the fire-risk throughout the works-not simply at the beginning and the end.
Speak to Buildtech about establishing an appropriate fire-risk management process for your project.
Contact Us: https://buildtechuk.co.uk/our-services/
OUR WIDER SERVICES
In addition to our ongoing Fire Risk Assessment Management process, Buildtech offers a range of wider services to support remediation projects, including:
◆ Building investigations and fire-safety surveys
◆ Fire-engineering advice, remediation strategy and design review
◆ Scope development and tender support
◆ Remediation management and technical monitoring
◆ Golden Thread, project evidence and completion support
◆ FRAEW, EWS1 and other specialist assessments
These services can be commissioned individually or combined to provide coordinated support throughout the investigation, design, remediation and completion stages.
Thank you for reading,
Buildtech Marketing team.