CHAS Premium Plus Accreditation
Cambs Fire Safe is pleased to announce that we have now been awarded Premium Plus accreditation by CHAS (the Contractors Health And Safety assessment scheme).
In addition to our previous Health & Safety accreditation from CHAS, we have now been awarded a more in-depth accreditation for the additional categories:
- Environmental Verification
- Quality Management Verification
- Equal Opportunities & Diversity Verification
- Financial & Business Standing Verification
- Anti-Bribery & Corruption Verification
- Modern Slavery Verification
IFE Fire Risk Assessor Accreditation
Part of the outcome of the recent enquiry into fire safety within the UK is that it recommended that all fire safety practitioners register on a formally recognised ‘Risk Register’ for fire risk assessors. This register gives the names and contact details of the fire engineers who have passed the competency criteria set out by the IFE for that of a professionally experienced and qualified fire safety practitioner. This registration is soon to become a mandatory requirement for fire risk assessors within the UK.
In the UK, three legislative regimes impose a duty to carry out a fire risk assessment. In England and Wales, the duties are imposed on the Responsible Person who, in a workplace, is the employer and in premises that are not a workplace is the person having control of the premises. The duty can also be imposed on other persons having control of the premises, such as managing agents. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, the term ‘responsible person‘ is not used but, again, the duty will fall on the employer and / or certain other persons having control of the premises.
If, as a result of a failure to properly carry out a fire risk assessment, an occupant of the building or someone in the immediate vicinity is put at risk of death or serious injury in case of fire, an offence is committed which can lead to a heavy fine or, in serious cases, imprisonment.
As the leading professional body in the field of fire, the IFE, were the first UK organisation to establish a register, and it remains the largest scheme presently in the UK. The IFE is also a member of the Fire Risk Assessment Competency Council which has published national competency criteria with which all applicants to schemes are expected to be familiar.
The IFE’s Fire Risk Register of Assessor’s is a register of individual assessors who carry out fire risk assessments for life safety.
Listing within this website register is proof of registration and assessors are issued with a Fire Risk Register of Assessors Life Safety logo. This website register is continuously maintained in a current and up-to-date state and only individuals who appear in this website listing are current IFE registered fire risk assessors.
Eng Tech, FIFireE
We are pleased to announce that Neil Green Eng Tech, FIFireE of Cambs Fire Safe Limited is now officially registered as a Fire Risk Assessor (Life Safety Stream) with the Institution of Fire Engineers.
Cyber Essentials & IASME Certification
We are pleased to announce that we have attained Cyber Essentials & IASME Certification.
This accreditation provides our clients with the assurance that all client data provided is securely held and that all reasonable measures have been taken to ensure that classified and sensitive information remains secure.
Fire Safety & New IET Wiring Regulations
British Standard 7671
Requirements for Electrical Installations: 18th Edition
All fire engineering project design and fire risk assessment surveys should include reference to the latest British Standard 7671 Requirements for Electrical Installations 18th edition (IET Wiring regulations) from the 01 January 2019. Please be aware that these standards are not retrospect, apart from the references to emergency lighting.
At present, and for the past three years, we have been referring to BS7671 Seventeenth edition, Amendment 3 ‘Requirement for Electrical Installations’ as the current electrical standard in fire safety documentation.
As from the 01 January 2019 the latest standard will take effect – BS7671 Eighteenth edition.
The IET recommends to its members (and the electrical industry) that during the six month period from 01 July 2018 to 01 January 2019, either edition maybe used.
CE quotes BS7671 during the production of its Project Instructions, Requests for Change and throughout the design and installation of all projects.
The following should be used as guidance on which standard to quote and use:
Project Instructions and Requests for Change
Use BS7671 Eighteenth edition in all Project Instructions and Requests for Change from now unless the project can be designed and installed and paid before the end of December 2018 / January 2019, in which case using BS7671 Seventeenth edition is acceptable.
Projects starting or in the 35% or 65% Design Stage
Typical projects can take up to 12 months to work their way through the design process.
Use BS7671 Eighteenth edition on all projects that are starting the design process and projects at 35% or 65% design stages unless the project can be designed, installed and and paid for by the end of December 2018 / January 2019, in which case using BS7671 Seventeenth edition is acceptable.
Projects in the 95% or 100% Design Stage
Projects at the 95% or 100% design stages, and where the installation is expected to be completed and paid for by December 2018 / January 2019 can remain as BS7671 Seventeenth edition.
Projects at the 95% and 100% design stages, and with an installation period greater than January 2019 should use BS7671 Eighteenth edition.
Projects in the Installation Stage
Projects in the installation stage, that are expected to finish before February / March 2019, can remain as BS7671 Seventeenth edition.
Projects in the installation stage that are expected to finish between March and June 2019 can remain at BS7671 Seventeenth edition, unless the majority of the electrical work is expected to be completed in this period. If your project may fall into this category please ask.
Projects in the installation stage that are expected to finish after June 2019 should use BS7671 Eighteenth edition.
If you receive any requests for comments during any of the design stages, a standard comment back to the designer should be ‘confirm the design is to BS7671 Eighteenth edition’.
It should not be necessary to recall or rewrite any recently issued Project Instructions or Requests for Change, however, as the first / initial design for the project prepared by the designer is issued to CE then the comment ‘confirm the design is to BS7671 Eighteenth edition’ should be made.
Fire Safety In The Workplace
A User Guide:
1. Who is responsible
In England and Wales, if you’re an employer, owner, landlord or occupier of business or other non-domestic premises, you’re responsible for fire safety and are known as the ‘responsible person’.
The ‘responsible person’
As the ‘responsible person’ you must:
- carry out and regularly review a fire risk assessment of the premises
- tell staff or their representatives about the risks you’ve identified
- put in place, and maintain, appropriate fire safety measures
- plan for an emergency
- provide staff information, fire safety instruction and training
Non-domestic premises
Non-domestic premises are:
- all workplaces and commercial premises
- all premises the public have access to
2. Fire risk assessments
As the ‘responsible person’ you must carry out and regularly review a fire risk assessment of the premises. This will identify what you need to do to prevent fire and keep people safe.
You must keep a written record of your fire risk assessment if your business has 5 or more people.
Carrying out the assessment
- Identify the fire hazards.
- Identify people at risk.
- Evaluate, remove or reduce the risks.
- Record your findings, prepare an emergency plan and provide training.
- Review and update the fire risk assessment regularly.
You’ll need to consider:
- emergency routes and exits
- fire detection and warning systems
- fire fighting equipment
- the removal or safe storage of dangerous substances
- an emergency fire evacuation plan
- the needs of vulnerable people, eg the elderly, young children or those with disabilities
- providing information to employees and other people on the premises
- staff fire safety training
Help with the assessment
You can do the fire risk assessment yourself with the help of standard fire safety advice documents.
You’ll need to appoint a ‘competent person’ to help, eg a professional risk assessor, if you don’t have the expertise or time to do the fire risk assessment yourself.
If you’re not sure if your risk assessment has been carried out properly your local fire and rescue authority might be able to give you advice although they can’t carry out risk assessments for you.
3. Fire safety advice documents
Read the government’s guidance on:
4. Fire safety and evacuation plans
Your plan must show how you have:
- a clear passageway to all escape routes
- clearly marked escape routes that are as short and direct as possible
- enough exits and routes for all people to escape
- emergency doors that open easily
- emergency lighting where needed
- training for all employees to know and use the escape routes
- a safe meeting point for staff
People with mobility needs
You should also make special arrangements for people with mobility needs, eg make sure there are people to help wheelchair users get out of the building in the event of a fire.
5. Fire safety equipment, drills and training
Fire detection and warning systems
You must have a fire-detection and warning system. You may need different types of detectors, depending on the type of building and work carried out in the building.
Fire fighting equipment
The types of equipment you need depend on your business premises. You’ll need to have any equipment properly installed, tested and maintained and train your staff to use them if necessary.
Maintenance and testing
You must carry out regular checks to make sure that:
- all fire alarm systems are working
- the emergency lighting is working
- you record any faults in systems and equipment
- all escape routes are clear and the floor is in a good state
- all fire escapes can be opened easily
- automatic fire doors close correctly
- fire exit signs are in the right place
Fire drills and training
You need to train new staff when they start work and tell all employees about any new fire risks.
You should carry out at least 1 fire drill per year and record the results. You must keep the results as part of your fire safety and evacuation plan.
6. Enforcement, appeals and penalties
Your local fire and rescue authority visits premises to check the fire risk assessment and fire prevention measures are appropriate. Fire safety officers should help you understand the rules and comply with them.
They can also take action if they think your fire safety measures aren’t adequate. For example, they might issue an informal notice suggesting safety measures.
They could also give you a formal fire safety notice. They will tell you what to do to fix the problems described in the notice.
Alterations notice
You could get an alterations notice if your premises have high safety risks or will have high safety risks if the use of the premises changes.
Enforcement notice
You could get an enforcement notice if the fire and rescue authority finds a serious risk that’s not being managed. It will say what improvements are needed by when.
Prohibition notice
These take effect immediately if the fire and rescue authority thinks that the fire risk is so great that access to your premises needs to be prohibited or restricted.
Appeals
You may be able to arrange an informal review from your fire and rescue authority if you disagree with the decision to issue a fire safety notice.
You can appeal to your local magistrates’ court within 21 days of receiving a notice.
In certain circumstances, you and the fire and rescue authority can ask for a ‘determination’ from the Communities Secretary to resolve a dispute.
Penalties
You can be prosecuted for not following fire safety regulations. You could get a fine or go to prison if you’re convicted.
Minor penalties can be up to £5,000. Major penalties can have unlimited fines and up to 2 years in prison.
Where To Fit Fire Doors / Smoke Doors
The question of providing fully compliant internal fire/smoke doors and frame for new construction or refurbishments often arises. It can be a mine field; however with a little guidance these decisions will be made a whole lot easier.
In general Fire doors/smoke doors are fitted within premises in order to protect a means of escape from the affects of fire, the original fire strategy of the building should confirm to you which doorways need fire resistance. If you are unclear then a survey can be carried out in order to give you a clear indication. As a general rule of thumb if you are replacing an existing door that has smoke seals, intumescent strip, vision panels, self closing devices and 3 hinges then it is probably a fire door and so will need to be replaced on a like for like basis.
Doors and frame assessment:
When purchasing a fire/smoke door the door and frame should be purchased from the same manufacturer with a BS 476-22:1987 or BS EN 1634-1:2000 certificate supplied for the complete unit. It should be noted that there is no point spending money on expensive doors if they are not going to be fitted correctly. The door and frame must be fitted by a competent person to the specifications of the design. A number of BS EN ISO 9001 quality management approved manufacturers offer third party product and installation certification with their fire tested products. These are supported by Certificates of Approval and technical data sheets detailing the scope of the approval, including variations to the design and the fittings that can be attached to the door assembly.
These documents should be readily available from the manufacturer or door supplier on request to enable the scope of the certification to be verified against the requirements of a project.
Project Managers Check List:
1. Review third party product Certificate and Data Sheet.
2. Is the size, configuration, door action & facing material approved within the scope of the certification for the required fire rating?
3. Is the supporting construction approved within the scope of the certification for the required fire rating?
4. Is the action and latching of the door set or the method of operation of the shutter approved for the required fire rating?
5. Is any glazed aperture and glazing material in the door set approved?
6. Is any other aperture in the door set (louver, viewer, letter plate) approved?
7. Is the door set or shutter self closing device approved and is any other hardware and intumescent strips, smoke seals on the door set approved?
8. Verify that the installation contractor is certificated for the product type under a fire door installer certification scheme such as BRE/LPCB, FIRAS and BM TRADA.
This good will advice is supplied without prejudice, it is difficult to give specific guidance without proper details and an onsite survey, however this will give you a reasonably good and informed starting point.
Stay Tuned For Regular Updates
In the coming months you can expect to see regular updates and tips posted to the Blog. In the meantime please feel free to explore other areas of website, if you have any questions contact us here.