Since 1 October 2006, The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 has required the Responsible Person to undertake a suitable and sufficient assessment of risk, i.e. a fire risk assessment.
On occasion it may be recommended to undertake an enhanced fire risk assessment, this may be because the premises has not been built or maintained in accordance to building regulations, or may depend on the premises’ complexity, size, occupancy and/or consequential risks.
The Fire Safety Act 2021 now requires the external wall and any attachments to be included within the fire risk assessment for the building. Where necessary, advice should be sought from an appropriately qualified and competent professional (i.e. a fire engineer or construction professional with significant knowledge and experience of fire safety). Further information on the fire risk appraisal of external walls (FRAEW) and the PAS 9980 methodology is available here.
Further reading on fire risk assessments:
- Fire risk assessments on Gov.uk
- National Fire Chiefs Council guidance on finding a fire risk assessor
A full version of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 can be found here.