From routine checks of common areas to more extensive investigations within flats, our assessments highlight areas of concern and provide clear, practical recommendations to improve safety.
Fire Risk Assessments are a legal requirement for residential and commercial buildings across the UK. They provide a structured review of the building’s fire safety measures, identifying potential risks and ensuring compliance with the Fire Safety Order (FSO), the Fire Safety Act 2021, and the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022.
We offer all four recognised types of Fire Risk Assessments, ranging from non-destructive reviews to more in-depth inspections requiring opening up of construction. This ensures building owners, managers, and residents have confidence that fire safety risks are being properly identified and managed.
A type 1 fire risk assessment is the basic fire risk assessment required for the purpose of satisfying the Fire Safety Order (FSO), the Fire Safety Act 2021 and Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022. The inspection of the building is non-destructive but as well as considering the arrangements for means of escape and so forth, the fire risk assessment includes examination of at least a sample of flat entrance doors, it also considers, so far as reasonably practicable, the separating construction between the flats and the common parts without any opening up or construction. However, in this type of fire risk assessment, entry to flats beyond the area of the flat entrance door, is not involved.
The escape and objectives of a Type 2 fire risk assessment are generally similar to those of a type 1 fire risk assessment, except that there is a degree of destructive inspection, carried out on a sampling basis. This will necessitate the presence of a contractor for the purpose of opening up construction and making good after inspection.
A type 3 fire risk assessment includes the work involved in a type 1 fire risk assessment but goes beyond the scope of the FSO and other relevant legislation (though not the scope of the Housing Act). This risk assessment considers the arrangements for the means of escape and fire detection (i.e. smoke alarms) within at least a sample of the flats. Within the flats, the inspection is non-destructive, but the fire resistance of doors to rooms is considered.
A type 4 fire risk assessment has the same scope of work as a type 3 fire risk assessment, except that there is a degree of destructive inspection, in both the common parts and the flats, carried out on a sampling basis. This will usually necessitate the presence of a contractor for the purpose of opening up construction and making good following inspection. However, the nature of the work is such that destructive inspection within flats can only be carried out in those that are vacant.
If your building requires a fire risk assessment to ensure compliance, contact DUNN today to discuss your requirements.