Passive Fire Statutory Testing & Inspection

Over the years there have been many fire tragedies. Typically they take place in the home but the most devastating occur on premises where large groups of people come together; in the workplace, residential accommodation and places of public entertainment. The Kiss night club disaster in Brazil claimed 242 lives, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in NY 146, the Bradford City stadium fire 56 and the Dehui poultry plant fire in China at least 120.

These are the best known but there are other incidents and ‘near misses’ which have not made the headlines.
Following the Kiss fire in 2013, the Assistant Fire Chief for London warned against complacency in the UK;

“Businesses must be able to show that they have thought about how they will keep people safe if the worst should happen and they do have a fire…If people are breaking fire safety laws, we will have no hesitation in prosecuting them, which could result in a fine totalling tens of thousands of pounds or in the worst cases a prison sentence.”

On the eve of the British Grand Prix in 2010, the Premier Inn at Silverstone was burned to the ground. In an evacuation, which can be seen as an example of good practice, all guests and staff were removed to a place of safety.

Passive Fire

Introduction

Passive Fire Inspections and Servicing.

ST&I ensures that employers, institutions and landlords fulfil their duties under current legislation by inspecting passive fire precautions (walls, doors, escape routes, signage etc). We also test and service fire doors and can install or replace where required. We provide full and detailed information on test results carried out and mark equipment appropriately.

Those with responsibilities and duties;

Employers

Institutions

Landlords

 

Under The Health & Safety atВ Work Act 1974 everybody has a duty to ensure the safety of others whilst at work; however, the Duty Holder will have ultimate responsibility for fire safety and management; unless otherwise specified in your Health and Safety Policy then the responsibility will fall on the most senior person.

Passive Fire Inspections may be conducted by the Duty Holder as part of their annual fire risk assessment but if that person lacks fire safety expertise, it is advisable to appoint a ‘competent person’.

The relevant legislation

The Health & Safety atВ Work Act 1974,

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

More?

 

Guidance

Building Regulations Date? Approved Documents B, M & E

Any more?

 

Legal Requirements

To meet your obligations under The Health and Safety at Work Act, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and Building Regulations (Approved Documents B, M & E), in so far as fire safety is concerned and to ensure the safety of your staff, visitors, buildings and possessions, the HSE recommends that fire doors are installed as a means of protecting escape routes and that they are inspected and serviced periodically by a competent person. Under regulation 38, a fire safety information pack should be maintained by the responsible person and include details of fire doors and other passive fire measures.

 

 

Statutory Testing and Inspection Ltd comprehensive Fire Door / Passive Fire inspection programme

Our service is FIRAS (3rd Party) accredited and ensures that employers, institutions and landlords fulfil their duties under current legislation by conducting passive fire inspections, the installation & servicing of fire doors and providing full and detailed information on servicing carried out and marking equipment appropriately.

Our fire safety inspectors are BAFE BS 5306-3 trained guaranteeing that our work is of the highest standard and performed by experienced professionals.

All extracts from government research and guidance publications are used courtesy of theВ UK Government Licensing FrameworkВ 

Common Introduction FAQ's

  • What is Passive Fire inspection?

    • It is a periodic inspection which requires that all passive fire measures (escape routes, signage, evacuation procedures and fire doors) are appropriate to their purpose and serviced by a competent person.

       

  • Passive Fire inspection- Which fire fighting devices require servicing?

    • All Passive Fire products built into the building fabric which protect your place of work against all classes of risk. This covers fire doors, walls, ceilings etc.

       

  • Passive Fire inspection - Who should do the work?

    • In general the legal responsibility for introducing and maintaining an appropriate system of fire management falls to the ‘responsible person’ in any premises i.e. the person who was responsible for the initial Fire Risk Assessment. If that member of staff has the requisite knowledge they may include Passive Fire Inspections as part of their annual fire risk assessment but if that person lacks fire safety expertise, it is advisable to appoint a ‘competent person’.

      Servicing of fire doors should be conducted by a qualified and experienced engineer, preferably 3rd party accredited. Competent operatives are those who have experience of test and inspection and have been trained. For your own peace of mind, evidence of their qualifications and experience in this type of work should be asked for.

  • How often are Fire Door checks required?

    • Fire Doors should be checked regularly to ensure they are working and not obstructed. They should be inspected by a competent person every 6 months and every 3 months if the door is in constant use.

  • What happens if an item fails a Fire Door Test?

    • Any remedial works must be carried out as a matter of urgency; we offer our customers a remedial solution to repair any defects found during the test and inspection process. We will provide a no obligation quotation to repair any defects and issue the required certification once the fault has been rectified. We do not charge for the replacement of minor items e.g. screws and can supply replacement doors or components at a competitive price. All passive fire products are tested and approved by Warrington Fire and conform to ???? regulations with a manufacturers warranty.

      Add relevant regs

       

  • How does a fire door differ from a conventional one?

    • Fire doors compartmentalise parts of a building much like any other door. However, they are also carefully designed items of fire engineering, constructed in such a manner that they prevent the spread of fire and protect escape routes. It is crucial that fire doors are made of the appropriate materials and that they are properly fitted with heat activated intumescent seals or strips and smoke responsive seals.

       

  • Passive Fire inspection - Is the testing disruptive?

    • In general it is not possible to conduct any testing (apart from thermal testing) without some inconvenience; the level of disruption will depend upon the type of system, its environment and location of your signage, fire doors and escape routes. Typically passive fire inspections do not take long and our staff are trained to keep such disruption to a minimum. If necessary, we could carry out the testing outside work hours (after 5pm Mon-Fri or all day Saturday).

       

  • Passive Fire inspection - What evidence do we get that the inspection / servicing has been completed?

    • Upon completion of the test and inspection you should receive a report in hard copy and online that provides the following information;

      • Schedule of items tested and inspected
      • A list of defects or deviations from the British Standard (these will require attention)
      • An Inspection Certificate and Manual

       

      We are happy to discuss with you any of the technical aspects of the report.

  • Passive Fire inspection / Servicing - How much will it cost?

    • There are many factors that can affect the cost of Passive Fire inspection / Servicing such as types of devices, level of service required, size ofВ  location, access and availability. It is always good practice to establish a cost per test quote as this will cover both parties.

      For a quote please phoneВ 0151 559 1944

Book Appointment

Call our enquiry line to book an appointment:

Nationwide Enquiry Line 0151 559 1944

Enquiry Form

ST&I Accreditations