Not all fire risk assessors stand up to scrutiny and obtaining a ‘suitable
and sufficient’ assessment comes down to more than just qualifications. Guest Blogger Kevin
Boreham explains:
Building fires not only threaten lives and property, but can
also lead to enforcement action, prosecution, stiff fines and even jail.
Employing the services of a competent fire risk assessor is therefore paramount
for landlords, property managers and company owners.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO)
stipulates that a person shall be regarded as competent ‘ ...where he has sufficient training and experience or knowledge’.
But how much raining, experience or knowledge is sufficient?
There are currently no formal qualifications required to become a fire risk assessor, although there are
a number of excellent training programmes available. But regardless of the
knowledge gained in a classroom setting, there is nothing like practical
experience.
Having assessments peer reviewed or scrutinised by a local
fire inspector can really highlight weaknesses in methodology and report formats,
and experience shows that even big-name health and safety service providers can
get it wrong.
When we recently took on a property, we scrutinised the fire
risk assessment provided and found some worrying gaps. A further report by an
in-house specialist uncovered some startling and basic omissions:
• dry-riser systems would not hold water as the bolts were
only finger tight
• complete stairwells lacked any working emergency lights
• security was compromised, allowing indiscriminate entry
• plant rooms were used as storage facilities by residents
• the automatic smoke-ventilation system was not in working
order.
When questioned, the staff on site remarked that the
previous assessor had spent less than half an hour on the premises. This might
have been enough time for a small apartment block, but not for this substantial
property, which consisted of 12 cores over 10 to 12 floors, plus two levels of
undercroft parking and several plant rooms.
It is doubtful how a ‘suitable and sufficient’ risk
assessment can be conducted with this approach.
Conflict of interest
Formal qualifications are only part of the requirements to
become a good fire risk assessor. An understanding of building regulations,
construction methods and building materials enable better risk judgements to be
made. Yet health and safety journals regularly carry advertisements placed by
companies seeking serving or ex-fire officers to be fire risk assessors.
While studying for my formal qualifications, I once asked a
serving fire officer for clarification on some of the finer points of fire-risk
assessment and was surprised by his response: “How should I know? I just turn up with a hosepipe to put the fire
out.”
Apart from the conflict of interest resulting from serving
officers acting as fire risk assessors (and especially those who act as
enforcers of the FSO), some doubt exists as to their ability to supply a
suitable and sufficient risk assessment.
Enforcing the FSO and writing reports to help others abide
by it are two entirely different things. Enforcement is a black-and-white issue
– a building is either compliant or not. But adherence has real life to deal
with, including staffing levels and human interaction.
So what is a ‘suitable and sufficient assessment of the
risks’? This depends on who is asking the question, the knowledge of that
person and to what type of property it relates. On 8 July 2011, Nottingham
Crown Court jailed a fire risk assessor and a hotel manager for eight months
for failing to carry out a suitable fire risk assessment, among other offences.
In this instance, the enforcing authorities and the courts made the decision as
to suitability.
Having assessments peer reviewed by a
local fire inspector can really highlight weaknesses in methodology and report
formats
After several years of regularly conducting risk assessments
in residential, retirement and office blocks, I believe that I can produce
‘suitable and sufficient’ assessments for such properties. However, an attempt by me to assess
industrial sites or shopping complexes would likely be ‘unsuitable and
insufficient’. Without the appropriate knowledge and observational skills, it
is highly likely that deficient, inappropriate or missing passive/active
fire-protection measures will go undetected.
So, who is competent and how can you tell? These are
important questions for freeholders, managing agents, residents’ management
companies and others with managerial control of properties.
The fire safety industry is attempting to address this issue
as a whole. The new BAFE SP205 Life Safety Fire Risk Assessment Scheme, with a
guidance document for certification bodies, has been developed for
organisations that provide fire risk assessment services. While the document
mentions competency, it clearly states that “it
is not the purpose of the scheme to assess the competence of the individuals
involved”. Whether it goes far enough remains to be seen. While using
registered organisations on the scheme will provide some protection, consumers
may still end up with unsuitable fire risk assessments.
There are some things you can do to ensure a suitable
assessment:
• seek out assessors with formal qualifications, preferably
more than a one-day course
• check their area of specialism; those doing assessments in
residential properties require a different
knowledge base to
those working in other areas
• ask to see samples of previous risk assessments
• use an established company
• ensure that access is provided to all areas of the
property and relevant information is made
available to the assessor
• read and question the results to ensure that the
assessment is not done as a tick-box exercise.
Enforcement is a black-and-white
issue, but adherence has real life to deal with
Conclusion
All clients want value for money and there are providers
that will cut their prices to gain business. The reality is that low barriers
to entry leave the market open to abuse by those looking to ‘cash in’ on what
is seen as a lucrative market. The outcome is assessments that do not stand up
to scrutiny and are likely to fail the ‘suitable and sufficient’ test. Be
aware: best price does not equal the best results.
So, how do you know a fire risk assessor is truly competent?
When they supply a suitable and sufficient assessment that protects you and
your clients and stands up to scrutiny, when they take their time when visiting
the property and ask the relevant questions, and when the assessment is not
seen as a retail opportunity.
Finally, and most importantly, when the assessor is prepared
to stand up and be accountable for what they have provided to the client.
More information
Competency Criteria for Fire Risk Assessors (Fire Risk
Assessment Competency Council): www.britishfireconsortium.org.uk/fire_risk_assessment_competency_document.pdf
The Regulatory Reform (Fire safety) Order 2005:
Kevin Boreham is the head of Mainstay Group’s Health, Safety
and Compliance team. He is a member of the Institute of Residential Property
Managers, a specialist member of the International Institute of Risk and Safety
Management and a technical member of the Institution of Occupational Safety and
Health. kevinboreham@mainstaygroup.co.uk
This article was published in the RICS Residential Property
Journal January-February 2013. For full details of RICS and their services
please go to www.rics.org
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