Pre-assessment
1 - Make acquaintance
- Website enquiry form sent in or client calls or emails directly.
- Learn about client and their role / responsibilities
- Get a basic understanding about the type of premises (eg size, use etc)
- For residential premises – establish what type of assessment is needed; Type 1 or Type 3
- Quote issued for a non-invasive assessment
2 - Information gathering
- Quote accepted by client
- Establish when required
- Who is the main contact
- How urgent the assessment is. Our report turnaround is 7-10 working days (from the date of payment). We do offer a fast-track service for an additional fee. This should be agreed at the point of booking.
- Booking confirmation issued with details of assessor and service booked
- Pre-visit questionnaire sent to client which creates a checklist of documents required on the assessment day and provides important information to the assessor in advance of the assessment
3 - Service - assessment
- Assessor meets client on site, goes through fire safety paperwork
- Assessor conducts visual inspection of all the clients areas of responsibility, taking notes and photos
- For communal areas of flats, please ensure access is available to at least a sample of flat front doors. For other types of premises with more than 15 fire doors, the assessor may only be able to sample some of these doors. They will ensure the sample includes high risk areas and any doors leading onto the means of escape.
- Client can ask any questions
- Invoice issued
Post-assessment
4 - Compliance
- Report written and submitted by assessor
- Report is quality checked & validated
- Payment received & report issued to Responsible Person (RP) with Logbook and if required template of emergency plan / fire safety policy. Allow 7 – 10 working days (or less if our fast-track service has been agreed at the point of booking) from date of payment for the report to be sent.
- On receiving the report RP must check through the report to ensure it is accurate
- RP works through the actions raised in the report. The action summary is to be used as a guide, the full recommendations are in the main sections of the report.
- RP contacts customer service if there are any queries / requires clarity
5 - Renewals / Review
- Following year – Annual reminder sent out
- RP decision internal review OR new FRA to book in
What we don’t do….
The Fire Risk Assessment will not include an inspection of external wall construction and cladding.
It is expected that the duty holder will take responsibility for making the fire risk assessor aware of any known concerns regarding the fire performance of external wall construction, or any alterations since the time of construction that might be detrimental to the fire performance of external wall construction, including the installation of any new cladding, fenestrations or attachments to the building.
Access to voids above false ceilings / loft spaces will only be attempted by the assessor should they deem it necessary and safe.
If voids above false ceilings/loft spaces exist in your premises, they impact on passive fire protection and therefore need to be considered in the fire risk assessment. Our assessors conduct a visual inspection from floor height however if these areas are accessible on the day of inspection, with the appropriate equipment (eg ladders), which must be in a good state of repair, the assessor may attempt to sample the areas where the void spaces are regarded as crucial to life safety.
The assessment does not include a full fire door survey.
Fire doors are also part of a Fire Risk Assessment, therefore access will be required to assess these. For communal areas of Flats, please ensure access is available to at least a sample of Flat front doors. For other types of premises with more than 15 fire doors, the assessor may only be able to sample some of these doors. They will ensure the sample includes high risk areas and any doors leading onto the means of escape. Based on the sample of doors, if a full fire door survey is required, this will be highlighted in your report.
We can't assess anywhere that is undergoing construction
All construction work MUST be completed prior to the assessment. There will be a cancellation fee of 50% if work is still ongoing and an assessment cannot take place.
We do not send reports out before payment has been received.
Your Fire Risk Assessment report, logbook, and other relevant documentation, such as templates for an Emergency Plan and / or Fire Safety Policy, will only be sent out once payment has been received. Typically this takes 7 – 10 working days.