This recent fire in Watford could have been a lot worse and fortunately was contained without anyone being seriously injured. This fire actually started as a bin fire which spread to the building from the ground floor level.
I think it raises a good point for fire risk assessors as often the sole focus is on the inside of a building. We are all too aware of the need to consider the external facade of a building with the Building Safety Bill and Fire Safety Act 2021. This primarily deals with cladding issues but we should also consider the location of bin stores and how these are being managed.
Whether the fire was deliberate or accidental, it had the potential to spread to the building and therefore the location and security of bins stores (in terms of access) is important.
How many times have fire risk assessors spent only assessing the insides of building only to later discover a fire has been started externally at ground floor level by a bin or discarded cigarette. Food for thought as always.
Watford fire: Residents feared ‘another Grenfell’ after fire at tower block (msn.com)
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This recent industrial unit fire in London was attended to by up to 60 firefighters. These type of fires can cause all sorts of problems for firefighting crews and some of the risks and considerations include:
· The processes that take place in the unit (hazardous materials, cylinders, machinery etc)
· The type of toxic smoke these processes and materials give off
· The dangers of explosions and fire spread across buildings
· Possible mezzanine floor levels and staff working remotely
· The potential need for mass evacuation for nearly units and homes
· Environmental considerations and water run off from these types of fires
The above list is not exhaustive but shows some of the potential risks that can be faced at these types of incidents. Firefighters will need to know where the utility isolation points are so these can be switched off as soon as possible.
This is also why its important that a fire risk assessment is in place and any risks mitigated as much as possible beforehand.
https://lnkd.in/ekKzzXR3
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Firefighters are fighting a huge fire at a block of 20 flats in Bedford which has been caused by a huge gas explosion. There are reports of two injuries, one potentially very serious.
The fire appears to have burnt through a large section of the roof and is a very serious incident which has obviously affected several flats within this three floor apartment block.
The fire service are advising any nearby residents to keep their doors and windows shut due to the volume of smoke in the area. I hope this is under control now and the injuries are not as bad as first feared.
I will watch the developments of this fire and update with any potential information about what caused the gas explosion and how the fire was able to spread to so many flats and the roof space so quickly.
Firefighters tackling 'inferno' after major gas explosion at block of flats (msn.com)
Dozens of firefighters in London are battling a fire on the 15th floor of a 17 floor high rise block of flats in South East London. I hope everybody has been safely evacuated and firefighters have been able to get the fire under control.
It will be interesting to see what has caused this fire and whether the fire was able to be contained within a single flat. Hopefully the dry riser and AOV systems are all working and any other fire safety systems all did their job.
If this was a building with a stay put policy, then it will be interesting to see whether firefighters had to evacuate any nearby flats or if any smoke managed to escape in the communal lobbies and staircase areas.
Its also always worth mentioning the external facade of the building. If these fires break out of an external wall via a window or balcony then the materials on the building can have a major impact on external fire spread. I will keep an eye on this one and lets hope everybody is safe.
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Residential fire risk assessment London
Whale Fire can provide all of your residential fire risk assessment requirements throughout London. Perhaps you are selling your flat and need an urgent fire risk assessment in order for the sale to progress. If that’s the case, please visit our article on ‘Selling your flat need a fire risk assessment here’:
https://www.whalefire.co.uk/newsdetail.aspx?id=311
This article ‘Do I need a fire risk assessment to sell my flat’ provides information about the regulatory legislative requirements that tell you why you need such an assessment before you can make the sale/purchase:
https://www.whalefire.co.uk/newsdetail.aspx?id=313
Whether your flat is a HMO (House of Multiple Occupation), converted or purpose-built building, Whale Fire can help. Our fire risk assessments are always accredited by a qualified assessor and come with third party accreditation.
You can read more of our articles which cover a whole range of fire safety topics here:
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his outbuilding fire in East Dulwich, London, was believed to have been caused by unattended barbeque coals. London Fire Brigade (LFB) have issued a warning urging residents in London to be careful using barbeques and never to leave your barbeque unattended.
The consequences of doing so can be severe and the ruination of this outbuilding was a heavy price to pay for an accident.
But as we know, fires hold no prisoners and it is essential that you take extra care with barbeques in this hot weather.
https://lnkd.in/eaDQbBcB
For my article on playing it cool in the summer and fire safety tips for doing so, please follow this link to my website:
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I am often asked how often a fire risk assessment should be completed and reviewed. There is not a definitive answer as it all depends on the type of premises and the risk involved.
If you have a residential property (block of flats, HMO) then should ideally review your fire risk assessment on an annual basis. This is because of the sleeping risk and allows a fire risk assessor to ensure the responsible person is keeping up with the necessary arrangements. It also allows an assessor to check if there are any new risks or have been any material alterations to the property.
If you have a commercial property, again we do recommend every year but can accept every couple of years. This is on the basis that you carry out an in-house review every year that it is not carried out by a professional.
This all depends on the attitude and competence of the responsible persons. As a qualified fire risk assessor, I will always make a judgement of this and how efficient they are at record keeping and compliance when following fire risk assessments.
Therefore to summarise, to ensure compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, you must ensure you review your fire risk assessment on a regular basis (normally every year) or at any time if there are any material alterations or other significant changes to the property to warrant a new one.
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The Childcare Register for childcare in both domestic and non-domestic premises is issued and controlled by Ofsted. They state “The registered person must ensure that the children receiving childcare are kept safe from harm” and this naturally includes fire safety. It requests that a fire risk assessment of the premises is completed which should identify and address and hazards and risks in the property.
Broadly speaking, childcare facilities can be divided into two main types (although a whole range of premises could be used). These are:
Fire safety wise it is a bit of a grey area - some say both subject to the The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRFSO) when used for child minding activities, but this is not crystal clear. For non-domestic premises which are subject to the above legislation, the fire risk assessment should be considered acceptable by the Ofsted inspectors.
It is in the domestic premises where problems may arise because the responsible person (childminder) may not have the necessary skills to carry out a fire risk assessment.
Guidance previously issued by the Chief and Assistant Chief Fire Officers Association [CACFOA] can assist them fulfill their duties with regards to fire safety.
The guidance uses a common sense basic standard of fire precautions for domestic properties to be used for child minding activities.
In a nutshell, it is vital that child minders know what to do in the event of a fire and establish an escape plan. This should include ensuring that the escape routes are kept clear and a means of raising the alarm is in place (smoke alarms), where the assembly point is and who will call the fire brigade.
Fire safety measures to consider include:
Ensuring there are no inner rooms situations
Providing fire-fighting equipment (fire extinguisher, fire blanket)
Correct heating installations
Not smoking
Safe cooking arrangements
Safe furniture (Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations)
Safe and tested electrics
Provisions for overnight care
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