Reply To: Proactive preparation for fire safety

The problem seems to be that Councils’ ‘policing’ interventions appear entirely arbitrary and that sometimes fire engineering ‘consultants’ have worked for or have close relationships with Council compliance officers.

A Council officer that insists on full compliance of an older building to current safety standards can deliver a windfall fee income

to the various consultants/contractors that oversee substantial and costly compliance works required by an Order.

kaindub wrote:

My understanding of the fire safety rules are that the building only needs to comply with the regualtions in force at the time it was built (Its hard to find these rules but they are out there)

However the local council or the fire brigade can apply orders to bring the building up to a more modern standard. (This usually occurs after a fire incident as neither the council nor the fire brigade police buildings compliance. That is what an AFSS is supposed to do)

I understand, talking to a few fire professionals, that councils can be “reasonable” in the type of stuff to be put into old buildings. (But you have to be prepared to work with them)

However the idea of being proactive has merit. The fire professionals tell me that you are less likely to be subject to an improvement order if there are some fire safety measures in place.

You can get an independent report done by a fire safety practicioner. They can assess your building and advise measures to take to be “more modern”. They can’t force you to upgrade everything and their report will save you installing items that are not required.