If you’re responsible for managing safety in a block of flats or business centre, it’s important to understand how a fire could spread to assess the risks, and which fire safety measures should be implemented to help to contain smoke and fire. A compartmentation survey is a crucial part of fire safety as it is one of the most important measures to keep a building and occupants safe.
To meet the legal requirements of the RRO, owners or occupiers must ensure that their buildings and property has robust and effective fire compartmentation, which is regularly assessed and maintained.
What is a Compartmentation Survey?
A fire compartmentation survey is designed to assess the fire risk of each individual area or sub-division of your building. Compartmentation is designed to help prevent the rapid spread of smoke and fire. Subdivisions can also protect escape routes and high-risk or high-value areas within the building.
Regular surveys are an essential element of your fire risk strategy and a legal requirement under RRFSO: 2005 (the Regulatory Reform Order 2005, which now encompasses most fire safety legislation in one order).
What does a Fire Compartmentation Survey Involve?
Melwood Facilities will undertake a detailed on-site survey, which will include assessing the fabric of the building in detail and evaluating the compartmental resilience to the spread of smoke and fire.
Our qualified, experienced and accredited team will identify any compartmentation breaches, and constructively produce the appropriate action required to bring your property in-line with legislation.
A Melwood Facilities compartmentation survey includes:
- An assessment of the current fire compartmentation strategy for the swelling or property.
- A comprehensive visual inspection of all areas where a fire could potentially spread. This includes assessing the condition of compartmentation features including walls, ceilings and floors and a detailed inspection of hard-to-access areas, including loft voids and air ducts.
- Assessment of fire-resistant materials used in construction to ensure these meet the required fire safety standards.
- Verifying that partition walls are fire-rated and provide adequate fire breaks.
- Identifying any individual threats to compartmentation.
Dependent on requirements, we will advise if a non-invasive or invasive survey is required.
Once completed, we’ll provide you with a written report detailing required improvements (both structural and non-structural). If required, we can then arrange for our construction and maintenance team to carry out any work to bring you up to the required standards in the agreed time frames.
Areas We Cover
For a complete fire risk assessment in Wigan, from a team of fully-accredited, certified fire safety assessors, don’t hesitate to get in touch today.
Here at Melwood, we’re proud to offer industry-leading, local services to properties across the North-West. Some of our most popular areas of service include:
- Greater Manchester (Manchester, Salford, Stockport, Eccles, Wigan, Bolton)
- Lancashire (Preston, Blackpool, Blackburn)
- Merseyside (Liverpool, Warrington, St. Helens)
- Stoke-On-Trent
- Crewe
For more information about our compartmentation surveys please contact the Melwood team at hello@melwoodfacilities.co.uk
