Fire compartmentation is a fundamental principle of building fire safety design. It refers to the practice of dividing a building into separate fire-resisting sections — known as compartments — to slow the spread of fire and smoke. The purpose is simple: to protect escape routes, limit fire damage, and give occupants time to evacuate safely. Read more »
Fire doors and fire exit doors are frequently confused — but they are not the same thing. They serve different roles within a building’s overall fire safety strategy and are designed for different life-safety purposes under UK fire safety legislation. In simple terms: A fire door is designed to resist the spread of fire and Read more »
Correct installation is critical to fire door performance. Even a fully certified FD30 or FD60 fire door will fail if it is not installed in accordance with recognised standards. BS 8214:2016 is the British Standard that sets out the code of practice for the correct installation of fire-resisting timber doorsets and door assemblies in the Read more »
The difference between FD30 and FD60 fire doors comes down to fire resistance time, compartmentation requirements and regulatory compliance under UK fire safety law. These are the two most common fire door ratings used in UK buildings. Understanding the difference between FD30 and FD60 fire doors is essential for meeting UK fire door regulations and Read more »
If your premises legally require a Fire Risk Assessment but none has been carried out, you are not simply missing a piece of paperwork — you are in breach of fire safety law. Under Article 9 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the Responsible Person must carry out a suitable and sufficient Fire Read more »
For many Responsible Persons and duty holders under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, an inspection by the Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) can feel daunting. Unlike an internal review or consultancy check, an FRS audit is a formal fire safety inspection carried out under statutory powers to assess compliance with the Regulatory Reform Read more »
For Responsible Persons overseeing multi-occupied residential buildings — including housing associations, managing agents, freeholders, supported housing providers and local authorities — evacuation compliance is becoming an increasingly critical area of focus. From 6 April 2026, the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 introduce new legal duties designed to improve the safety of residents Read more »
For Responsible Persons and Accountable Persons overseeing higher-risk residential buildings — including housing associations, managing agents, freeholders and local authorities — understanding how Fire Risk Assessments (FRAs) and Building Safety Case Reports work together is essential. Under the Building Safety Act 2022, higher-risk residential buildings must demonstrate that building safety risks are identified, assessed and Read more »
A Retrospective Fire Strategy is a comprehensive, expert-led assessment that reviews and documents the fire safety design and provisions for an existing building — particularly where original fire strategy documentation required under Regulation 38 of the Building Regulations is missing, outdated, or no longer aligned with current UK fire safety standards. At Fire Risk Assessment Read more »
BS 8414 is the British Standard fire test method used to assess the fire performance of complete external wall and cladding systems on buildings. It is a large-scale, real-world fire test that evaluates how fire spreads vertically and laterally on a facade rather than just small material samples. Since the introduction of PAS 9980, which Read more »
