Fire Safety is a priority for occupants and visitors of every building and those who own and insure them. Trident has professionally qualified experts who are able to provide advice in several aspects of building fire safety when considering both life safety and asset safety. We are not Fire Engineers, but we do have close links with several Fire Engineering partners where additional and specialist expertise is required.
As Statutory requirements and Regulations continue to evolve, we can ensure you are fully up to date and kept compliant with the necessary guidance. Our team of Building Surveyors and Building Engineers have undertaken additional training beyond standard “competency” levels, to ensure we are able to deliver the highest standard of service.
Matt Clare leads our fire consultancy group; he represents the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) on IRG Working Group 4 – Fire Risk Assessment and also sits on the RICS Fire Safety Working Group.
As with most Building Surveying practices, we have limits on Indemnity imposed by our Professional Indemnity Insurers relating to “Fire” matters … including a maximum liability of fifty thousand pounds (£50,000) in the aggregate in respect of fire safety advice provided for building over 4 storeys. We maintain professional indemnity insurance in the sum of ten million pounds (£10,000,000) but the maximum amount payable in the aggregate in respect of any fire safety advice related claims shall not exceed one million pounds (£1,000,000).
The conditions to be imposed by our insurers may be vary when cover is renewed in Q2 2023.
Trident currently offers the following fire consultancy services:
RICS External Wall Systems (EWS1) Forms
Our fire consultancy team have extensive experience of carrying out detailed inspections of buildings. Our surveyors have completed the RICS ABBE Level 6 Award in External Wall System Assessment and are able to investigate external wall systems and sign-off EWS1 forms for a variety of property types. Where we are limited to assessing buildings above 18m, we partner with appropriately qualified CEng or IEng MIFireE Fire Engineers who complete the forms and provide appropriate Professional Indemnity Insurance.
External Wall Fire Risk Assessments (FRAEW PAS 9980)
An External Wall Fire Risk Assessment (FRAEW) is required when a Fire Risk Assessor has concerns, or they require further information about the external wall system of a building when they are assessing during a Fire Risk Assessment. With our extensive experience, we can help by engaging contractors and coordinating any external wall system intrusive investigations that may be necessary, as well as undertaking the FRAEW assessment in accordance with PAS9980. As with EWS1 forms, for buildings outside of our scope, we would engage the additional expertise of an appropriately qualified Fire Engineer to assist with the PASS9980 assessment.
Project Management for fire safety remedial work schemes
If the external walls of your building are found to be defective and require a programme of remedial works to bring them up to an appropriate standard, Trident can provide a full service assisting with the procurement of this work using our team of experienced Project Managers and Building Surveyors.
We approach each stage of the process with key tenets in mind, supporting the project by:
Our thorough planning and meticulous control, supported by property technology methods, enables us to provide our project management services to a high level of success from any of our offices at Trident.
Project Management of large-scale fire testing
We can manage the process for BS 8414 testing, which tests the fire performance of External Wall Systems on existing buildings or proposed for use on new installations. Following the Hackitt Review, cladding fire testing has become critically important for demonstrating compliance.
We have links with facilities that can conduct UKAS accredited cladding testing – the vital evidence needed to comply with Local Authorities, Fire and Rescue Service, and insurers of the fire performance of facades.
Contract Administration for fire safety remedial works
As a core part of our offering, our fire consultancy Building Surveyors are proficient in carrying out Contract Administration work across a wide range of building types, from hotels to fully occupied high rise high risk residential blocks.
We have worked across the full suite of New Engineering Contract (NEC) and Joint Contracts Tribunal (JCT) group contracts, as well as client-specific forms, in a multitude of sectors across the UK.
In cases where specific forms of contract are needed, we liaise with trusted legal advisors to add bespoke amendments into the documentation for our client’s peace of mind and prosperity.
Our service offers:
To ensure that we provide a high-quality service through the experience, we use intensive QA systems to assess the competence of our third party advisors, limiting commercial risk and increasing your faith in our work.
Project Monitoring of remedial work to buildings both internally and externally
We are well-versed in providing Project Monitoring services to many different types of property for clients with a huge range of objectives.
To minimise risk within the building process, our experienced staff review the planning, design and construction stages to advise on managing and financing projects.
As well as taking an interest in the legality of the works, our monitoring role involves ensuring drawdowns are accurate and representative and leave sufficient funds to complete at every stage.
Pathology/Opening up – External Wall System Surveys
We have a wealth of knowledge and experience in surveying and diagnosing defects in construction, using the latest technology. We carry out minimally invasive inspections which cover:
In rare instances, further on-site testing and analysis may be required to establish the cause and repair of the defect. Our close relationships with independent laboratories help to get to the root of the problem quickly, progressing you to the best solution.
Fire door inspections
Fire protection is a necessity for compliance with The Building Regulations and to meet the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022. Fire doors can protect escape routes, high-risk or high-value areas, and help to prevent extensive losses. They are a vital passive fire protection measure but are often subject to damage due to general wear and tear as well as misuse. Following our comprehensive non-destructive fire door survey, our team will provide you with a detailed report, focussing on the condition of the entire doorset, and where necessary, recommend improvements to make your buildings compliant with the relevant statutory requirements and best practice guidance.
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