A standard non-intrusive review focused on communal areas. Suitable for most residential buildings, this includes inspections of flat entrance doors and ceiling voids where applicable.
The assessment ensures that escape routes are clear, emergency lighting is operational, and fire safety signage is adequate.It typically does not include entry into individual flats but may involve inspecting flat entrance doors to verify their fire resistance.
The primary objective is to evaluate the fire safety measures in communal spaces to ensure they meet legal standards and effectively protect occupants in case of a fire.
A Type 1 assessment is commissioned by landlords, building managers, freeholders, or residents’ associations. Occasionally, it may also be requested by individual residents, especially during property transactions, to confirm that the communal areas comply with fire safety regulations.
This type of assessment is the most basic form of fire risk evaluation and is generally adequate for most residential premises. It involves a visual inspection of accessible areas within the common parts of the building and does not include invasive actions like opening up walls or floors.
In summary, a Type 1 fire risk assessment is suitable for residential buildings where the focus is on ensuring that common areas are equipped with appropriate fire safety measures. It is a non-intrusive assessment that provides a foundational evaluation of fire risks in shared spaces.
A Type 2 assessment is similar to Type 1 but includes destructive inspection to check for hidden issues within the building’s structure that could compromise fire safety, such as breaches in fire compartmentation.
This type of assessment is usually conducted when there is reason to suspect serious structural deficiencies and is often performed in vacant properties due to its intrusive nature. It includes access to construction cavities and may involve remedial repair work post-assessment.
Extending beyond the common areas, a Type 3 assessment includes a non-destructive inspection of individual flats or apartments. This comprehensive assessment evaluates means of escape, the integrity of internal fire doors, and the presence and functionality of fire detection systems within dwellings.
While it goes beyond the legal requirements of the Fire Safety Order, it provides a more thorough understanding of the building’s overall fire safety. The assessment is non-intrusive but extends into a sample of individual flats to review internal fire safety measures. This is ideal when assessing the effectiveness of fire safety within residential units.
A Type 4 fire risk assessment is the most detailed and invasive form of assessment available. It covers both the communal areas and a sample of individual flats within a building, and involves destructive inspection techniques. This means that parts of the building’s structure—such as walls, floors, and concealed voids—may be opened up to check for hidden defects or breaches in fire compartmentation.
Type 4 assessments are typically carried out where there is a serious concern about the effectiveness of existing fire protection measures, or where previous risk assessments have identified potential structural or compartmentation issues. Due to its intrusive nature, this type of assessment is usually only conducted in vacant or unoccupied properties to minimise disruption and allow for necessary investigation work.
It’s important to understand that while the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment, it does not prescribe the four assessment types. Instead, these categories (Types 1 to 4) are widely recognised within the fire safety industry as best-practice models, particularly for residential buildings, to ensure the appropriate level of scrutiny is applied depending on the building’s risk profile.
Conducting the correct type of fire risk assessment is critical for ensuring legal compliance and safeguarding the lives of residents and building users. A Type 4 assessment builds upon the scope of a Type 3 by introducing physical inspection of hidden building elements, and is generally reserved for high-risk environments or where significant fire safety issues have been identified.
