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How Often Should a Fire Survey be Conducted

Posted on 22nd March 2023

If you are an owner or manager in a block of flats or a commercial building with multiple occupants, you have the responsibility to carry out Fire Risk Assessments to ensure that your building is safe.

A fire survey is a complete inspection of all elements of your passive fire protection system.

With the recent changes in fire safety regulations many property managers are unsure how often a fire protection survey should be carried out. In this article we’ll look at the different types of fire surveys and how often they are needed.

What are the Different Types of Fire Surveys?

There are several types of fire surveys that deal with different parts of your passive fire protection system. The main two types are Fire Compartmentation Surveys and Fire Doors Surveys.

Fire Compartmentation Survey

A survey of this type covers the compartmentation in your building and its ability to contain smoke and fire to only one area of the building. In most cases a standard fire compartmentation assessment will be sufficient for a residential apartment block, as long as it's carried out by a competent individual.

In a limited range of circumstances a more in-depth survey might be required. For example, if there are any serious points of concerns raised during the initial inspection.

Should any defects be found with your fire compartmentation, remedial work should be arranged to make sure that your building is up to standard with all the latest regulations.

How Often Should a Fire Compartmentation Survey be Done?

There is currently no legal requirement regarding how often a fire compartmentation survey should be conducted. It is, however, recommended to have one done at least once a year.

Fire Door Survey

A fire door survey involves following a set of inspection procedures and protocol checks to determine the condition of all existing fire doors in a building. If the survey reveals any major issues with your fire doors, remedial works need to be arranged to ensure your building is compliant with all safety regulations.

How Often Should a Fire Door Survey be Done?

According to the latest fire safety regulations, fire door surveys should be carried out every 6 months by a qualified inspector.

Fire Surveys with GRJ Surveying

Are you in need of a qualified team of fire safety surveyors to inspect your property? GRJ Surveying can assist.

Our team is accredited under several third-party accreditation schemes including ISO 9001, ASFP, CHAS and more. With teams located up and down the country, you can rest assured we can help no matter where in the UK you are.

To inquire about a fire protection survey, contact our team today.