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Responsible

Misconceptions

Here we cover popular misconceptions around fire safety

Checking Fire and Smoke Dampers via the BMS constitutes an inspection
  • No, it does not. You have to visually check that the damper drops on release, is free from debris and is clean. Photographic evidence ensures you are compliant.
It doesn’t matter that I don’t have a log of all the dampers, Fire Doors and Fire Stopping
  • No. Article 17 of the RRO 2005 states that a suitable maintenance regime has to be in place. Without the proof of maintenance logs there is no way of proving that a maintenance regime is in place.
Fire Doors do not need to have maintenance or checks completed as we have a certificate of installation
  • No. AArticle 17 of the RRO 2005 states that a suitable maintenance regime has to be in place. Without the proof of maintenance logs there is no way of proving that a maintenance regime is in place.
We can use a mixture of products to fill a hole in the wall
  • No. All products used for fire stopping must be installed in full accordance with the manufacturer's instructions
  • You cannot mix manufacturers products as there must be test documentation of the products and installation
Anyone can perform checks on fire doors
  • No. RRO 2005 states that a competent person is engaged. The onus is on the responsible person to prove competency- Engaging Third Party Accredited contractors is a way of proofing competency.
If I add some intumescent strips to a door it is a fire door
  • No as the fire door is a tested and accredited piece of equipment, made up of numerous fire-rated parts. Unless the original door is a fire door any modifications will not affect the status of the door.
Unless I can see a hole, there isn’t a fire stopping issue
  • No as fire stopping issues are not always visible
  • They also may not be installed correctly, which only an expert would know.
If I can see a hole, I can just fill it with expanding foam as that is all fire stopping is
  • No. There are numerous expanding foams on the market that claim to be fire rated and after use it is impossible to tell foams apart. The Majority are not tested as part of a fire stopping system. To avoid doubt IMS, have zero tolerance policy on all expanding foams.
Fire Stopping, Fire Door Maintenance can be completed by anyone
  • No; again, we go back to competency of persons completing the works.
I only have to do what is highlighted in the Fire Risk Assessment (FRA)
  • No. The FRA will cover an overview and will only highlight visual issues.
  • No. The RRO 2005 states that all elements effecting the fire strategy need to be constantly monitored and a FRA will only cover a snap shot of the time of assessment.
I’ve had a Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) done so everything is ok
  • No. The FRA will cover an overview and will only highlight visual issues.
  • No. As you are always relying on the competency level of the FRA assessor in regarded passive fire protection. The FRA assessor may not be a expert in fire protection.
I don’t need fire stopping if we have sprinklers installed
  • No sprinklers are not a one stop solution but are part of a fire system.
After a fire no one will be able to tell that something was or wasn’t done
  • Fire investigators will be able to pin point the start of the blaze and time of the spread. This is cross checked to the records and maintenance regime.
  • Insurance companies are using this information more regularly now to identify liability and cover.