One year on from new statutory requirements, project managers are failing to plan and budget for fire risk management – says a Buro Happold expert.
Project managers and their clients are risking prosecution under criminal and civil actions because project teams are failing to advise their clients about statutory fire safety management requirements. In many cases clients are only being advised when projects are almost complete – forcing them to find extra last-minute funding before new buildings can be occupied.
Building Standards guidance was introduced in April 2007 requiring the supply of fire safety design and management information to the person responsible for the assessment and management of fire risk – under the provisions of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRFSO).
Failure can result in the prosecution of ‘responsible persons’ (such as chairmen and principals) under civil action if there is a material loss, or criminal action if there is loss or potential for loss of life or injury – and there has been a series of high-profile legal prosecutions for fire safety contraventions. In addition, the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 can result in organisations or partnerships facing significant fines for gross negligence.
“Project teams must advise clients about the cost, planning and technical requirements of meeting this statutory requirement at project conception – and especially on projects with cost plans developed prior to 2005 which often do not have a capital cost allowance set aside,” said Stephen Mackenzie, head of Fire Safety and Risk Management of Buro Happold’s Fire Engineering Design and Risk Assessment (FEDRA) team.
“Compliance is vital because local authorities and approved inspectors are advised not to issue completion certificates or final notices for buildings until they are satisfied that relevant information will be given to the responsible person on completion of the project or first occupation.”
Building regulations state that ‘a design which relies on an unrealistic or unsustainable management regime cannot be considered to have met the requirements of the regulations.’ Central Government guidance states that under the RRFSO ‘there is no period of grace for the responsible person to produce the fire risk assessment’ and that ‘the documentation and any necessary safety measures must be in place on the first day that a building is occupied.’
The scope of information required to satisfy the regulation will vary with the complexity of the building, but it should cover the design and construction of the building or extension, and the services, fittings and equipment provided in connection with it.
Buro Happold’s FEDRA team has closed the ‘circle of fire safety’ by setting up a dedicated ‘Fire Safety and Risk Management’ (FSRM) team to reflect the importance of managing fire risk throughout the life of a building. The team has successfully used this approach on a range of high-profile projects, such as the Thomas Deacon Academy.
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Buro Happold is a multi-disciplinary international practice of consulting engineers established in 1976. We now employ over 1,700 staff in 21 offices worldwide. Our aim is to produce high quality engineering design in concept, in detail and in execution, on time, to programme and delivering excellent value for money. Our distinctive culture and ethos is still based on the same principles of care, value and elegance that were established when the practice was founded.
We offer structural, building services, civil, infrastructure and façade engineering, as well as a broad range of specialist consultancy services including sustainability, ground and environmental engineering, fire and security design, health and safety management, inclusive and urban design, project management, and specialist CAD and computer simulation provision.
