The risk of a fire is a very serious one, and it is something that all building owners need to consider carefully.

For a lot of people, this can mean having a fire risk appraisal and assessment (FRAA) carried out.

In this guide, we will reveal whether or not this is something that you need to think about and much more, so let’s get right to it.

What is a fire risk appraisal and assessment (FRAA) and why do you need one?

The aim of a fire risk appraisal and assessment (FRAA) is to evaluate the risk that occupants have in terms of fire spreading within the walls of the building or externally over the building.

This assessment will help you to determine what course of action needs to be taken to make sure that all occupants are protected as much as possible.

The FRAA considerations

There are a number of different areas that a fire risk appraisal and assessment (FRAA) will take into account.

This includes balconies, photovoltaic systems, spandrel panels, external wall construction, and much more.

This is the sort of assessment that can only be conducted by very experienced and knowledgeable assessors.

What buildings require an FRAA?

There are a number of different types of buildings that may require an FRAA. Ultimately, this is required when there is a multi-storey and multi-occupied building.

Examples include:

• Buildings that have been converted into flats
• Sheltered and other types of specialised housing
• Student accommodation

If you are feeling unsure as to whether or not this is something that you require, the best thing to do is speak with an expert who will be able to advise you on this.

Adhering to PAS 9980

One thing that you do need to be mindful of when it comes to a fire risk appraisal and assessment (FRAA) is PAS 9980.

For those who are unaware, PAS 9980 is the British Standard. It actually stands for PAS 9980 Fire Risk Appraisal and Assessment of External Wall Construction and Cladding of Existing Blocks of Flats. Code of Practice.

This provides you with guidance and recommendations on undertaking an FRAA of the external wall construction of multi-occupied and multi-storey residential buildings.

The aim of the PAS includes supplying a standard methodology that can be used continually to evaluate and document the risk of a fire spreading across all external wall assessments.

This gives you the ability to understand the risks better so that you can manage them as effectively as possible.

PAS 9980 has been designed with building professionals, especially fire engineers, in mind.

Anyone whose role involves advising on the fire risk of a property needs to know this standard.

Legal requirements concerning fire risk assessments

You need to make sure that your fire risk assessment and appraisal is updated on a regular basis.

If there have been any considerable changes in the occupants, it is important to make sure that this is noted.

You will also need to note if the building structure has changed, such as the layout, or if the purpose of the building has changed substantially.

You also need to make sure that you update the review every 12 months after your first review.

You should also get a brand new review carried out every five years to make sure that everything is accounted for and your initial review is not out of date.

Who is responsible for making sure an FRAA is conducted?

It is a legal requirement to make sure that every block of flats and businesses have a person deemed the Responsible Person, and this individual is going to be responsible for the fire safety of the building.

This person has the role of making sure that all of the applicable fire safety tasks are carried out and that any required action is taken to stop fires from happening and to prevent their spread.

Therefore, your business’ Responsible Person is the individual who will need to take care of making sure that the FRAA is completed and reviewed as needed

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So there you have it: everything you need to know about fire risk assessments and appraisals, and why they are so important.

If you have any questions or you would like to get started with this process, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our team today for more information.

We will be more than happy to help you in any manner we can.