Fire Consultancy

Scott White and Hookins through their Health and Safety and Approved Inspector associated companies have been carrying out fire risk reports, reviews and assessments for over a decade.

The projects our staff have been involved in are many and varied. Included in these are some of London's, and the countries, most recognizable landmark buildings. Thes include the London Eye, County Hall - London, Houses of Parliament, Trinity College - Cambridge, The British Library and the Bodleian Library - Oxford.

We have assessed and reported upon the fire provisions for commercial, Industrial and residential buildings; especially in respect to their compliance as outlined in Approved Document B volume 2 of the Building Regulations.

Scott White and Hookins embrace both private and public sector projects and are currently in the process of, reviewing the fire & safety provisions for a number of projects.

Due to the current issues regarding residential and mixed user buildings we are aware that clear guide lines must be created and agreed with the client to ensure a two fold evaluation process.

The first being that all persons who resort within the building, who are recognized under the Regulatory Reform Fire Safety order, have a safe and as far as practicably possible, fire hazard free environment in which to work.

The second, and allied to the first, is that persons who live and work within a building should not be inconvenienced or concerned by the evaluation process and at the end of the process they should enjoy a safe and relatively fire-free environment.

We are mindful, especially in reviewing residential projects, that this ethos is carried out ensuring confidentiality to all our clients.

One recent assessment found that a publicly owned block of high-rise flats did not adhere to current or previous recognized fire design guidelines. Whilst this could initially have caused concern to the occupiers and owners alike, our in-depth knowledge and experience in respect of unique fire designs, especially those for high rise flats, enabled us to identify the design as a unique and unmodified London County Council layout which predated the original Building Regulations fire guidance of CP3 Chapter IV part 1 1971.

We can provide guidance or consultancy services on any of the following:

• The fire safety design of new or existing buildings.
• Assistance in the negotiation with statutory and other fire authorities.
• Plan checking for fire safety reviews.
• Advice on Legislation to assist in compliance with Building Regulations and guidance on the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
• Studies/assessments of specific problems requiring an alternative approach to conventional prescriptive standards.
• Reviews of fire safety management policies and practices.
• Preparation of in-house standards guidance documents.
• Fire Risk assessments as required by legislation. Fully descriptive or simple pro-forma report formats available.
• Fire surveys and audits of buildings for life safety, property protection and business interruption.

Our staff has experience of carrying out and/or evaluating fire risk assessments in all manner of building types. They have experience of fire engineering techniques utilised within unique buildings, active and passive fire provisions and fire-resisting construction. They have a combined experience of over well over 150 years giving us the ability to provide our clients with a back up service, which we feel is second to none.

This has been defined as the application of scientific and engineering principles, rules [both empirical, physical and code based], and expert judgement, based on an understanding of the phenomena and effects of fire and of the reaction and behaviour of people to fire, to protect people, property and the environment from the destructive effects of fire.

To achieve these objectives a variety of issues must be evaluated, including:

• The potential and severity of hazards and their subsequent effect;
• The reduction or mitigation of possible fire damage by appropriate design, construction and use of the building.
• The construction materials, structures, industrial processes, transportation systems and similar to be utilised within the building;
• The design and maintenance of all fire safety installations such as fire alarm & detection systems, fire suppression installations, fire communication systems and other such equipment;
• The appropriate level of evaluation for the optimum preventive and protective measures necessary to limit the consequences of fire;
• The direction and control of appropriate equipment and manpower to facilitate adequate fire fighting and rescue operations;
• Investigation of fires, their analysis, evaluation and feedback.

At Scott White and Hookins, our fire engineers understand the nature and characteristics of fire and the mechanisms of fire spread, the control of fire and how the associated products of combustion can affect both personnel and property.

They are acutely aware how fires originate and spread both within and outside buildings and structures, how this can be detected, controlled, and extinguished. Their experience allows them to best anticipate the behaviour of persons, materials, structures etc. in a fire situation giving a secure knowledge base to allow them to provide advice upon such related matters as the protection of life, property and the environment from fire.

They are also able to provide our clients with an understanding of the interactions and integration of any fire safety systems proposed within existing and potential buildings, industrial structures and similar facilities is able to make use of all of the above and any other required knowledge to undertake the practice of fire engineering. Scott White and Hookins aim to provide their Clients with the best possible service and advice.

We are also aware that there must always be added value to a project; that is why we recognise that at all stages of a project quick responses from ourselves to enquires either to develop new ideas, deal with modified proposals or address new challenges provide a cost effective and positive contribution to the contract and provide the design team the information to move the project forward.

Our fire engineers can advise on the requirements and compliance of this code of practice for fire safety in the design, management and use of buildings.

We are able to advise on and provide guidance on fire safety throughout the lifecycle of a building taking account of:

• Fire safety management
• Provision of means of escape
• Structural protection of escape facilities
• Structural stability of the building in the event of a fire
• Provision of access and facilities for fire fighting

At Scott White and Hookins we apply in-depth knowledge of fire engineering in a practical way to give clients peace of mind.