Fire Safety Consultancy

At Qualitas Compliance, our Fire Consultancy services are structured to align with the stages of the RIBA Plan of Work.

The objective is to inform the design and de-risk fire safety compliance as early as possible in the process.

We can be appointed at any design stage, and our deliverables for a typical project from RIBA Stage 2 to 4 are set out below.

RIBA STAGE 2

Main stage objectives:

Working with the design team to ensure the Architectural concept design is feasible prior to seeking pre-planning advice.
Briefing the design team on the strategic engineering requirements relating to the fire strategy to assist with accurate cost planning.
Helping to ensure the necessary fire strategy elements are incorporated in the concept design as incorporation later is often difficult and costly.

Our typical work activities during RIBA Stage 2:

Desktop review of the project brief and associated feasibility studies and concept drawings.
Assisting the Building Regulations Principal Designer (BRPD) with phrasing initial clarifications required from the client. This may include expectations for occupancy volumes or to understand any insurance or client specific fire safety requirements.
Carrying out a familiarisation site visit if necessary, to provide a clear understanding of local infrastructure (such as roadways and exiting fire hydrants).
Considering and deciding on the best suited fire safety design guidance for application to the project (Approved Documents or British Standards).
Advising the BRPD on any emerging fire strategy design risks such as expected or confirmed changes in recognised guidance.
Providing a written set of comments together with markups on the Architectural concept plans. This will include highlighting fire strategy compliance risks and mitigation options for design team consideration.
Setting out an expected scope of concept engineering services requirements. This is likely to include fire detection, fire suppression, smoke control services and the likely requirements for evacuation lifts or otherwise.
Close liaison with the design team during RIBA Stage 2 to clarify any interpretation queries around our advice.
Review and feedback on revised proposals as necessary.
Production of a RIBA stage 2 overview fire strategy report and drawings.

Typical activities we undertake during RIBA Stage 3:

Continued desktop review of the early RIBA Stage 3 design.
Assisting the Building Regulations Principal Designer (BRPD) with finalising and outstanding client queries related to fire strategy.
Continued focus on mitigating any outstanding fire strategy design risks.
Providing ongoing support to the design team in the development of the RIBA Stage 3 design.
Leading initial discussion with the Approval Authorities (Building Control Body and Local Fire Authority) to explain the proposals and take feedback.
Assisting the BRPD with interpreting the initial feedback from the Approval Authorities and integrating into the design as necessary.
Production of a RIBA stage 3 fire strategy report and drawings.

Main stage objectives:

Continued work with the design team to ensure a completed fire strategy technical design.
Building Control and Fire Authority approval of the fire strategy.
The closure of any outstanding fire strategy design risks.

Our typical work activities during RIBA Stage 4:

Continued desktop review of the early RIBA Stage 4 design.
Continued focus on mitigating any outstanding fire strategy design risks.
Providing ongoing support to the design team in the development of the RIBA Stage 4 technical design.
Assisting the BRPD with interpreting the formal submission feedback from the Approval Authorities.
Production of a RIBA stage 4 fire strategy report and drawings to inform the construction issue information.

Our fire consultancy does not include the following:

Production of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models.
Production of detailed specifications.
Any justification of product or system performance beyond test evidence (extended field of application).
The checking or approval of design work produced by others.
Structural fire engineering input.