Fire Strategy

[AdamR]

I've had an FRA completed of a small charity shop (old building but likely refurbished in 90s) and the assessor has requested a fire strategy be undertaken.

Am I correct that this is a requirement of Regulation 38 of the Building Regs? If so, are they required for older buildings too? (e.g. a retrospective fire strategy)

Would this be a legal requirement and if not, can we justify not having to pay for one?

Thanks

[Mike North]

You should have a fire strategy for the building, however if the premisses are simple there is no need for an approved one.  A competent assessor should be able to surmise were the fire walls are in a simple building

[AnthonyB]

Retrospective fire strategies are a nice extra money earner for consultancies and in existing complex premises are indeed important to establish the fire safety intent of the original design and how it works going forward. They aren't a legal requirement in themselves though and are usually part of the Building Regulations process.

Simpler premises like described may simply require a record of fire safety arrangements (which is a legal requirement) that can more easily be compiled by the duty holder or their competent person and not costs anything like a retro fire strategy.

Also a lot of retro fire strategies are very generic, contain little more info than is already in the FRA and don't include plans but cost a lot of money so if you do go ahead you need to check carefully what you are getting.

[AdamR]

Thanks both