Fire Safety Services

A Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls (FRAEW) is a specialist assessment of the fire risk posed by the external wall system of a residential building. FRAEW assessments are conducted to PAS 9980:2022, the UK's national standard for external wall fire risk appraisal.

BN1 Fire Safety delivers FRAEW assessments nationwide for managing agents, local authorities, housing associations and building owners. All assessments are led, reviewed and signed off by Lea Morland, our Technical Lead.

FRAEW assessments provide the technical foundation for EWS1 certification, Building Safety Case submissions and regulatory compliance. They are accepted by lenders, valuers, the Building Safety Regulator and local authority building control.

The EWS1 form is a standardised form used by mortgage lenders to confirm that the external wall system of a residential building has been assessed by a suitably qualified professional. EWS1 forms are issued where appropriate, following a PAS 9980 FRAEW assessment.

BN1 Fire Safety issues EWS1 forms across the UK for buildings where an external wall fire risk assessment has been completed. All EWS1 forms are signed by Lea Morland, who holds the ABBE Level 6 Award in the Assessment of External Wall Systems and is a Chartered Building Surveyor (MRICS).

It is important to note that not all buildings require an EWS1 form. BN1 provides clear, evidence-based advice on whether EWS1 certification is appropriate for your building.

Under the Building Safety Act 2022, Accountable Persons for high-risk buildings (18 metres or more in height, or 7 storeys or more) must prepare and maintain a Building Safety Case. This includes a Safety Case Report demonstrating how building safety risks are being managed.

BN1 Fire Safety provides technical support for Building Safety Case compliance across the UK, including gap analysis, Safety Case Report review and support with Golden Thread documentation requirements.

When external wall remediation works are being carried out, a Fire Guardian provides professional fire safety oversight throughout the project. The Fire Guardian monitors the works, advises on fire safety compliance and ensures that appropriate interim measures are maintained to protect residents during construction.

BN1 Fire Safety delivers Fire Guardian services nationwide for remediation projects on residential buildings. Our Fire Guardian service ensures that fire safety is not compromised during works and that contractors comply with their obligations under the construction phase fire strategy.

A fire strategy is a technical document that sets out the fire safety design of a building, including means of escape, compartmentation, fire detection and alarm systems, and fire-fighting provisions. Many existing buildings do not have a fire strategy, or the original documentation has been lost or is no longer compliant with current guidance.

BN1 Fire Safety prepares retrospective fire strategies for existing residential buildings across the UK. Retrospective fire strategies are often required for Building Safety Case submissions, major refurbishment projects or where significant fire safety issues have been identified.

Fire compartmentation is a key element of passive fire protection in buildings. Compartmentation prevents the spread of fire and smoke by dividing a building into separate fire-resisting sections using walls, floors and fire-stopping at service penetrations.

BN1 Fire Safety conducts fire compartmentation surveys to assess the integrity of fire-resisting construction in residential and commercial buildings. Surveys can be non-invasive (visual inspection) or invasive (opening up of concealed voids and service penetrations). We identify breaches of compartmentation and specify remedial works to restore fire resistance.

Fire doors are a critical component of passive fire protection, designed to resist the passage of fire and smoke for a specified period. Fire door inspections assess the condition and compliance of fire doors against recognised standards including BM TRADA certification schemes.

BN1 Fire Safety carries out fire door inspections for flat entrance doors and common area fire doors in residential buildings nationwide. Inspections identify non-compliant doors, missing or damaged components (such as intumescent strips, smoke seals and self-closing devices) and specify necessary remedial actions.

Fire door inspections are often required as part of Building Safety Case submissions, following fire risk assessments or where building control or the fire service have identified concerns.