The Scottish Government, RICS, And The Fire Sector Federation Release New Forms And Guidance

The Scottish government, RICS, and the Fire Sector Federation have each issued new forms and guidance in relation to aspects of fire safety and building evacuation. Multiple new fire safety guides have been introduced in Scotland, including practical fire safety advice on how to prevent fires and reduce the risks in a variety of settings.

Published by the Scottish government, the guidance provides practical guidance for existing high-rise domestic buildings, existing non-residential premises, existing specialized housing, and existing care homes.

New fire safety guides

The wide-ranging guidance is aimed at those responsible for:

• Fire safety in high-rise domestic buildings (including owners, managers, property factors, property advisors and landlords, managing agents, enforcing authorities, and those assessing fire risk).
• business owners of non-residential premises.
• for people who receive care or support in specialized housing or similar premises. It will also be useful for those receiving “care at home” services.
• those who have a responsibility under the Fire (Scotland) 2005 Act for ensuring fire safety in care homes in Scotland.

Document criteria

The documents also include criteria for determining the level of safety, methodology outlines for assessing risk, and practical guidance to strengthen fire safety.

RICS updates the EWS1 form and guidance

The updates ensure proportionality in the approach to fire safety inspections of cladding on blocks of flats

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has updated it's External Wall Systems 1 (EWS1) building safety information form, along with its accompanying guidance, to reflect the withdrawal of the government’s controversial Consolidated Advice Note (CAN) and subsequent release of the PAS 9980.

Changes to the EWS1 form have not affected the categories, but the updates ensure proportionality in the approach to fire safety inspections of cladding on blocks of flats.

New fire risk assessment

Backed by UK Finance and the Building Societies Association, the intent of this move is as a step to help those leaseholders struggling to get valuations or mortgages as a result of the requirements arising from the EWS1 form.

RICS guidance also makes it clear that an EWS fire risk assessment and a summary report will become part of the new fire risk assessment under the Fire Safety Act amendments.

Digital Access

The form is accessed digitally, making it easier to access as well as providing a version control. This will increase transparency and will provide a clear audit trail. Forms that have already been completed will remain valid until new assessments are carried out.

RICS also recommends that all managing agents upload completed EWS1 forms for buildings to the portal.

Federation publishes checklist for emergency evacuation

The guide recognizes that evacuation procedures with the associated provision of safe routes of escape to a place of safety

The Fire Sector Federation has published a checklist aimed at fire risk assessors to help them evaluate the safe escape of individuals from a building fire.

The Personal Emergency Evacuation Residential Premises guide recognizes that evacuation procedures with the associated provision of safe routes of escape to a place of safety must be inherent in every building safety strategy.

Two-phase evacuation strategy

Following a series of prompts, the questions posed in the checklist are designed to be interpreted by the fire risk assessor and used in discussion with their clients to help decide what actions are appropriate for the building. The checklist relates specifically to general residential buildings, which are usually unstaffed and operate a ‘stay put’ two-phase evacuation strategy.

The guide offers a lead where currently none existed and was developed by the Fire Sector Federation in conjunction with members who work as fire risk assessors in the sector.