Fire Risk Assessment Validation & Independent Review.
Independent Fire Risk Assessment review and quality assurance from 225 Fire Solutions.
Have you received a Fire Risk Assessment and want an independent professional opinion on its quality, recommendations or overall suitability? Or are you a Fire Risk Assessor or consultancy looking for independent quality assurance of your completed assessments?
225 Fire Solutions provides an independent Fire Risk Assessment Validation & Review service for existing fire risk assessments across England and Wales.
Our service provides a structured technical review of an existing Fire Risk Assessment (FRA), examining the information recorded, methodology used, significant findings, risk evaluation and recommendations made by the original assessor.
The purpose is to identify potential omissions, inconsistencies, disproportionate recommendations or areas requiring further clarification, while providing an independent view of the overall quality of the assessment.
Reviews can normally be completed remotely, making the service available to clients and fire risk assessors nationwide.
What Is a Fire Risk Assessment Validation & Review?
A Fire Risk Assessment Validation is an independent technical review of an FRA that has already been completed.
This may be particularly useful where a property owner, Responsible Person, managing agent or other dutyholder has received an FRA but wants additional assurance regarding its content or recommendations.
For example, you may have received an FRA containing significant or costly recommendations and would like an independent assessor to review whether those recommendations appear reasonable and proportionate to the circumstances described.
Equally, a Fire Risk Assessor or fire safety consultancy may want an independent person to review completed assessments as part of their internal quality assurance, competence management or peer-review arrangements.
Our desktop validation considers areas including:
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Scope and completeness of the Fire Risk Assessment;
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Identification of relevant persons and significant fire hazards;
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Evacuation strategy defined;
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Significant findings and risk rating;
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Prioritisation of remedial actions;
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Proportionality of recommendations;
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References to recognised fire safety guidance where applicable;
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Areas requiring specialist investigation or further evidence;
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Contradictions or unsupported conclusions within the FRA.
Following the review, we provide a separate written Validation & Review Report documenting our findings.
Importantly, this service does not certify or approve the original assessor, nor does it replace the existing Fire Risk Assessment. It provides an independent professional review based upon the documentation and information made available to us.
Independent FRA Reviews for Property Owners, Landlords & Managing Agents.
Receiving a Fire Risk Assessment can sometimes leave a Responsible Person with questions.
You may have been provided with a long schedule of remedial works without fully understanding why they have been recommended. Alternatively, recommendations may conflict with previous assessments, contractor advice or information you already hold about the building.
Our independent FRA review service provides a second professional opinion.
We don't approach a validation with the intention of overturning another assessor's findings. The purpose is to independently examine the information presented and determine whether the findings and recommendations appear appropriately supported and proportionate.
Where we agree with the original assessor, we will say so.
Where further clarification, evidence or amendment appears necessary, this will be clearly identified.
Where something cannot reasonably be determined from the documentation alone, we will also say so rather than make assumptions about conditions we have not inspected.
This provides landlords, property managers, businesses and Responsible Persons with an independent and transparent review of their existing Fire Risk Assessment.
FRA Quality Assurance & Peer Review for Fire Risk Assessors.
Our validation service is also available directly to Fire Risk Assessors, fire safety consultancies and organisations undertaking Fire Risk Assessments.
Independent peer review can provide an additional layer of quality assurance without requiring you to employ a permanent internal validator.
You can submit an individual assessment for review or speak to us about an ongoing quality assurance arrangement.
This can be particularly useful for:
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Sole-trader Fire Risk Assessors;
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Growing fire safety consultancies;
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Assessors seeking an independent second opinion;
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Companies carrying out large FRA programmes;
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Organisations undertaking internal Fire Risk Assessments;
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Sampling completed assessments as part of a QA process;
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Newly qualified or developing assessors;
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Reviewing unusual or challenging findings before issuing a final report;
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Demonstrating independent quality-control arrangements to clients.
Our approach is intended to be constructive rather than simply highlighting errors.
Where appropriate, we can identify areas where additional explanation would strengthen an assessment, recommendations could be more clearly justified, terminology could be improved or additional evidence should be recorded.
For organisations completing larger volumes of Fire Risk Assessments, 225 Fire Solutions can also provide a portfolio QA service, reviewing an agreed sample or percentage of completed assessments.
For example, an organisation could arrange for a percentage of completed FRAs to undergo independent review each month, providing a documented external QA process.
All documentation supplied for validation is treated as confidential and used solely for the purpose of completing the commissioned review.
Ongoing assessor and consultancy QA arrangements are available by quotation.
Starting Out as a Fire Risk Assessor?
Starting out as an independent or sole-trading Fire Risk Assessor can sometimes mean working without the benefit of an experienced colleague available to sense-check your assessments before they are issued.
Our confidential FRA peer review service provides an independent second pair of eyes, helping you build confidence in your assessments while developing your professional competence and experience.
Before issuing an FRA to your client, you can submit it to us for an independent review. We can consider the overall quality and structure of the assessment, significant findings, risk evaluation, recommendations and whether actions appear appropriately justified and proportionate.
The service is designed to be supportive and constructive rather than simply identifying faults. Where improvements could be made, we'll explain why and provide practical feedback that you can take forward into future assessments.
For developing assessors, regular peer review can be particularly valuable for identifying areas that may have been overlooked, improving report writing and action wording, challenging your professional judgement and providing reassurance when dealing with unfamiliar or more challenging premises.
Your work remains confidential. We recognise that assessors may be reluctant to share reports or ask for a second opinion when starting their own business. Our review service is intended to provide a professional and confidential environment where you can have your work independently reviewed without judgement.
Whether you would like a one-off review of a challenging FRA or regular peer reviews while building your experience, 225 Fire Solutions can provide independent support as your practice develops.
You don't need to work alone simply because you work independently.
Our service is available to:
Responsible Persons • Landlords • Managing Agents • Property Managers • Businesses • Fire Risk Assessors • Fire Safety Consultants • Housing Providers • Facilities Managers • Property Management Companies
What Does an FRA Validation Cost?
Desktop FRA Validation – £195
Suitable for straightforward existing Fire Risk Assessments where the review can reasonably be undertaken from the FRA and supporting information supplied.
Includes:
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Independent desktop review of the FRA
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Review of findings and recommendations
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Consideration of proportionality and supporting justification
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Identification of potential omissions or inconsistencies
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Written FRA Validation & Review Report
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Overall review conclusion
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Follow-up clarification where reasonably required
Enhanced FRA Validation – from £325
Designed for larger or more complex premises, extensive assessments or cases requiring consideration of substantial supporting documentation.
This may include more detailed examination of matters such as evacuation arrangements, compartmentation recommendations, fire alarm provisions, complex occupancy arrangements or conflicts between several existing reports.
A price will be confirmed before the review begins.
FRA Validation + Site Verification – from £425
Where documentation alone cannot provide sufficient assurance, we can combine the review with a physical inspection of the premises.
The existing FRA is reviewed before attending the property, allowing our assessor to concentrate on significant findings and areas requiring verification.
Following the inspection, our written report will distinguish between matters verified during the site visit and matters that remain reliant upon documentation, specialist evidence or information supplied by others.
Travel requirements, building size and complexity may affect the final fee.
Portfolio & Consultancy QA – Bespoke Pricing
Regular independent FRA quality assurance is available for assessors, property organisations and fire safety consultancies.
Reduced per-assessment pricing may be available where an agreed number of assessments are submitted for review each month.
Please contact us to discuss portfolio and ongoing QA arrangements.
Why Review Your Fire Risk Assessment With Us?
Your Fire Risk Assessment will be independently reviewed by a Principal Fire Safety Consultant of 225 Fire Solutions.
Consultants holding Level 5 Diploma in Fire Safety Management and a Level 5 qualification in Fire Risk Assessment, supported by a wider portfolio of professional fire safety training and continuing professional development. (please request if required)
Alongside consultancy experience, operational firefighting background, providing practical experience of fire behaviour, emergency response and the real-world implications of fire safety arrangements.
This combination of formal qualifications, practical experience and professional fire risk assessment work enables us to provide a balanced and proportionate review of your existing FRA.
The purpose of our review isn't to criticise the original assessor or unnecessarily generate additional work. We independently examine the assessment to determine whether the findings, risk evaluation and recommended actions appear reasonable, appropriately justified and proportionate to the premises and information provided.
Where we agree with the original assessment, we'll say so. Where we identify omissions, inconsistencies or recommendations that require further justification, we'll clearly explain our findings.
Independent. Practical. Proportionate.