CIA Partners with 3SFire the trading arm of HFA

CIA has recently teamed up with 3SFire, the trading arm of Hampshire Fire Authority, to deliver fire risk assessments on our behalf

3SFire is a highly experienced fire safety consultancy.  Its staff come from the Fire and Rescue Service sector to provide the very best in fire and safety solutions, both locally and nationally. These range from training fire and health and safety professionals, to carrying out risk safety assessments, fire management consultancy, fire engineering and end-to-end operational and support services.

The consultancy gives 100% of its profits back to Hampshire Fire and Rescue and is used to fund other various projects and programmes.

CIA understands and appreciates the complexity and specialist knowledge that fire safety assessments require and so has joined forces with 3SFire.

Every fire risk assessment involves a methodical review of the building itself, along with its occupants and their activities. The purpose of this review is to identify any factors that could have the potential to cause a fire, and their consequences if there is one.

5 steps in a fire risk assessment

1. Identify fire hazards
2. Identify the people at risk
3. Evaluate, remove, reduce and protect from risk
4. Record, plan, inform, instruct and train
5. Review

When initiating a fire safety assessment, it is always important to consider the building’s structure, its fire compartmentation, the number of fire escape routes, their size and structural integrity and the travel distance to fire exits.  3SFire’s staff have a comprehensive knowledge of building regulations and structural engineering relating to fires, which are important when conducting fire safety assessments.

The necessary level of protection varies from business to business and the size of the building being assessed.  In some cases – for example where there is a clear line of sight through the building – a fire alarm may not be required, and in others a manually operated automatic fire alarm system (AFAS) containing call-points (break-glass boxes) and sounders is thought to be a sufficient fire alarm system.

In most commercial buildings and larger multi-occupied premises, an automatic fire detection system (AFDAS) is necessary to identify the fire quickly and lead the people inside to safety.

For more information on fire safety see the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 200.