08.10.2025
Congratulations to Carl Barrick, who is now a member of the IFSM!
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Some more great news from the Keegans team this week!
Carl Barrick, Associate Director of Compliance and Safety, has joined the Institute of Fire Safety Managers!
Carl, who also recently qualified as a Fire Risk Assessor after completing the Vulcan FRA training course, continues to demonstrate his dedication to advancing fire safety standards within the industry.
The Institute of Fire Safety Managers (IFSM) is a professional body dedicated to promoting good practices, setting standards, and raising awareness in the field of fire safety. Membership is a recognition of an individual's competence, experience, and ongoing commitment to professional development within the fire safety sector.
Carl’s achievements not only enhance his own professional capabilities but also strengthens the overall expertise of our growing Fire Safety Team. His membership with the IFSM and FRA certification reflect a high level of professionalism and commitment to staying at the forefront of fire safety management and compliance.
Congratulations, Carl!
What is the latest FRAEW Process?
Following an RICS led cross-industry working group investigation into best practices when reporting and valuing tall buildings within the secured lending arena, a revised standard process has been published together with a revised EWS1 form which was updated to reflect the Government Building Safety announcement, notably the immediate withdrawal of the Consolidated Advice Note (CAN) and the publication of BSI PAS9980:2022 – Assessing the external wall fire risk in multi-occupied residential buildings.
There is a requirement for a fire safety risk assessment of the external wall system to be conducted by a suitably qualified, and competent professional for buildings with a residential floor height above 18 metres (six storeys) and some 4/5 story buildings that have a significant element of external cladding.
The requirements are as set out in the RICS guidance note 'Cladding for Surveyors' - https://www.rics.org/globalassets/rics-website/media/news/news--opinion/fire-safety/cladding-for-surveyors-supplementary-info-paper-1.pdf
What classifies a building as a high fire risk?
A high fire risk building in the UK is a building that is subject to more stringent regulations and oversight due to the potential consequences of a fire. The definition of a high fire risk building depends on whether the building is in the design and construction phase or the occupation phase.
According to the Building Safety Act 2022 and the Higher-Risk Buildings (Descriptions and Supplementary Provisions) Regulations 2023.
A high fire risk building during the design and construction phase is a building that is at least 18 metres in height or has at least seven storeys and contains at least two residential units, a care home, or a hospital. However, some buildings are excluded from this definition, such as secure residential institutions, hotels, and military barracks.
A high fire risk building during the occupation phase is a building that is at least 18 metres in height or has at least seven storeys and contains at least two residential units. This definition excludes buildings that are regulated as workplaces under the Fire Safety Order, such as care homes, hospitals, secure residential institutions, hotels, and military barracks.
What steps are involved in a fire risk assessment?
A fire risk assessment involves five steps:
28.07.2025
Expanding the Keegans Team!Meet our new staff members across our Fire Safety, Retrofit, Building Surveying, Employer's Agent, Cost Consultancy and Clerk of Works teams!
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