Clarity Fire Engineering Ltd is a fire engineering consultancy offering a range of services including Forensic Surveying, Fire Engineering Design, Defect Analysis, EWS1 Surveys / Reports, FRAEW (Fire Risk Assessment External Wall) (PAS 9980), Fire Strategies (New Build, Change of Use, Existing Buildings), Technical Design Review, Expert Witness Services, and Project Monitoring.
Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls (FRAEW)
(PAS 9980)
All BSF funding decisions for new applications now involve applicants providing an assessment of the risks posed by fire spread over external walls to identify what, if any work, is needed. This is called a Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls (FRAEW) and is undertaken by competent professionals. It uses the new PAS 9980:2022 code of practice, with professionals using their expert judgement to assess risk and appropriate mitigations.
The PAS 9980;2022 methodology has been developed by the British Standards Institution. It contains guidance, tailored to the risks posed by fire spread over external walls, and provides tools for a competent professional to carry out a Fire Risk Appraisal of External Wall construction (FRAEW).
Fire Engineering Analysis
Our fire safety engineering services include high-level strategic advice using detailed bespoke engineering analysis, computer modelling, and negotiating positive outcomes for our clients with approvals bodies.
This includes expertise in fire regulations, fire growth, fire dynamics, means of escape, smoke control, and structural fire resistance, as well as in the detailed design and evaluation of fire safety products and systems.
Fire Strategies
A fire strategy provides information about the basis of design for a building and clearly articulates the interactions between the various fire safety measures that may be employed and should demonstrate how the design meets the functional requirements of the Building Regulations. The Fire Safety Design may follow a prescriptive code-based approach or performance-based fire engineering approach. Fire strategies are required for new and many existing buildings and should include details of:
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Occupancy type
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Construction type
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Travel distances
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Number, size and the location of exits
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Time to escape
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Fire Service access requirements
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Fire safety management
Expert Witness Services
Our qualified and trained expert witnesses have worked on international construction litigation cases. We also recognise the interface between other design disciplines and fire engineering and can collaborate to provide multi-disciplinary expert support on all expert witness instructions.
Project Monitoring Services
Our skilled team has considerable experience in carrying out site inspections to support expert witness investigations as well as general site inspection requirements.
Forensic Surveying Services
Our forensic Surveying & Investigation work can be utilised to determine building defects and failures, or simply the "as-built" composition of a building.
Defect Analysis
Defect analysis service can assist in determining the root cause of construction issues/defects, to enable them to be appropriately rectified. Defect Analysis Report(s) may also be used to inform litigation decisions. This is why Clarity Fire utilise a forensic approach to defect analysis
Technical Design Review
Our fire safety assurance services can offer the client significant levels of comfort that the intent of the original design has been checked and monitored before hand over.
We can provide assistance in reviewing the technical fire safety design and/or technical design of fire safety measures.
Authorising Engineer (Chartered Engineer)
The Authorising Engineer (Fire) will act as an independent professional adviser to the organisation. Required in many sectors, the primary responsibility of an Authorising Engineer (Fire) is to assess the existing fire safety strategies, make recommendations for the appointment of Authorising Persons (Fire), monitor the performance of fire safety management and provide an annual audit.