By FRA scope
A fire risk assessment covering the common parts of a multi-occupied residential building only, with no destructive inspection. The most common FRA type for blocks of flats and the default starting point unless evidence suggests deeper investigation.
What it covers
A Type 1 FRA looks at the common parts of the building: escape routes, lobbies, stairwells, plant rooms, refuse stores, shared roof terraces, the external envelope visible from common parts. It assesses the structural fire safety features visible without intrusive investigation, the means of escape arrangements, the fire detection and alarm coverage of the common parts, the fire-fighting equipment, and the management arrangements. It does not enter individual flats.
When it is appropriate
Type 1 is appropriate when the dutyholder is confident in the compartmentation between flats and common parts (typically based on construction records and historical performance) and where there is no specific reason to suspect that the as-built condition differs from the design intent. For most well-managed blocks of flats with intact compartmentation, Type 1 is the standard periodic FRA scope.
Where compartmentation is in doubt, where the building has had significant refurbishment with unclear records, or where flat-level fire safety concerns have surfaced, a Type 2 or higher scope is often appropriate. The dutyholder and the competent assessor agree the scope before the work starts.
What the report covers
Common pitfalls
In FRA Flow
Type 1 is the default scope on a new assessment. The workbench surfaces the BS 9792 sections sized for common-parts work. The pre-flight pack carries the property's known design standard and previous findings. The output report follows the BS 9792 shape. The audit trail covers the assessor, the reviewer, the timestamps and the evidence linkage.
FAQ
For most well-managed blocks of flats with intact compartmentation, yes. Where compartmentation is in doubt or flat-level concerns have surfaced, a Type 2, 3 or 4 is the right next step. The scope is agreed with the competent assessor before work starts.
Site visit time depends on the building size, typically half a day to a day for a medium-sized block. The full report and reviewer sign-off cycle typically takes 1-3 weeks from visit to issued document.
BS 9792 expects the periodic interval to match the building's risk profile. Higher-risk and higher-rise blocks typically run on annual review. Significant changes can pull the next review forward.
Yes, externally visible features. The Fire Safety Act 2021 confirmed the FSO scope includes external walls and attachments. A Type 1 cannot verify concealed external wall construction; that requires a separate external wall investigation under PAS 9980 or similar.
Type 1 is the default workbench shape. Higher-type assessments add structured sections for destructive inspection records and flat-sample inspection records. The underlying BS 9792 methodology is shared.
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