Glossary
Type 1 fire risk assessment.
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 is needed.
What Type 1 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 Type 1 is the right scope.
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, or where the building has had significant refurbishment with unclear records, a Type 2 or higher scope is often appropriate.