Strategic Goal 2: We will improve fire safety in the buildings people live and work in

This goal is focused on our statutory duties to enforce fire safety regulations

In 2022/23 our key objectives were:

• Complete 1,200 fire safety audits, targeting high-risk buildings
• Complete 500 business safety checks on business premises
• Continue to work as part of the Joint Audit and Inspection Team with Nottingham City Council staff, to inspect multiple-occupation residential buildings
• Promote fire safety through business engagement and networks
• Proactively work with building owners to reduce callouts to false alarms and people trapped in lifts

Our focus on improvement included:

• Updating our systems and processes in line with changes to new fire safety legislation
• Implementing the new high-rise residential building audits for buildings over 11m tall
• Completing the training of operational staff to enable them to carry out business safety checks

During the year:

• We completed 1,024 full fire safety audits and 531 business safety checks (short fire safety audits)
• We carried out 306 follow-up inspections to ensure compliance following an initial fire safety audit
• We issued 30 statutory enforcement notices, and 8 prohibition notices to premises where safety standards were unacceptable and people were being placed at risk
• Our Joint Audit and Inspection Team conducted 22 inspections and 25 re-inspections of higher risk residential buildings, covering a total of 4,105 flats
• We undertook 1,074 specific activities which include responding to complaints and providing advice to businesses
• We completed 766 statutory building consultations and 320 statutory licensing consultations
• We conducted 123 shadow inspections of staff being developed in fire safety
• We experienced an increase of 11% in the number of requests to attend fire alarm activations which resulted in the cause being a false alarm. We are continuing to work proactively with building managers to understand and address the causes of such incidents
• We achieved a reduction in attendances to persons trapped in lifts, attending 177 incidents, which is 7% fewer than in 2021/22  

Other Highlights

Our Protection activity is focused on keeping people safe in buildings that are protected by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. This includes business premises, hospitals and care homes, high-rise buildings and apartment blocks.

Business Education and Engagement

As part of our statutory duty to educate and advise businesses, our business support team have used a range of activities and methods to engage with local businesses to provide guidance, support and advice on fire safety matters. Following serious fires, the team undertake Business Reassurance and Engagement (BRaE) activities to provide reassurance and support to local businesses, including fire risk assessments, business continuity guidance and information on keeping their premises safe from fire. The team undertook 9 engagements following a large fire at Ranskill and a further 13 engagements following the fire at the County Council offices.

We have continued to provide advice to companies who have business premises within more than one fire and rescue service area through the Primary Authority Scheme.

We have continued to focus on reducing attendances at false alarms, providing support and engaging directly with the businesses and industries where statistics indicate higher rates of attendance.

Fire Safety Inspections

Our Protection department is responsible for auditing and inspecting non-domestic premises as part of our statutory duty.

We work with landlords, business owners and those with responsibility for the management of non-domestic premises to ensure that they comply with fire safety regulations designed to keep the public safe from fire.

Our inspections are undertaken by suitably qualified staff who provide advice and educate, and where necessary, issue advisory and statutory enforcement notices to make sure buildings are managed and maintained in line with the law.

We have continued to fulfil our duty as a statutory consultee for fire safety in new developments as part of building control process. We continue to develop the skills of the specialist staff within our teams to help ensure that we are prepared to meet the challenges that new legislation will bring in the future. This includes the development of staff in fire engineering, smoke control, sprinkler systems, external wall cladding and fire door safety checks.

Throughout 2022 / 2023, we have continued to work hard to increase our capacity to inspect a broader range of non-domestic premises.

We continue to deliver our externally accredited fire safety qualification to our operational managers, who become warranted to inspect low risk, non-complex buildings such as offices, shops and commercial premises. This qualification aligns to the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) Competency Framework. To date we have 76 fully qualified operational managers, of which 45 are fully warranted to inspect premises and 31 are being supported through the warrant process.

Consultations

Our work has continued to improve fire safety standards across the County in non-domestic premises as we engage and consult with other regulators including Building Control, Environmental Health, the Health and Safety Executive, Nottinghamshire Police, the Care Quality Commission, Ofsted, and the Food Standards Agency.

We are consulted on licensing applications and part of the consultation process for all planning applications.

Collaboration

Since August 2019, we have worked collaboratively with Nottingham City Council to make high-rise residential buildings safer.

Our Joint Audit and Inspection Team (JAIT) have used powers afforded by each authority’s respective legislation to continue to inspect and assure safety standards across entire buildings using a risk-based approach.

We expected the Fire Safety England Regulations 2022, which became law on January 23rd, 2023, to include within its scope, a statutory obligation to inspect high-rise buildings over 11 metres tall. This requirement was not included; however, these buildings have naturally fallen within the scope of the work being completed by the JAIT who have inspected over 190 multi-occupied residential buildings within the Nottingham City Council boundary.

We have continued to work closely with the NFCC’s Protection Reform Unit, to help implement nationally recognised guidance and changes made as a result of the tragic Grenfell Tower fire in 2017.

We have engaged with and monitored a range of major construction projects across Nottinghamshire, with most recent examples relating to a number of new student accommodation blocks in and around the Trent Basin and Railway Station area of Nottingham City Centre.

We continue to support the National Fire Sprinkler Network and British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association to help promote and provide guidance on the installation or retrofitting of sprinkler systems.