Your Fire Safety
Questions.

A fire risk assessment is needed for an office covered by the Fire Safety Order. It should reflect the actual occupancy, layout and activities, including visitors and shared escape routes. Keep a written assessment and arrangements, review them as circumstances change and give identified actions a named owner.

Workplace fire safety is generally the employer’s responsibility, with duties also applying to people who control premises. Shared buildings may have several responsible persons who need to cooperate. A contractor can provide specialist help, but your organisation still needs to manage its duties, act on findings and keep the relevant records.

Welsh fire safety requirements share the Fire Safety Order with England, but separate guidance and some regulations differ. A Cardiff commercial building should be assessed against the requirements that apply in Wales. Ask for advice tied to your building and use rather than importing an England-only inspection schedule without checking its relevance.

The fire alarm category should follow your fire risk assessment and fire strategy. It depends on the warning and protection objectives for your particular premises. An equipment quotation alone cannot settle this question, so ask for the agreed category, coverage, design responsibilities and any variations to be recorded before installation.

Weekly fire alarm testing does not replace specialist servicing. A user test checks a limited part of the warning arrangement and helps staff recognise the alarm, while periodic servicing examines the system through an agreed programme. Keep records of both activities and follow up any fault or inaccessible item noted in a report.

Fire extinguisher servicing is normally planned annually, with further maintenance depending on equipment type, age and manufacturer instructions. Routine visual checks are also needed between specialist visits. Check the existing records and service labels, then agree a programme that identifies what each unit needs rather than treating every extinguisher as identical.

Commercial fire door checks should follow a risk-based programme for the premises and the doors’ use. Busy corridors and doors exposed to damage can need closer attention. Combine routine staff checks with suitable specialist inspection, and review the programme after alterations, reported defects or changes identified by the fire risk assessment.

Emergency lighting functional tests check that the equipment operates when normal lighting fails. Duration tests assess whether it remains operational for the required period. Both need suitable planning and records, and neither replaces a design review where the escape route layout or adequacy of illumination is uncertain after building changes.

Fire safety services can be discussed together when you need an assessment, equipment testing and inspections for the same premises. List each requirement in your enquiry and include existing reports. The quotation should separate the scope, documentation and any exclusions for each service so you can decide what to instruct.

A fire safety quote is easier to scope when you provide the premises postcode, building use, approximate size and the service required. Equipment counts, plans and previous reports can also help. Include access restrictions and preferred working periods, but avoid sharing sensitive security details or personal information about building occupants.

For a Cardiff inspection, check whether the quotation covers reporting alone or remedial work as well. The agreed scope should explain whether it covers condition checks, functional testing, reporting or remedial work. Ask for defects to be identified clearly and for proposed repairs to be quoted separately where needed, with your approval before additional work is instructed.

Fire protection enquiries are welcome across Cardiff, including the Bay, Canton, Cathays, Llandaff, Pontcanna, Roath, Riverside and Grangetown, as well as Penarth and Barry. Send the postcode of your Cardiff, Penarth or Barry premises to check service availability and discuss access. Appointment arrangements and any travel requirements are agreed when the job is scoped.