CASE STUDIES
We can safely say that we have been successful in helping all of our clients. Some successes have been nothing short of spectacular, others are just good examples of us doing our job well. For example...
SOCIAL HOUSING - SUCCESSFUL CONTRACT COMPLETION
Last financial year we did over 2,000 fire risk assessments for care homes, health centres, sheltered units, and commercial offices across the UK after winning a national tendering exercise.
The work was initially for 700 Fire Risk Assessments (“FRAs”) for general needs plus sheltered and supported units in the South East, Mersey North and the Pennine area. This was extended by the client with the addition of a further 800 properties later in the year in Mersey South once the quality and timeliness of the service was demonstrated to the client. The initial contract period was from late March 2010 to the end of March 2011 inclusive. All areas were serviced by local assessors of which we have 25+ on our books.
The exercise was so successful we were given a group of approximately 200 properties in the Midlands for which we recruited more local assessors. We were also asked to provide FRAs for 3 large residential blocks at a Midlands hospital, a number of regional offices and some community centres and depots in Liverpool. All this work was completed within the originally timeframe ending March 2011.
In September a pilot batch of general needs flats was added in Cumbria leading to an additional award of 200 general needs units started and finished as required in the four weeks of September 2011. The total portfolio covered on this single contract alone now exceeds 2,000 properties.
Also over this period we advised on a variety of diverse topics such as “O class” paint, portable sprinklers, loft compartmentation, enforcement mitigation, etc. In addition we successfully delivered presentations to two large resident groups explaining what fire safety management is all about.
Finally having integrated remedial cost estimates for budgetary purposes into the FRAs we were subsequently involved in emotive discussions with long serving surveyors involved in the actual refurbishment due to a large discrepancy in costs. The outcome was a very large potential saving, an extension to our contract and a phased withdrawal of the long serving surveyor’s contract. We can do this because we don’t sell equipment only our significant expertise. We have no vested interest in generation of remedial works and their cost, which is always of far greater magnitude than the cost of a good FRA utilising well managed seasoned fire service professionals. This reflects our niche USP.
COMMERIAL OFFICES - ENFORCEMENT
One of our clients leased a building to a company who prior to occupying the building carried out internal structural changes. These changes were managed by an architect who did not follow proper procedure with Building Control. This came to light after a Fire Service inspection and resulted in the demand for a highly fire rated extensive internal wall to be installed. Using our expertise we were able to meet with the fire service officer in question. We helped negotiate more time to carry out the remedial action and achieve a lower rating for the wall and fire doors, saving our client several thousands of pounds. We believe the architect may have had to pay up the difference from his professional indemnity.
HOTEL SECTOR - ENFORCEMENT
A client to be initially said he could carry out his own risk assessment but agreed to attend our fire safety training course after which he decided to have us carry out the assessment for his hotel. We gave him a date three weeks in advance. In the meantime he gathered in quotes in for electrical work and an upgraded alarm intending to ask us to help him select the most appropriate offer.
The day before our assessment he had a visit from the local fire service with regard to a change in drinks licence. They saw some problems and promptly served him with an enforcement notice and closed his hotel until the work was complete! He lost about six weeks business in peak season and we believe he only avoided a heavy fine because he had taken preventative steps and had an assessment booked in with us. Once the fire service saw the assessment and the remedial work done he was finally allowed to reopen. That was close; we think a four figure sum including fines and costs could have been the result on top of loss of earnings he had already suffered!