Multi-let office building: loss of control after contractor change
You are the newly appointed health, safety and fire manager for a six-storey, 8,000 m² office building built in 2008 and occupied by five tenants under individual leases. The landlord retains responsibility for common parts and the building fire safety systems, but each tenant manages its own suite. Since a facilities contractor changed in January, the following have been found: the last full evacuation drill was 19 months ago; two of the five tenant fire wardens have left and not been replaced; the fire door inspection log has no entries for seven months; a fire door to the west stair has a 15 mm gap and a missing intumescent strip; and a contractor used a gas torch to remove a pipe in a ground-floor riser without a permit. The building has a BS 5839-1 L2 alarm and a sprinkler system in the basement car park only. Tenant occupancy varies from 30 to 90 people per floor. One tenant is a call centre operating 24/7. The landlord's fire policy was last reviewed in 2019. You have a meeting with the landlord and tenant representatives next week.
1. Identify the fire safety management deficiencies in the scenario and explain why each is significant, not merely a record-keeping issue.
Read the worked answer
The deficiencies are linked parts of a failed management system rather than isolated paperwork gaps:
- No drill for 19 months and unfilled warden posts. Occupants of a multi-let building will not reliably recognise the alarm, use the correct stair or assemble; the 24/7 call centre needs out-of-hours drills and cover. This undermines the duty to provide information, instruction, training and coordination.
- Fire door defects and no inspection log. The 15 mm gap and missing intumescent strip mean the west stair may not resist smoke for the required period; the stair is a protected escape route for up to 90 people per floor. Without records the landlord cannot show maintenance or detect deterioration.
- Hot work without a permit. A gas torch in a riser is a high-risk ignition source in a concealed space. The absence of a permit indicates contractor control, isolation and post-work fire watch were not managed.
- Policy not reviewed since 2019. Tenant changes, a new contractor and 24/7 working are review triggers; the policy no longer reflects the building.
- Landlord/tenant split. Common parts and tenant suites interact: a tenant alteration or door defect can compromise the landlord's escape strategy. There must be a named coordinator, shared information and joint testing/drill arrangements.
The key judgement is that the door defect and the unpermitted hot work are immediate life-safety issues, while the missing records and out-of-date policy show the underlying system cannot assure future compliance.
2. Recommend a prioritised action plan for the next 30 days, distinguishing immediate interim measures from longer-term system improvements.
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Prioritisation should follow life-safety risk and the likelihood of an escape route being unavailable:
Immediate (same day/48 hours)
- Repair or replace the west stair fire door using a competent fire door installer; if a certified repair cannot be completed immediately, keep the door closed, restrict the riser and institute a temporary patrol of the stair until repair.
- Stop all hot work. Inspect the riser and surrounding voids for smouldering; introduce a written permit-to-work with isolation, fire watch during work and a defined post-work check.
- Confirm the L2 alarm is operational, test it and ensure the call centre and other tenants know the response. Check that escape routes are clear.
- Appoint interim wardens for each tenant and issue fire action notices; brief tenants on the door and hot-work issues.
Within 30 days 5. Hold a full evacuation drill, including an evening/night drill for the call centre; record timings and deficiencies. 6. Start a fire door inspection regime with a simple log: monthly checks of self-closing and gaps, annual competent inspection. 7. Convene a landlord/tenant fire safety group, review the 2019 policy, define responsibilities for common parts and suites, and set up contractor induction and permit controls. 8. Audit records for alarm testing, emergency lighting, extinguishers and sprinklers; close gaps.
The immediate actions address the two credible routes to a serious fire (smoke in the stair and an ignition source in a riser). The 30-day actions rebuild the management system so the same failures do not recur.