Fire Risk Assessment Services
At 4i Fire Safety, we deliver industry-leading fire risk assessment services for commercial properties, blocks of flats, healthcare premises, and industrial facilities. Our qualified engineers provide comprehensive health and safety risk assessments, building risk surveys, and workplace fire risk analysis to help you identify hazards, reduce risks, and remain compliant with UK regulations.
What Is a Fire Risk Assessment?
A fire risk assessment is a systematic review of a building to identify fire hazards, assess the risks to occupants, and recommend measures to reduce or control those risks.
We follow the PAS 79 methodology (and equivalent codes) to ensure your assessment is robust, well-documented, defensible, and fully compliant.
Types of Fire Risk Assessment Methods
We categorise fire risk assessments into four types, depending on intrusiveness and sampling of occupied units:
We categorise assessments into Type 1, 2, 3, and 4 (as per housing / shared‑occupancy guidance), depending on how intrusive the inspection is and how many occupied units are sampled. Below is our breakdown of each type.
Type 1 – Non‑destructive Assessment (Common Areas)
Type 1 is a non-intrusive fire risk assessment that visually inspects common areas without removing or opening any building elements.
- Focus Areas: Shared spaces such as corridors, kitchens, stairwells, service risers, fire doors, and escape routes.
- Best For: Low-risk buildings or early compliance checks where minimal disruption is required.
Type 2 – Destructive Assessment (Common Areas)
Type 2 is an intrusive fire risk assessment designed to uncover hidden defects. This involves limited opening of ceilings, walls, or service panels to examine concealed fire-stopping or structural elements.
- Focus Areas: Detecting hidden fire-stopping, structural issues, or any concealed risks in common areas.
- Best For: Buildings with suspected concealed defects or where standard non-intrusive inspections may not reveal issues.
Type 3 – Non-destructive Assessment with Occupied Unit Sampling
Type 3 is a destructive fire risk assessment covering common areas and a representative sample of occupied units (minimum 10%) to gain insight into conditions inside dwellings.
- Focus Areas: Common areas plus flat entrance doors and selected internal surfaces.
- Best For: Moderate-risk buildings or shared occupancy properties where additional sampling is useful to identify hidden risks.
Type 4 – Destructive Assessment with Occupied Unit Sampling
Type 4 is a fully intrusive fire risk assessment that examines both common areas and sampled occupied units in detail, including opening ceilings, walls, and service voids.
- Focus Areas: Comprehensive inspection of all common areas and a minimum of 10% of occupied units.
- Best For: Shared occupancy buildings requiring the most thorough assessment, including hidden or inaccessible defects.
Type 2 and Type 4 are destructive / intrusive, involving opening walls, removing covers, or probing hidden voids where needed.
The “10% sampling” in Types 3 and 4 gives insight into what might exist beyond the common areas, useful for detecting hidden faults or inconsistencies.
The choice of type depends on building age, complexity, known defects, regulatory expectations, and the risk profile of the occupants.
Fire Risk Assessments in Healthcare Settings
For healthcare facilities, our fire risk assessments follow HTM 05 (Health Technical Memoranda) guidance, aligning with patient safety standards. As part of our service to healthcare clients, we also provide a free 60-minute follow-up meeting to discuss findings, clarify risks, and plan remedial actions with your team.
This follow-up ensures that clinical, estates, or facilities staff fully understand the report, its implications, and the recommended next steps to ensure your building is fully protected.
What You Receive From 4i Fire Safety
When we perform your commercial property risk assessment, you’ll receive:
- Structured report following PAS 79 or equivalent methodology
- Summary of fire hazards and risk evaluations
- Prioritised recommendations for mitigation
- Photographic evidence, diagrams, site notes, and sampling logs
- Risk matrix with justification for conclusions
- Action plan and cost guidance for remedial works
- A free 60-minute review meeting for healthcare sites
Why Choose 4i Fire Safety for Fire Risk Assessments?
- Experienced Assessors – Qualified in healthcare, residential, and commercial sectors
- Balanced Approach – Practical, actionable recommendations rather than theory
- Standards-Based – PAS 79 methodology ensures defensible outcomes
- Transparent & Collaborative – Staff engagement via review meetings
- Tailored Scope – Appropriate assessment type recommended for building and risk profile
Our Fire Risk Assessment Process
- Initial Consultation & Scoping – We assess your building plans, use, occupancy, and any known issues to recommend the appropriate FRA type.
- On-Site Survey – We carry out the inspection – non‑intrusive or intrusive – to examine fire doors, compartmentation, escape routes, service penetrations, and more.
- Analysis & Reporting – You will receive findings delivered in a structured, clear report with photographs, diagrams, and prioritised actions.
- Review Meeting (Healthcare Clients Only) – A free, 60-minute walkthrough of our findings, answering your questions and refining next steps.
- Support & Updates – Following this, we will assist with tendering remedial works, monitoring implementation, and providing review assessments over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to Schedule Your Fire Risk Assessment?
Risk assessments can help save lives. Protect your building, staff, and occupants with a professional fire risk assessment from 4i Fire Safety. Our experienced team delivers compliant, actionable, and thorough assessments tailored to your property type.
Once your assessment is complete, you may also find it useful to complement it with a compartmentalisation survey to check fire-resisting walls, floors, and hidden voids, alongside fire stopping services to ensure all gaps and penetrations are fully sealed.
These services work hand-in-hand with your assessment to maximise safety and compliance.
Contact us today to book your assessment.