Fire Engineering Expert, James Clarke, recently welcomed the opportunity to deliver a fire safety presentation to Chubb.
His presentation focused on fire-damaged buildings and included an introduction to fire safety legislation, an explanation of fire engineering and the common issues encountered when investigating fire spread.
James highlighted the key steps that he takes when investigating a fire-damaged building, such as:
- Understanding the fire (the location, the type of building, and extent of damage);
- Identifying how the fire and smoke spread;
- Determining if the fire spread was disproportionate (i.e. did it spread further and/or quicker than anticipated);
- Identifying the mechanisms of spread (i.e. cavities, linings, fuel source);
- Completing a preliminary assessment of the building design, management obligations, and surveys (including fire risk assessments and External Wall System Form 1 (EWS1) certification);
- Identifying the relevant building regulation documentation applicable at the date of the design and construction of the building.
James routinely investigates fire incidents to establish causation. He is often asked to review disproportionate fire spread and advise on whether the damage could be linked to the design of the building or workmanship.
If you would like James, or a Hawkins expert from any other discipline to investigate a case or present to your organisation, please get in touch.
