FIRE SAFETY
Fire rated access panel in place.
or modifications, as detailed in the Building Safety Act and Building Regulation 38. The only remedy is to install new hatches and access arrangements,
which can potentially be prohibitively expensive and near impossible to achieve or apply risk-based mitigation.
Sign off Let us take a pause here to wonder who ever signed off non-compliant systems in the first place? Also are current duty holders putting their name to incomplete annual inspection reports and, if so, are they fully cognisant of the potential implications of duty holding? Guidance (BS9999) clearly says that fire dampers should be inspected and tested at least annually and replaced or upgraded if they do not pass. It does seem to me that the quality of reporting from inspection companies might also be an issue here. Major issues and critical failures should be clearly highlighted up front, not buried in pages of information. If nothing else, it shows that someone has read and analysed the findings. We were pleased to see a requirement for contractors/maintenance providers to record and report issues to the duty holder in the latest BESA guidance.
Risk based maintenance
Risk-based facilities management is not a new concept. It is a strategic approach that prioritises maintenance and resource allocation based on the potential risks associated with different assets, with a focus on ensuring a safe and efficient environment. By understanding the likelihood and consequences of potential failures, facilities managers can make informed decisions about where to focus their resources. As ever is starts with risk assessment so you can understand the issues. Can it really apply in the health sector where the guidance is so very specific? The answer is yes. While Health Technical Memoranda (HTM) 05-02 and 05-03 guide (new) design and operational management, HTM-05-01 Managing Healthcare Safety guidance helps with planning the appropriate fire safety management system. It allows for a risk-based approach that should permit the current statutory regulations to be applied sensibly and pragmatically. Also, in its response to the BESA public warning about faulty installation the OPSS said it aims ‘to provide targeted, risk-based and proportionate enforcement of construction products regulations and will act fairly and firmly where product risks exist’. The 2025 Technical Bulletin from BESA (TB59) also refers to a risk-based approach. We also know risk-based maintenance planning works. A case in
point is the Live Nation Cardiff Utilita Arena, a building complex nearing the end of its operational life but still very much a commercial going concern and one where public safety is a key priority. The Arena’s replacement, a new indoor venue at Cardiff’s Atlantic Wharf, is now
May 2026 Health Estate Journal 35
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