Fire Safety Engineering Solutions That Protect People and Places

Absolutely — we support Gateway One fire statements and PAS 9980 risk appraisals.

Gateway Two is a regulatory checkpoint under the Building Safety Act requiring detailed fire safety documentation before construction begins for High-rise residential buildings.

KFS prepare and submit compliant fire safety documentation to help you pass Gateway Two smoothly.

A: Fire engineers develop bespoke fire strategies, integrate passive and active fire protection measures, model fire and smoke behaviour (e.g., CFD), assess structural fire performance, and work with design teams across all RIBA stages to ensure compliance and resilience. They also provide peer reviews, site inspections, and post contract assurance to catch issues before handover.

A: Ideally from the earliest design stages so the fire strategy can be aligned with initial plans and coordinated with architects and other disciplines; however, engineers can still add value mid design or during refurbishment by developing innovative solutions where code compliance is challenging.

A: A fire strategy is a comprehensive document that sets out evacuation routes, firefighting provisions, passive and active systems, material classifications, occupant risk profiles, and fire spread issues. It references any engineering analysis used (CFD, structural fire engineering, radiation analysis) and guides design and approvals.

A: CFD models airflow, temperature, pressure, and smoke movement in realistic scenarios, allowing engineers to predict development of fires without costly physical tests and to justify design decisions for smoke control, egress, and protection systems.

A: Engineers advise on performance based solutions for non conventional designs, prepare and review fire strategies for approvals (e.g., Building Control/BSR), coordinate with Principal Designers/Contractors, and help maintain the ‘Golden Thread’ of information (design intent, as built, strategies, safety case, inspection/maintenance records) in secure digital systems.

A: It’s a step by step assurance service: review strategies developed by others, check product datasheets for suitability, conduct regular site inspections, and issue actionable reports to correct deviations before they become costly remediation. Case studies show it preventing unsafe handovers by identifying missing structural protection and fire stopping details.

A: They perform inspections to assess whether the designer and the builder have correctly interpreted the fire safety strategy, issue concise inspection reports with corrective actions, and challenge incomplete or non compliant handover documentation to safeguard owners and occupants.

A: Teams undertake regular CPD, internal/external training, chartership pathways, and structured competency management (including learning platforms and technical leadership roles) to stay current with standards and legislation. They also provide client training on passive fire systems and related topics.

A: The amendments introduced new duty holders—client, principal designer, principal contractor, designer, and contractor—with competency requirements. Fire engineers are now explicitly recognized as designers who must cooperate with other designers and contractors and take “all reasonable steps” to ensure compliance with all relevant requirements. Their involvement extends beyond RIBA Stage 4 into detailed design and construction phases, including coordination and review of fire safety elements across disciplines.

A: Principal designers must provide compliance statements confirming that designs meet all relevant requirements. Since they cannot be experts in every discipline, they rely on competent specialists—particularly fire engineers—to review drawings, specifications, and design documents for fire safety compliance. Fire engineers provide supporting statements and ensure that fire safety design intent is correctly implemented across all coordinated elements.