Case Study
Residential Block Communal Stairs and Landings FRA
Fire risk assessment for the communal stairs, landings and shared escape routes within a residential block.
Summary
Fire Check Scotland assessed the communal areas of a residential block, including stairs, landings, entrance areas, service cupboards and shared escape routes.
The assessment focused on the parts of the building controlled by the duty holder, while keeping individual flats outside the assessed scope except where they affected common fire safety.
The Premises
- Residential block communal areas.
- Shared entrance, stairs, landings and escape routes.
- Service cupboards, meter cupboards and landlord-controlled areas.
- Residents, visitors, contractors and managing-agent responsibilities.
- Individual flats outside the assessed demise except for interface issues.
Why This Project Was More Complex
The key challenge was defining the boundary between communal responsibility and private dwellings. The common escape route still had to remain reliable for residents, so the assessment focused on fire doors, service penetrations, storage, lighting, signage, detection interfaces and management records.
Key Technical Themes
- Common escape route condition and housekeeping.
- Flat entrance door interface and self-closing arrangements.
- Service cupboard fire resistance and storage control.
- Emergency lighting, signage and final-exit reliability.
- Fire alarm/detection interface where relevant.
- Responsible-person records, resident communication and contractor checks.
Fire Check Scotland Approach
The report kept the scope clear: communal areas were assessed in detail, while individual flats were considered only where their doors or interfaces could affect shared escape.
Findings were written so a managing agent or residents' association could assign actions easily.
Outcome
The client received a clear communal-area action plan covering route protection, cupboard management, flat-door interface checks, lighting/signage evidence and ongoing inspection routines.
Relevance to Similar Clients
Relevant to factors, managing agents, freeholders, residents' associations and landlords responsible for communal stairs and landings in residential blocks.