Fire Protection Services London
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Passive fire protection and premises responsibilities

Passive fire protection concerns the building features used to limit fire spread, including separation measures and fire doors. Their role needs to be understood alongside the building’s construction, escape arrangements, occupancy and day-to-day management.

Building separation within a fire strategy

For historic buildings, compartmentation is one of the considerations in a building-specific fire strategy. It is considered alongside construction, escape routes, occupancy and management.

For historic buildings, London Fire Brigade’s fire strategy guidance (london-fire.gov.uk) describes how construction, compartmentation, escape routes, occupancy and management work together. Passive measures such as fire separation, doors and dampers can limit spread.

Alterations can compromise existing separation. When refurbishment is proposed, the affected features need consideration as part of the project. A product description or fire-rating claim needs to be understood in relation to the complete system and its intended role.

Who has responsibility for the premises?

For business and other non-domestic premises in England, responsibility can rest with an employer, owner, landlord, occupier or another person controlling the premises. Where several people have responsibilities, they must cooperate.

The government’s premises responsibility guidance (gov.uk) includes assessing and reviewing fire risks and maintaining appropriate precautions. The duties relevant to a particular person depend on their role and actual control. Other UK jurisdictions have different arrangements.

In a shared building, it is useful to clarify which areas and measures each party controls when defining proposed work.

Assessment, remedial work and maintenance

A fire risk assessment, work arising from its findings and ongoing equipment maintenance have different purposes. The assessment may identify a concern. Defining and completing the necessary work is a separate task, followed by the relevant review and maintenance arrangements.

For passive protection requirements, distinguish an existing finding from a question that still needs specialist investigation. Relevant records may include:

  • The assessment finding and affected location.
  • The documented fire strategy or available plans.
  • The history of alterations in that area.
  • The scope of any remedial work already specified.

Planning work in a historic building

Heritage constraints can affect how a proposed change is approached. Relevant specialist and conservation input may be needed to reconcile those constraints with the building-specific fire strategy. That question should remain visible in the project scope until it is resolved.

For work at London premises, our passive fire protection page sets out practical details for inspection, remedial work and refurbishment enquiries.