Managing fire safety across a complex healthcare estate

Checkmate Fire was commissioned to conduct Fire Compartmentation Surveys, Fire Door Surveys, Fire Damper Surveys, Air Handling Unit recording and Asbestos Refurbishment Surveys for NHSPS buildings to ensure compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order.

To date, Checkmate Fire has worked on 290 NHSPS buildings, completing over 8,000 fire door remediations and approximately 1600 replacements.

Scope of works

Over the past three years, we have provided regular inspections of fire stopping and fire doors to ensure adherence to regulations, support future enhancements and implement essential modifications. Checkmate Fire's commitment has been evident by not only carrying out remedial actions and replacing fire doors but also repairing them whenever feasible for minimal ecological impact and best value-for-money.

Managing over 20,000 fire doors, our services extend to compartmentation assessments, remediation and door replacement programmes. Acting as a primary contractor in recent initiatives has enabled Checkmate Fire to cultivate robust partnerships onsite while upholding meticulous attention from project initiation through completion.

Through its expertise in conducting evaluations of fire stopping systems, Checkmate Fire provides comprehensive fixed cost estimates as part of our pledge toward providing transparent and reliable service solutions.

Approach and methodology

The complexity of planning this project stems from the unique ownership structure of the NHS properties, which house independent GP surgeries, community hospitals and health centres with diverse tenants. As a result, meticulous planning and layered communication are imperative, involving coordination with partnered organisations conducting concurrent works on-site and ensuring active engagement and cooperation from tenants and facility management teams.

Cconsiderations

Given the healthcare setting, considerations such as minimising noise and disruptions for staff, prioritising health and safety, maintaining cleanliness during works, meticulous pre-programming, adopting a 'right first-time' approach and sustaining regular management interactions have been pivotal in ensuring project success.

Key challenges

One of the primary challenges encountered was securing access to patient areas. Overcoming this necessitated adherence to stringent access protocols, including providing a 7-day notice to all site personnel when working on doors, with dedicated supervisors ensuring seamless communication and minimal disruptions throughout the process.

Lessons learnt

During the initial planning phase, our intention was to execute the project using a team of four technicians during regular working hours. However, upon commencing work on-site, it became apparent that most sites could only be accessed after hours. Checkmate Fire therefore had to assemble teams to carry out the project during non-standard hours, all while ensuring minimal disturbance to both staff and patients by being adaptable with our resources.

Benefits

The project's outcomes included the identification and resolution of compliance breaches, adherence to the original schedule, certification of all completed works, a record of zero on-site accidents and a total absence of complaints, reinforcing client trust in Checkmate Fire's service excellence.