Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls (FRAEW)
In the UK, the external wall fire risk assessment process in accordance with PAS 9980:2022 involves a qualified and competent professional conducting a fire-risk assessment on the building’s external wall system before signing an EWS1 Form which is valid for the entire building for five years.
- Assessments on high and low-rise apartment blocks
- Supported hundreds of large and small developers, landlords and private developers to keep their buildings safe and fully compliant
- Comprehensive EWS1 Report and EWS1 Form produced within 10 days of survey taking place
- EWS1 reports contain findings about the building’s make-up, assessment of the level of safety of the building and any recommended remedial actions
- An EWS1 certificate from an accredited fire risk assessment company like Vemco satisfies the requirements of UK mortgage lenders, valuers and insurers
Why Choose Us?
Our competent and experienced team of fire engineers is led by a chartered fire engineer, chartered civil engineer and chartered building engineer. We are proud to be government-backed to undertake EWS1 Surveys and issue EWS1 Certificates; and to sit on the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ Medium Rise Scheme Fire Risk Assessor Panel. This means that at Vemco, we can be the signatory for buildings that fall into both Option A and Option B categories.
Call us on 01223 655570 to book your fire risk appraisal of external walls (FRAEW/PAS: 9980) today.
What is an EWS1 Form?
Following the tragic Grenfell fire disaster in 2017, and the subsequent publication of the Hackitt Report, ‘Building a Safer Future’ in 2018, the safety of UK residential high-rise buildings has come under increasing scrutiny. As such, there has been a drive to confirm the safety of mid and high-rise buildings or remediate them where they have been assessed and deemed to be high risk.
The EWS1 assessment process (FRAEW), and EWS1 Form, is a set way for a building owner/Responsible Person to confirm that an external wall system on their residential building has been assessed for safety by a qualified and competent expert, in line with UK Government’s guidance.
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When you Might Need a EWS1 Form
The form was originally created to ensure residential buildings over 18 meters tall could be assessed for safety, but recent changes in UK government advice have potentially brought all residential buildings within scope depending on the type and extent of cladding, the presence of balconies and the presence of combustible material.
The EWS1 Form provides an industry-standard approach to classifying cladding safety with respect to fire legislation. Following an assessment, your building will fall into one of two categories:
Option A – This is for buildings where the external wall materials are unlikely to support combustion.
Option B – This is for buildings where combustible materials are present.
This means that a higher level of fire expertise is required to undertake a more detailed review.
Call us on 01223 655570 to check our availability and book your EWS1 assessment from one of the leading UK fire risk assessment companies.
What you need to know
The term ‘external wall’ refers to all the materials used in the outer skin of a building including any cladding, insulation, facades and passive fire protection systems, i.e., cavity barriers. The EWS1 assessment process involves a qualified and competent professional conducting a fire-risk assessment on the building’s external wall system before signing an EWS1 Form which is valid for the entire building for five years. However, a new fire risk appraisal for external walls in accordance with PAS 9980:2022 (FRAEW) may be required within the five-year period if substantial works have been undertaken on the building, which may affect the original conclusions.
The EWS1 Form must be completed by a fully qualified member of a relevant professional body within the construction industry with sufficient expertise to identify the relevant materials within the external wall cladding and attachments, including whether fire-resisting cavity barriers and fire-stopping have been installed correctly.
Beware of unqualified people signing and undertaking external wall assessments and/or signing EWS1 Forms. This could have potentially dangerous consequences for residents and legal implications for the Responsible Person.
The various routes to obtaining an EWS1 Certificate are outlined below:
Why Choose Us
We have supported hundreds of large and small developers, landlords and private developers in the UK in keeping their buildings safe and compliant. Contact us today to get your EWS1 certificate from one of the leading fire risk assessment companies in the UK.
Vemco’s Professional Memberships and Trade Registrations:
UK Engineering Council – Membership number: 479398
MIFireE – Registration Number: 00063872
MICE – Registration Number: 47200782
MCABE – Registration Number: 67123747
Call us now to book an EWS1 Survey
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