A Construction Phase Fire Safety Report is a detailed document produced during the construction stage of a building or refurbishment project. It captures all the temporary and permanent fire safety arrangements that must be in place during construction, before occupation. This is important because many fire safety measures (walls, fire doors, fire stopping, compartmentation, alarm systems etc.) may be partially incomplete or temporarily removed during construction, leaving the site vulnerable to fire and smoke spread. Under UK regulation, the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015) require that fire safety is managed on construction sites, including having suitable arrangements for dealing with emergencies. Documents like HSG168 “Fire safety in construction” provide guidance on how duties for fire risk during building work should be managed.
When FireRite provides a Construction Phase Fire Safety Report, the service begins with a site‑visit and audit of the construction site to examine existing fire safety provisions. Key inclusions are: temporary access and egress routes (escape paths), protection of fire exits and means of escape, fire doors and their installation status, temporary fire stopping or compartmentation, temporary fire alarm and detection system arrangements, storage and handling of combustible materials, hot works permit management, firefighting equipment access, signage, emergency lighting, and emergency assembly areas. The report also includes a schedule of recommendations, with priority rankings (high, medium, low), estimated costs or resource implications, and responsibilities (who does what, and by when). It often includes photographic evidence of hazards or deficiencies, and clear guidance on how to rectify issues to maintain safe working conditions during construction.
For businesses involved in construction, renovation, or fit‑out projects, having a sound Construction Phase Fire Safety Report is more than good practice. It helps to ensure legal compliance, reduce risk of injury, protect people on site and nearby, avoid costly delays, and mitigate insurance risk. If fire safety is neglected during construction, fires can cause major damage to partially built structures, leading to delays, increased costs, reputational damage, and liability claims. A well‑prepared report gives project managers, contractors, principal contractors, and clients a roadmap to manage fire risk proactively. It also fosters trust with regulatory bodies, insurers, and stakeholders that safety is being taken seriously. Ultimately it can save money (through avoiding stop work orders, fines, insurance premium hikes), reduce construction‑phase risk, and help deliver the project on time and on budget with safety assured.
A Construction Phase Fire Report Audit is a careful review of whether the existing fire safety measures during construction align with best practice, guidance, and legal requirements. This involves comparing the site’s current fire safety performance and documentation against the standards and controls that should be in place. Audits are useful when a project reaches certain milestones (e.g. after substantial build progress, when temporary fire protection has been installed, or following a change in site usage or contractor). They also help identify issues before inspections or before handover. Guidance such as HSG168 emphasises the importance of managing fire risk throughout construction.
FireRite’s audit service encompasses reviewing the Construction Phase Fire Safety Report itself (if already prepared), checking that all recommendations are being implemented, and ensuring that fire safety controls operate as intended under live conditions. Auditors look at temporary vs permanent fire resistance works, completeness of compartmentation, correct fitting and sealing of fire barriers, performance of alarm and detection during construction, adequacy of fire safety signage and lighting, safe storage of flammable materials, compliance with hot works management and site‑wide housekeeping. The audit report includes findings (deficiencies, non‑compliance issues), risk levels, photos, corrective actions, deadlines for corrections, and suggestions for improvement. The audit may also include a re‑inspection after correction to verify compliance.
For businesses, the audit step is crucial to avoid surprises. A construction project may look fine on paper, but implementation often lags behind or corners are cut to meet schedules. An audit ensures what was planned is actually in place. This helps reduce the risk of fires during construction, protects workers and the public, mitigates insurance exposure, avoids regulatory fines or prosecutions, and prevents delays caused by failures during inspections. Audit reports also support project assurance, stakeholder confidence, and proper documentation—useful in contract disputes, insurance claims, or regulatory reviews. By catching shortfalls early businesses save money, preserve timeline integrity, and enhance reputation for safety and diligence.
Construction projects vary in complexity. Higher‑risk buildings (for example tall residential blocks, mixed use buildings, care homes, healthcare facilities) or especially complex sites (dense layouts, multiple contractors, phased occupations) present elevated risk during the construction phase. In such contexts, a Construction Phase Fire Safety Report plays an even more critical role to ensure that fire risks are understood, managed, and mitigated at every stage. Regulatory oversight and public safety expectations are particularly high for such buildings. The Building Safety Act, new guidance in the wake of Grenfell inquiry, and enhanced requirements from Building Safety Regulator emphasise safety in high‑risk and higher‑risk residential buildings. Businesses working on such projects must demonstrate robust safety assurance from early stage.
For higher‑risk or complex sites, FireRite’s report will address additional factors: construction phasing and how temporary protections transition into permanent fire safety, vertical and horizontal fire spread risks, façade materials and cladding use during construction, external wall systems, temporary and permanent means of escape from multiple levels, coordination between different contractors, temporary site layout affecting emergency access, management of external exposed elements pending complete cladding, risk management for smoke control (if needed), and more stringent review of fire stopping, compartmentation, and fire doors. The report will also include enhanced modelling or scenario planning where required, detailed drawings or schematics showing compartment lines, escape routes, firefighting access, and compliance verification with all relevant legislation for higher risk buildings.
For businesses engaged in high‑risk building construction or refurbishment, investing in this level of reporting is essential. It supports compliance with the Building Safety Act, helps satisfy requirements of the Building Safety Regulator, reduces risk of catastrophic fire spread, improves safety of workers and eventual occupants, and ensures smoother handover without remedial works. Additionally it can protect against expensive remediation or legal costs due to oversight or non‑compliance. From a financial perspective such reports can lead to lower insurance premiums, better stakeholder confidence (including lenders, investors and regulatory bodies), and fewer delays or stoppages. Public and client trust is increasingly critical, especially post‑Grenfell, and having a high‑quality Construction Phase Fire Safety Report for higher‑risk and complex sites underscores commitment to safety, responsibility, and best practice.
