Construction Fire Engineering

Our construction fire safety strategies ensure full compliance with current health and safety standards and industry recommendations, safeguarding your project against delays and enforcement action. This is achieved through compliance with the HSE’s guide for ‘Fire Safety In Construction’ and the Fire Protection Association’s ‘Joint Code of Practice for Fire Prevention on Construction Sites.’ 

Through proactive fire safety planning and ongoing support, we help minimise disruptions caused by fire safety issues, keeping your construction programme on track. 

Our practical, cost-effective solutions balance safety requirements with budget constraints, helping to minimise insurance costs whilst maintaining the highest safety standards. Additionally, effective planning of the construction site leads to an optimised construction schedule.  

Comprehensive fire safety measures protect construction workers, site visitors, and neighbouring properties, whilst safeguarding your investment in materials and partially completed structures. 

From initial site setup through to handover, our team provides continuous support with periodic fire risk assessments and strategy reviews, adapting to the changing nature of your construction site. Furthermore, the on-going support helps with a quick response following a fire safety issue on site.  

We offer specialised expertise for high-rise buildings (exceeding 18 metres in height) and high-risk construction sites, including those utilising combustible materials such as timber frame and CLT construction. 

Our fire engineering consultants are highly qualified and experienced in delivering solutions for the most challenging construction environments. Our fire engineers work together with our qualified Fire Risk Assessors.  

Our flexible, forward-thinking approach to fire engineering, combined with a high level of technical capability, has earned industry recognition and the trust of leading developers, contractors, and insurers. 

We don't just deliver a strategy and walk away. Our team provides ongoing support with periodic fire risk assessments and strategy reviews, adapting to the evolving nature of your construction site as work progresses through different phases. 

We understand that every construction site is unique. Our solutions are tailored to your specific project requirements, site constraints, and budget considerations, ensuring practical implementation without compromising safety. 

As an independent trusted third party, we provide impartial, factual advice based on engineering principles and industry standards. Our clients trust our integrity and the quality of our recommendations. 

Our portfolio includes some of the UK's most prestigious and challenging construction projects, from high-rise developments to heritage renovations, demonstrating our capability to deliver excellence across all sectors and building types. 

A Construction Fire Safety Strategy contains a comprehensive assessment of all fire safety aspects for construction sites during various phases of work, including: 

• Construction fire safety strategies and ongoing support throughout construction stages 
• Fire safety of temporary buildings and welfare offices 
• Means of warning and escape from buildings under construction 
• Preventing the ignition, growth, and spread of smoke and fire (including external fire spread and storage arrangements) in the building under construction 
• Fire and rescue service access and facilities for the construction site 

Ideally, you should engage our team during the early planning stages of your construction project. Early involvement allows us to integrate fire safety considerations into your construction methodology, temporary works design, and site layout from the outset, avoiding costly retrospective measures and potential delays.

High-rise construction sites, classified as buildings exceeding 18 metres in height, require enhanced fire safety measures due to the increased risk and complexity. These include more rigorous compartmentation strategies during construction, enhanced means of escape provisions, improved fire detection and alarm systems, and specific considerations for firefighting access and equipment at height. 

Construction sites utilising structural timber and CLT present unique fire risks due to the combustible nature of the materials. Our specialists develop tailored strategies that address material storage, construction sequencing, temporary protection measures, hot works management, and fire detection and suppression systems specific to timber frame construction. The strategies are based on the Structural Timber Association’s guidance ’16 Steps to fire safety’. Specifically for these projects, the involvement of a competent fire engineer in the tender stage for the site is essential.

Fire risk assessments should be reviewed periodically throughout the construction programme, particularly when significant changes occur to the site layout, construction methodology, or building configuration. Our team works with you to establish an appropriate review schedule based on your project's specific characteristics and risk profile. Generally, we recommend a visit every 6 months, or, decreased to 3 - 4 months, for fast-paced sites. 

Each quote provided by us will be supported by regular Construction Phase Fire Risk Assessments, provided by our fire safety experts. Discover our Fire Risk Assessments here

By implementing robust, well-documented fire safety strategies and demonstrating proactive risk management, construction projects can often negotiate more favourable insurance premiums. Our strategies provide insurers with confidence that fire risks are being effectively managed throughout the construction period. 

Our team is available to provide rapid response and expert advice when unexpected fire safety challenges arise. We work collaboratively with your construction team to develop practical solutions that address the issue whilst minimising impact on your construction programme.

Yes. SOCOTEC offers Expert Witnessing and Litigation Support services. Our experienced consultants can provide independent expert opinion and testimony in legal proceedings related to construction fire safety matters.