A building may meet every fire safety requirement on handover day, but that does not guarantee it will remain safe throughout its operational life. Fire alarms have been commissioned, sprinkler systems tested, fire doors inspected and drawings approved. However, once contractors leave and occupants move in, buildings begin to change.
Partitions are added, storage accumulates in corridors, commercial spaces undergo renovations, and the people who understand the original fire safety design may no longer be involved in daily operations.
Over time, the gap between a building that passed its initial inspection and one that can perform effectively during an actual fire can widen. Often, this happens not because of major system failures, but because of small, recurring maintenance and management oversights.
The solution lies in consistent inspections, competent personnel and a proactive approach to fire safety management.
Where Fire Safety Gaps Commonly Occur
1. Critical Fire Safety Knowledge Is Lost After Handover
Operation and maintenance manuals, cause-and-effect matrices and as-built drawings are essential resources. However, they are often handed over as large document collections that receive little attention once the building becomes operational.
When facility managers change or maintenance contracts are transferred, valuable knowledge about the building’s fire protection systems can be lost.
For example, staff may no longer know which fire dampers activate during an alarm, which zones control specific doors or why particular detectors were installed in certain locations.
One practical solution is to develop a concise Fire Strategy Summary and keep copies at the fire control panel and in the facility management office.
This document should clearly explain how the building is designed to respond to a fire, including alarm activation, automatic suppression, evacuation arrangements and fire service access.
2. Tenant Fit-Outs Can Compromise Fire Safety Systems
Changes to occupied buildings are among the most common causes of hidden fire safety risks.
New ceilings can obstruct sprinkler heads and smoke detectors. Additional partitions may create enclosed spaces without adequate detection, while cables and service installations can compromise fire-rated walls if openings are not properly sealed.
Although individual alterations may appear minor, their combined impact can undermine the building’s original fire protection strategy.
Facility managers should therefore introduce a mandatory fire safety review for every tenant fit-out or refurbishment project, regardless of its size. Completed work should also be inspected and approved before the affected space is occupied.
3. Fire Doors Lose Their Effectiveness Without Regular Inspection
Fire doors are designed to restrict the spread of fire and smoke, protecting escape routes and maintaining compartmentation. However, their effectiveness can deteriorate through everyday use and poor maintenance.
Common problems include disconnected door closers, damaged intumescent seals, misaligned hinges, excessive gaps and doors being wedged open for convenience.
A fire door that cannot close properly may fail to provide the protection intended by its fire rating.
Regular inspections by trained personnel can identify these issues before they become serious risks. Checks should confirm that doors close fully without assistance, seals remain intact, gaps are within acceptable tolerances and no unauthorised devices are preventing proper closure.
4. Fire System Testing Becomes a Paper Exercise
A building may have comprehensive maintenance records and signed inspection sheets, but documentation alone does not prove that its fire protection systems are functioning correctly.
For example, repeatedly testing the same alarm call point may leave other areas inadequately checked. Similarly, acknowledging faults on a fire alarm control panel without resolving them can create a misleading impression of compliance.
Recognised standards, including NFPA 72 for fire alarm systems, NFPA 25 for water-based fire protection systems and NFPA 10 for portable fire extinguishers, provide guidance on inspection, testing and maintenance requirements. These should be applied alongside the relevant local fire safety legislation, building regulations and Civil Defence requirements.
Facility managers do not need to become specialists in every fire protection system. However, they should understand maintenance reports, question unresolved faults and ensure that system impairments are properly documented, risk-assessed and addressed within agreed timeframes.
5. Emergency Escape Routes Become Obstructed
Escape routes can gradually become compromised as buildings become occupied.
Corridors may be used for temporary storage, stairwells may collect furniture during refurbishment, and final exit doors may be restricted for security reasons. Meanwhile, emergency signage can remain in place even when the routes it identifies are no longer accessible.
Regular inspections should include a complete walk-through of escape routes, starting from the furthest occupied areas on each floor and continuing to the final exits.
Emergency exits must remain accessible, clearly identified and free from obstruction at all times.
6. Building Personnel Lack Site-Specific Fire Safety Training
Security officers, cleaners and maintenance personnel are often among the first people to respond when a fire alarm activates. Yet general fire awareness training may not prepare them for the specific requirements of the building they work in.
Personnel need practical, site-specific knowledge, including:
How to interpret the fire alarm control panel.
Where the fire control room and emergency equipment are located.
Who to contact when an alarm or system fault occurs.
How to follow the building’s emergency procedures.
What information to provide when the fire service arrives.
Regular training and practical exercises help ensure that employees understand their responsibilities and can respond appropriately during an emergency.
Building a Fire Safety Culture Beyond the Maintenance Contract
Outsourcing fire system maintenance does not transfer the building owner’s responsibility for fire safety.
Building owners and facility managers must ensure that fire protection systems remain operational and that fire risk assessments reflect the building’s current layout, occupancy and use, rather than simply its original handover condition.
Establishing a proactive maintenance culture requires a few consistent practices:
Review fire risk assessments: Reassess fire risks following significant changes to building layouts, occupancy levels or building use.
Maintain an impairment register: Record any fire protection system that is temporarily unavailable, including associated risk controls and expected repair dates.
Conduct regular maintenance reviews: Arrange quarterly discussions involving the facility management team, maintenance contractor and, where appropriate, a competent fire safety adviser.
Test emergency arrangements: Conduct evacuation drills that account for different operating conditions, including night shifts, weekends and reduced staffing levels.
Promote accountability: Ensure that personnel conducting routine inspections understand the purpose of each check and know how to report deficiencies.
These measures help transform fire safety from a contractual maintenance obligation into an ongoing operational priority.
The Importance of Competence in Fire Safety Management
Many post-handover fire safety problems can be traced back to gaps in knowledge, supervision and competence.
Facility managers, health and safety professionals and maintenance personnel need a clear understanding of fire risk assessment, risk control measures and the management systems required to maintain a safe working environment.
Investing in professional development through recognised occupational health and safety qualifications, fire safety training and system-specific technical courses can strengthen an organisation’s ability to identify risks and challenge inadequate maintenance practices.
Competent personnel are better equipped to recognise early warning signs, question unresolved defects and ensure that fire safety responsibilities are properly managed.
Conclusion: Fire Safety Is an Ongoing Responsibility
A building’s fire safety does not end when the handover documents are signed. It depends on what happens throughout the building’s operational life.
Even well-designed fire protection systems can become ineffective when inspections are neglected, alterations are poorly managed or employees lack the necessary training.
Ultimately, keeping fire safety alive after handover is not simply about installing the right equipment or maintaining a service contract. It requires consistent attention, clear accountability and competent people who understand what
