Trident Fire Compliance is able to provide you with the best, independent, professional advice and guidance to help ensure that you achieve the requirements of the building regulations.
We want to make sure that clients have all the tools and skills necessary to deliver a safe and compliant project.
Our consultants have extensive knowledge of passive fire protection systems so we know the right product for the right situation. We work closely with numerous major manufacturers meaning we can specify the latest and best systems for the job.
With memberships and affiliations with the Fire Protection Association, Institute of Fire Engineers and the Institute of Fire Safety Managers, Trident are continually involved with the latest developments in fire safety and building compliance.
The Trident team has over 60 years combined experience in the passive fire protection and construction industry and we are only getting stronger. We drive to be the leading experts in passive fire protection and compartmentation.
Fire protection is a requirement for new and existing buildings as set out in the Building Regulations 2010 and the Regulatory Reform Order (Fire Safety Order) 2005.
This requires buildings to have suitable safety precautions to ensure the life safety of any occupants or those who may be close the building in the event of a fire, as well as the Fire and Rescue Service.
The regulation covers a wide range of components such as; means of escape, internal fire spread (structure and linings), external fire spread, firefighter access, fire detection, warning systems, and so on.
These requirements are all discussed in greater detail in documents such as Approved Document B and BS9999.
Passive fire protection is a specialist system built into the fabric of the building and is often the most overlooked aspect of building construction.
While it may be underestimated, it plays a vital role in building safety and is essential for ensuring:
As you can see, fire protection is a broad and complex subject and can have significant impacts if not considered and executed correctly.
Trident Fire Compliance can be your expert on passive fire protection and fire safety. We understand what is required in a fire strategy, and we know what systems you will need to achieve that.
Partition walls, penetration sealing, cavity barriers and more, Trident can tell you exactly what you need and why.
Under the new frameworks in the UK, you will need to get through the three Gateways of building design and construction. To make this process as easy and smooth as possible, Trident can be there to get you through the Gateways to a successful design ready for build.
All recommendations and guidance by Trident Fire Compliance is purely professional, unbiased, and intended solely for the benefit of the client (whilst maintaining compliance to Building Regulations).
All work carried out by Trident Fire Compliance is fully backed by our Professional Indemnity Insurance.
Whatever stage you are at with your building design, Trident is here to help. Whether you haven’t started to think about passive fire protection, or already have a design in mind, Trident can be your independent consultant and advise you on what you need to get it right. Through Gateways 1 and 2, Trident can assist with the specifying and compliance checking of building design to ensure it is compliant to the guidelines and regulations.
When you know what needs protecting and where, this is when you need to know how you are going to do it. Trident Fire Compliance have extensive working relationships with all of the major manufacturers so we are able to provide you with details of the latest and best solutions on the market. There are many factors to consider when specifying systems for a project, and Trident can review them all to make sure that you have the right product for the right situation.
Now you need to know who is going to do this work. There are hundreds of companies who specialise in fire protection across the country, but that does not always mean they are all competent or a good fit for your project. Trident has been compliance inspecting installers across the country for 20 years. We’ve seen the best and we’ve seen the worst. Trident is always independent, but we can recommend a range of highly rated and trusted installers for you to engage and find the one that works for you.
No. Trident Fire Compliance does not install any passive fire protection systems, although we can recommend a list of competent, third party accredited companies for you if required.
Trident Fire Compliance is a specialist passive fire protection consultancy that provides guidance, recommendations and on-site inspections of passive fire protection systems to assist clients in achieving compliance.
The short answer is - no.
There is no requirement under building regulations (or accepted guidance) for passive fire protection to be installed by a third party accredited installer.
However, you do have a legal obligation to ensure that the materials selected for passive fire protection are suitable and that they are installed correctly to provide the necessary fire protection.
Whenever you are required to have passive fire protection installed, you (as the organiser/procurer) are liable for all fire protection works completed.
If they are deficient because the installer was not competent, or the materials were incorrect, then you will be found as equally liable for any damages/costs/legal repercussions as the installer.
Using a third party accredited contractor to install passive fire protection is an excellent way of obtaining confidence that the work has been installed correctly and thereby significantly reducing the risk of deficiency and defects.
Trident Fire Compliance will always recommend to clients to use a third party accredited installer for any passive fire protection system.
No. Trident Fire Compliance is not a third party accreditation company (like FIRAS or BM Trada).
We are experts in passive fire protection from product selection to design to installation methodology.
Our compliance inspection services consist of physically inspecting installations on site and scrutinising them against the manufacturer’s test and detailed literature.
We are then able to confirm or deny that the installations have been installed correctly to either; provide a reasonably confident assurance to the client that the works are compliant, or recommend corrective works to be undertaken to ensure compliance is achieved.
While a third party accredited installer will often be competent and will install compliant systems, mistakes happen and sub-standard installations can be installed.
Our compliance inspection services will be able to find these mistakes early and raise them to you (the client) so that corrective works can take place during the construction phase.
We have found that this is far more advantageous than having defects or deficiencies found post-completion and handover which then often results in expensive remediation works.
Our professional judgements and recommendations are covered by our professional indemnity insurance.
No. Trident Fire Compliance is predominantly a passive fire protection consultancy, but we are proficient in the fire safety guidelines supporting building regulations (i.e. Approved Document B and BS9999/BS9991).
As such, Trident is often instructed to carry out reviews of fire strategy documentation which has been provided by the client to ensure that all elements of fire safety required by the applicable guidelines has been considered and is correct/compliant.
We are able to confirm that proposals meet the criteria set out by the guidelines and also identify issues that do not comply or require further detailing.
However, Trident do not take design liability for the fire strategy proposal for the building.
Trident Fire Compliance is a passive fire protection consultancy, but we are not a dedicated ‘firestopping designer’.
Trident is able to make proposals of passive fire protection systems necessary to provide the required fire protection but these will always be in accordance with the relevant manufacturer’s existing test evidence and often backed up by the manufacturer’s technical department.
Trident has provided detailed proposals for these systems as part of our recommendations and specifications, so Trident is able to undertake passive fire protection design. However, this is dependent on the size and scope of the proposed works.
Please note: any design elements that fall outside of the existing test evidence from a manufacturer would need to be approved by said manufacturer, or be assessed by an independent fire engineer using approved standards and practices.
As early as possible.
There has been, and still is, a considerable emphasis on passive fire protection being completed correctly on new buildings.
This means that the test evidence from a manufacturer must be adhered to more than ever to ensure the correct level of fire protection is achieved and that it will perform as tested.
There are many things that need to be considered for a firestopping solution, including; the type and size of a service penetration, the number of services in any given opening, the size of the opening, any expected movement of services, deflection required from an adjoining soffit, service to service separation, service to edge of opening separation, opening to opening separation, integrity and insulation (EI) ratings required, service supports required on both sides of a wall or floor.
The list goes on and the vast majority of these items are best to be considered at the early design stage to ensure the building is constructed in a way that allows firestopping to be completed successfully. The most apparent of which is service separation.
Manufacturer’s will often state how much distance is required between services within an opening to allow their firestop to be successful.
This could range from 0mm to 150mm, and these requirements could have a significant impact on the locations of mechanical and electrical services through a wall or floor.
It is best to consider these restrictions before the services are installed, rather than correcting and moving them once installed to achieve a compliant firestop.
Please note: any competent firestopping contractor will not install a firestopping seal if all the requirements for the chosen firestop system have been achieved, including service separation.
It is the responsibility of the main contractor to provide suitable openings and services to allow firestopping to be completed.
Trident Fire Compliance is a passive fire protection consultancy and as part of our consultations we know that building design is often very complex.
In some instances, there are elements of passive fire protection within the architect’s design that may not fall within existing test evidence from manufacturers.
Trident is able to provide a professional opinion on these designs or proposals using existing test evidence, to form a basis for the assessment, as well as guidance from the relevant manufacturer.
However, Trident will not take design liability for these proposals, nor will it carry out engineering judgements or assessments (i.e. EXAP to BS EN 15725, or assessments to PFPF guidance).
The default position from Trident Fire Compliance is that all passive fire protection installations must adhere to the relevant manufacturer’s test evidence and any deviation away from this evidence (no matter how small) is deemed non-compliant.
The first approach to addressing a proposal that does not meet the manufacturer’s test evidence is to contact the manufacturer to obtain their approval/judgement.
This approach is usually quickest and often free (or has a low cost). Should this be unsuccessful, the proposal can be sent to a competent fire engineering designer (such as BRE Global or IFC) for their assessment and approval.
This approach is often very time consuming (lead times span into months) and is very expensive with every individual assessment costing thousands.
If these two approaches fail, then the best course of action is to adjust the situation on site to ensure the resultant firestop is compliant to the relevant test evidence.
No. Trident are not able to design, discuss, recommend, or in any other way be involved, with the external wall construction and cladding on new and existing buildings. This includes cavity barriers in the external wall or to the edge of floor slabs.
Trident Fire Compliance strive to be the first port of call with regards to passive fire protection and fire safety. We want you to get it right first time.
Our expert consultants can work with you through design, construction and end-use of a building to ensure it is compliant to the regulations and guidelines.
Get in touch to see how we can help you. Let’s work together to achieve compliance.