As more people adopt hybrid working patterns, the popularity of shared office spaces continues to soar. In fact, 44% of businesses now implement a structured hybrid working model, with most employers requiring their staff to come into the office just 2-3 days a week. This shift has led organisations to seek out coworking spaces, which offer lower costs, greater flexibility, and valuable networking opportunities, rather than committing to entire office floors. However, as these spaces gain popularity, they also introduce unique challenges, particularly concerning fire safety. Hazards such as electrical overloads, improper storage, blocked fire exits and the use of shared kitchen facilities can create dangerous situations. Additionally, confusion often arises regarding who is responsible for maintaining fire safety standards in these shared environments. In this article, we’ll explore the common fire-related dangers associated with shared office spaces and clarify who is accountable for ensuring safety and compliance.
The Rise of Shared Office Spaces and Its Challenges
In our post-pandemic world, shared office spaces are becoming increasingly more popular for businesses. These are workspaces where multiple people or companies work together in the same area, and are commonly known as ‘coworking spaces’. There has been a boom in the number of businesses deciding to use shared workspaces due to its many advantages:
Reduced overhead costs
Flexibility to scale up or down
Networking opportunities
Access to amenities
With 63% of the population working remotely at least some of the time, many offices lie empty and it becomes unsustainable to maintain a fully dedicated office space. However, the popularity of this working model comes with some difficulties. Multiple tenants with diverse business backgrounds can have varying levels of fire safety awareness, and responsibilities become unclear due to the landlord-tenant dynamic. There may be inconsistencies with fire safety measures across co-working spaces, as not all shared environments maintain the same level of safety and professionalism. The level of management oversight can also vary between offices, creating further confusion.
Who Is Legally Responsible for Fire Safety?
With multiple businesses operating in one space, the question of who bears the responsibility for fire safety becomes increasingly complex.
The Landlord’s Responsibility
Landlords and building owners are legally obliged to maintain fire safety standards, according to The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. They must arrange and record fire risk assessment and put general fire precautions in place, such as fire-alarms and fire-fighting equipment.
The Tenant’s Responsibility
The Fire Safety Act designates all property occupiers, including employers, as ‘responsible persons’ who have equal obligations to maintain fire safety in the space. If a business is leasing an area to work in, they are held accountable for its fire safety. For common or shared areas, the responsible person is the landlord.
Shared Accountability
Both parties must provide full cooperation in order to keep the workspace safe. They should collaborate on fire safety plans to ensure all areas of the premises and the people within are protected. This includes arranging exactly who is responsible for conducting risk assessments in any given area of the building.
Fire Door Inspection: The Often Overlooked Necessity
In shared office spaces, where numerous businesses operate in close proximity, the role of functioning fire doors is critical. These doors help contain fires, limit the spread of flames and smoke, and facilitate safe evacuations. Designed to withstand intense heat and smoke, they act as barriers that protect occupants and provide crucial time for evacuation. Unfortunately, many tenants overlook the importance of maintaining fire doors, leading to heightened risks. Without regular inspections, the integrity of these barriers can falter, allowing fires to spread more rapidly and jeopardising everyone in the building. Typically, the building owner or landlord is responsible for maintaining the structural integrity of fire doors in common areas like hallways, staircases and exits. However, tenants also have a responsibility to ensure that fire doors within their leased space are functioning properly. There are several indicators that a fire door may need repair or replacement. These include:
Gaps around the door: A properly functioning fire door should have no more than a 4mm gap between the door and the frame.
Damaged or missing seals: Intumescent seals expand when exposed to heat, blocking fire and smoke. If these seals are damaged or missing, the fire door will not perform effectively.
Warped or damaged door panels: Any visible damage to the door, such as cracks or warping, can compromise its ability to contain a fire.
To keep fire doors performing at a high standard, they should be inspected every six months, even more so in spaces that experience high foot traffic or heavy usage. By working together, landlords and tenants of coworking spaces can ensure that inspections are completed on time and safety standards are met.
How Total Fire Group Can Help
Total Fire Group have over 20 years of experience in fire safety management, providing a service tailored to your individual needs. Whether you are a landlord or tenant of a shared office space, we provide a bespoke service to ensure maximum safety for everyone in your property. Our fire risk assessment methodology is BAFE-approved, meaning we adhere to the strictest industry standards. We take a risk-based approach to fire door inspections, evaluating every aspect, from hinges and seals to proper signage, ensuring that faults are flagged in accordance with their risk factor. Unlike some companies that simply fail doors without thorough inspection, we focus on practical, safety-driven solutions. If you’re a landlord of a shared office, or leasing a coworking space, don’t disregard your duty to maintain fire safety. Contact Total Fire Group today to ensure your space is compliant and safe for all occupants.