Have you been issued a EWS1 Option B2 and are unsure of what to do now? HS RoofClad explains EWS1 Option A and Option B and your next steps.
What Happens After Receiving the Certificate?
If you are a Building Owner, Leaseholder, Property Managing Agent, or Developer of a residential building over 18m and you have been issued an EWS1 (External Wall Review Survey) Option B1 or Option B2, you may be wondering what the next steps are in order to ensure the safety of your building and the people inside it.
Once the intrusive works have been carried out to determine whether the primary materials of the external wall are of limited combustibility the certificate will have one of two outcomes, as defined by the qualified Fire Consultant we work alongside:
- EWS1 Option A – external wall materials are unlikely to support combustion.
- A1 – materials of limited combustibility (as defined in BS 9991:2015) or better.
- A2 – appropriate risk assessment of the materials confirming no remedial works are required.
- A3 – neither of the two options above apply, an internal fire risk assessment will need to be reviewed to take into consideration the external findings.
- EWS1 Option B – combustible materials are present in external wall.
- B1 – fire risk is sufficiently low; no remedial works are required.
- B2 – fire risk is sufficiently high, remedial works are required.
If the EWS1 is Option A1 or A2, and the Fire Consultant has confirmed there are no remedial works required, HS RoofClad will deliver the completed Façade Report to the client alongside a singed EWS1 form which is then valid for 5 years with no further action required regarding the external wall systems. If the EWS1 is Option A3, the client should instruct the relevant persons to conduct an internal fire risk assessment considering the findings. Upon completion, the Fire Consultant can review the EWS1.
If the EWS1 is Option B1, additional internal fire risk assessments will need to be carried out to consider the findings of the external fire survey. If the EWS1 is Option B2, remedial works are required and HSRoofClad can review the findings of the EWS1 (B2) and advise on whether we can assist in progressing façade remediation requirements.
How to Arrange Remedial Work?
Any remediation works that are required following on from EWS1 (B2) certificates being issued will be discussed with our clients over an initial follow up call. HS RoofClad’s expert estimating team will then review the EWS1, and once reviewed we can advise on the next steps involved and direct the client in the right place to complete the relevant works.
If you have obtained an EWS1 Option B from elsewhere – we can still help with what to do next. In the current marketplace, HS RoofClad are unique in our offering as we facilitate the process involved with obtaining the certificate, conducting the invasive works, working alongside a qualified fire Engineer and advising on any further remedial work. If you have been issued a failed EWS1 from elsewhere, get in touch with our team who can assess each case individually and advise on a solution for the next steps involved to replace all combustible elements of the façade with non-combustible materials.
If you have any other questions regarding External Wall Review Surveys and would like to speak to a member of our team directly, you can call them on 020 3944 6036 or complete our online enquiry form.
