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The recommendation for how many Waking Watch officers you need depends on the size and scale of your building, as well as the severity of the issues present. As a rule, most providers recommend at least one officer per 3 floors, though this can vary. That’s where the right questions come to the fore, and where understanding plays an important role.
Whether that’s who to choose to deliver that critical solution, what legislation you need to comply with, or what the next steps are after that Watch ends, there’s no substitute for effective education.
While this depends on the size of the property and the risks present (such as particularly dangerous cladding or issues with the fire alarm system), the general recommendation is one officer for every three storeys/floors. That recommendation is based on having a trained officer on hand at all times and within easy access of all floors and residents, particularly those with specific needs when it comes to evacuation.
This is by no means a rule that’s set in stone – there are a range of factors that affect how many officers you’ll need at your specific property, as detailed in the most recent legislative guidance from the National Fire Chiefs’ Council (NFCC).
According to Appendix C of the 4th edition of the Simultaneous Evacuation Guidance (SEG), issued by the NFCC in 2022, the “number of persons forming the Waking Watch […] should be determined and recorded as part of the premises’ Fire Risk Assessment (FRA)”.
If you’re awaiting your Fire Risk Assessment, or you’re unsure of how best to respond to your recommendations, we’ve written a comprehensive guide to the FRA process and the steps that follow.
What this means is that there’s no set definition for how many officers you’ll need – each property will have unique circumstances that determine the personnel you’ll need to meet the demands of your FRA.
The number of personnel you’ll need at your premises is affected by a range of different factors, including the size of your building, the scope of the issues that have been identified by an FRA, and any specific resident needs (such as evacuation measures).
That’s only surface-level, however, and understanding those factors (and the role they play in determining how many officers you need) is essential in getting a Waking Watch service that’s right for you, your residents, and your property.
Arguably, the factor that contributes the most towards how many Waking Watch professionals you’ll need is the size of your building. Larger, multi-storey buildings will, of course, need more trained operatives to carry out their Waking Watch services.
Our recommendation, and one that’s typically used across our industry, is to have one officer for every 3 floors. This ensures a rapid response time to all floors in the event of an incident, and that a coordinated, simultaneous evacuation can take place. It also means that, if a resident needs to ask something or has concerns, the officer assigned to their floor is never far away.
It’s not just the building’s height that can affect how many officers you need, though. While residential buildings over 18 metres (or at least 7 storeys) are classified as “higher-risk” under the Building Safety Act (BSA), other elements of size can also play a role in how many Waking Watch professionals your property needs.
For instance, larger floors that house multiple apartments, or maisonette blocks that space apart their residential suites, may not reach those 7-storey heights, but have a substantial floor area that needs coverage.
Equally, even single-floor dwellings (a large retirement complex, for example) might require more officers to ensure that all evacuation plans – particularly those specific to residents with limited mobility or movement issues.
As part of your Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) or Fire Risk Appraisal of External Wall (FRAEW), you’ll have been given an insight into how urgent your building’s issues are, and what your next course of action must be. For more critical issues, you may need more officers to be able to carry out an urgent evacuation.
A good example of this would be where serious cladding issues are uncovered as part of the FRA. Our in-depth guide to dangerous cladding discusses the specifics in more detail, but if, for instance, your property has a polyethylene core wrapped in an aluminium composite façade, that’s a major concern.
The example we’ve given above is grounded in real-world concern – the tragic Grenfell disaster was exacerbated by both an aluminium composite façade and a polyethylene core, installed retroactively in its 4-year renovation period between 2012 and 2016.
That’s just one example, though. The Freshwater Road fires in Dagenham in 2004 were also a direct result of “non-compliant” cladding, and led to a resurgence in conversations around cladding as a whole.
It’s also worth noting that, while cladding issues are by far the most common reason why you’d need a Waking Watch service at your property, there can be other reasons. Poor construction quality that complicates the installation of a common fire alarm system, for instance, may mean that a Waking Watch needs to be in place for a longer period than is usually recommended.
One of the more underrepresented concerns, understanding the needs of your residents, is essential in building a Waking Watch solution that’s specific to your property. Understandably so – the current guidance from the National Fire Chiefs’ Council (NFCC) mandates Simultaneous Evacuation, and knowing how best to support that is vital.
This can be where additional Waking Watch officers are necessary to ensure that any Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) can be completed without placing the resident (or anyone else in the same area of the building) under unnecessary pressure. It’s often the case for high-rise blocks with multiple residents on each floor.
For example, a resident with difficulty walking down stairs might require an additional, dedicated support officer to collect any apparatus (such as an evacuation chair) and utilise it appropriately. Equally, where there’s more than one resident who has those or similar difficulties, the solution in place should scale accordingly.
The case might also be that a Waking Watch is in place for sheltered accommodation, or those specialising in rehabilitation. Here, additional support could be needed for those with mental health conditions that inhibit their ability to get out safely (such as PTSD or schizophrenia).
While not a direct consideration for the Waking Watch itself, a Fire Risk Appraisal of External Wall (FRAEW) may uncover that there’s danger to surrounding properties. That’s particularly true where the presence of dangerous cladding means that the spread of fire could be accelerated to the point where it poses an immediate danger to the surrounding areas.
This may also mean that additional Waking Watch officers are needed to ensure that the message is spread quickly and effectively to neighbouring buildings. For instance, where a Waking Watch service is needed at one residential property, but the same problems aren’t found on the property next door, extra personnel could be needed here.
That’s rare, especially given that the Waking Watch solution you’re provided with should always be appropriate to keep all areas safe. However, it’s one that your chosen Waking Watch provider will need to take into consideration.
There’s no substitute for effective Waking Watch coverage when it’s been recommended as part of your Fire Risk Appraisal of External Wall (FRAEW). That offers your residents essential reassurance through round-the-clock, visible support and a clear escape strategy in place, and provides total compliance in response to the findings set out by the FRAEW.
ProFM Group’s proven track record of delivering bespoke, property-specific solutions sets us apart. We’ve designed our approach to both take into consideration every unique aspect of your property, and to provide the right number of Waking Watch officers to suit those circumstances.
All in line with the National Fire Chiefs’ Council (NFCC) latest guidelines, underpinned by an understanding of the FSE’s Regulatory Reform Order and the learnings from the much-needed Grenfell Inquiry, we deliver a fully compliant Waking Watch service. That’s alongside 24/7 manned patrols, all delivered by licensed and vetted professionals.
ProFM Group excel as a leader in professional Waking Watch packages, delivering a robustly compliant package, unparalleled 24/7 support, bespoke manned guarding solutions, and fully documented evacuation plans. That’s all crowned by a reputation as the UK’s #1 ACS-approved contractor, and a research-led understanding of why these services matter.
If your FRAEW has left you wondering about how best to implement your Waking Watch, don’t delay – get in touch with our in-house experts today and discover how we’ve got the capacity, experience and understanding to deliver a solution that’s uniquely yours.
Emily’s extensive expertise in the field spans over 10 years, and positions her as a thought leader and pioneer for our sector. She discusses key security advice, crucial steps for securing the future, and how our industry is evolving at a breakneck pace.
