Through our fire safety expert witness work, we’ve noticed the same issues arise time and again across building litigation matters.
One of the most common involves product substitution.
A specified product may become unavailable, too expensive or subject to long lead times, so an alternative product is installed instead. The problem arises when that substitution is not reviewed by the fire safety engineer or reassessed against the original fire safety strategy or Performance Solution.
Another recurring issue is undocumented design changes.
Changes during construction are common and, in many cases, unavoidable. However, if the fire engineering documentation is not updated to reflect those changes, the consequences can extend well beyond the construction phase.
We also regularly see:
- Incomplete fire engineering reports
- Poor document and version control
- Inadequate records of design decisions
- Communication breakdowns between consultants, contractors and subcontractors
These issues can remain hidden for years until they are exposed by a fire, a building defect investigation, or a regulatory audit.
When a dispute arises, the quality of the project documentation often becomes a critical factor in determining liability and understanding how decisions were made throughout the project.
If you require fire safety engineering or expert witness services, contact CJK Fire & Safety.