Waking Watch case study
When faults developed in the fire alarm system at Burlington Gate in Walsall, Encore Group needed interim fire cover while they were put right. We provided one fire-trained waking watch officer on site 24 hours a day for ten days, standing down on 26 June 2026 once the system was working again.
Encore Group needed waking watch cover at Burlington Gate, a residential complex in Walsall, while faults in the building’s fire alarm system were put right.
Where a building’s automatic fire detection is not fully working, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires the responsible person to put interim measures in place. Waking watch was agreed as that measure.
We provided one fire-trained waking watch officer on site 24 hours a day for the full ten days, giving the building continuous cover from the moment the alarm system was compromised until the fault was fixed.
The officer was trained in fire awareness and evacuation procedures, uniformed and identifiable, and in direct contact with the building’s management team and, where needed, the fire and rescue service.
The watch stood down on 26 June 2026, once the fire alarm fault was confirmed resolved and the system was back in normal operation.
Short deployments like this are what waking watch is designed for. NFCC guidance is that cover should end as soon as the permanent fire safety measure is working again, and ours did.
Ashridge Group have delivered waking watch across a number of our sites and the service has been exceptional throughout. They understand the requirements fully, attending site to carry out detailed assessments before producing thorough method statements and complete patrol plans, all of which were created quickly and implemented without fuss. The result has been the right number of staff to deliver the patrols properly, personnel of a consistently high calibre, and record keeping of a very good standard. They have demonstrated excellent value for money alongside a safe, knowledgeable and highly professional service, and I would happily recommend them to others.
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the responsible person must put interim measures in place where a building’s automatic fire detection is not fully functional. At Burlington Gate the alarm system had developed faults, and waking watch cover was agreed as that interim measure until the system was repaired.
Ten days, from 16 to 26 June 2026, standing down once the fault was confirmed resolved and the system returned to normal operation. That follows National Fire Chiefs Council guidance that a waking watch should stand down as soon as the permanent fire safety measure is back in place, rather than continuing by default.
One officer on site 24 hours a day for the full ten days, maintaining continuous cover of the building until the fault was fixed. The officer was trained in fire awareness and evacuation, uniformed and identifiable, and equipped with a two-way radio or mobile phone to stay in contact with the building’s management team and the fire and rescue service.
Reviewed by Emma Walker, Group Managing Director. Published · updated .
Ashridge Group is SIA ACS approved and holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 accreditation. See all our accreditations
The service
This engagement was delivered by our waking watch team. Read how the service works, what it covers and how it is staffed on our waking watch and fire safety services page.
The area
We work across Birmingham and the surrounding region. See the sites, sectors and services we cover in Birmingham.
Further reading
Working out whether this fits your own site? Our guide to what a waking watch costs, and what the alternative costs covers the numbers and the standards in more detail.
Related work
Waking Watch
Encore Group needed continuous waking watch across six residential blocks in Westminster after the building’s Fire Risk Assessment identified an interim need for patrols. We had officers on site within four hours and ran two per shift, 24 hours a day, for eight months until permanent…
Waking Watch
Pageant Steps needed waking watch across three riverside blocks on Rotherhithe Street while the fire alarm system was upgraded throughout. One block, Calder Court, is a Higher-Risk Building under the Building Safety Act 2022. We mobilised within four hours and staffed two officers on days and…
Similar requirement?
We’ll give you a candid view on whether and how we can help — within one working day.