C S Todd & Associates Ltd

C.S. Todd & Associates Ltd. (CSTA) is a practice of independent consultants. Formed in 1982, it specialises solely in fire safety and fire engineering. Being independent of any manufacturer, supplier or installer, the practice is able to offer unbiased opinion on all aspects of fire safety. The strength of the services the practice offers lies in the wide spectrum of experience and knowledge of the team of consultants that make up the practice.

We specialise in carrying out fire risk assessments and in advising on fire safety legislation. With the introduction of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and its equivalent in Scotland and Northern Ireland, we have guided our clients on how the law affects them and what changes they need to make to satisfy this legislation.

Colin Todd formed the practice after gaining many years of experience in risk management and fire protection engineering in two major companies and in the technical department of the former Fire Offices' Committee. The dedicated team he has brought together has both technical expertise and hands-on experience in the fire industry. They include both chartered engineers and fire safety professionals with local authority fire brigade experience. Consultants undertaking fire risk assessments are all listed on the IFE's register of fire risk assessors.

The practice offers consultancy services in all aspects of fire safety, including fire risk assessments, surveys and audits, guidance on the design of new premises, specifications for sprinkler systems, fire detection and alarms and fire suppression systems, and fire training. The practice also carries out investigations of existing systems and provides expert witnesses for contract disputes and litigation cases.

In 1996, the practice was awarded BS EN ISO 9001 quality assurance accreditation for the provision of fire safety consultancy and training services. It was also the first consultancy practice to be registered with BAFE for the design and verification of fire detection and alarm systems under the SP203 scheme.


Services

We offer a wide range of consultancy services in the field of fire safety and fire protection engineering. These include:

Fire Risk Assessments
Risk assessments as required by legislation. Fully descriptive or simple pro-forma report formats available.

Fire Surveys and Audits
Assessments of buildings for life safety, property protection and business interruption from fire. Ranging from basic surveys to ensure compliance with legislation to comprehensive fire safety reviews. Reports can range from strategic overviews to prioritised and costed schedules of work.

Advice on Legislation
Assistance with compliance with Building Regulations and guidance on the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 and associated regulations.

General Fire Engineering Advice
Guidance on the fire safety design of new or existing buildings, plan checking and studies/assessments of specific problems requiring an alternative approach to conventional prescriptive standards. Negotiation with statutory authorities. Reviews of fire safety management policies and practices. Preparation of in-house standards guidance documents.

Fire Protection Engineering
Assessments/reviews of existing systems including investigation of false alarms and troublesome systems. Compliance with standards. Design/specification of new systems. Tender reviews. Assistance during installation phase and commissioning/handover.

Education, Training and Research
Fire training for employers' staff. Use of extinguishers. Monitoring of fire drills. Specialist technical courses for building and engineering professionals.

Expert Opinion
Advice to solicitors. Evidence in connection with litigation, arbitration and contract disputes.