Fire Watch and Waking Watch Security
A waking watch is not a box-ticking exercise. It is what stands between a building with a known fire safety defect and the people sleeping in it. When a fire risk assessment identifies a problem with a building’s structure, cladding or fire alarm coverage that cannot be fixed overnight, a trained person has to be present around the clock until the defect is remediated or a common fire alarm system is installed.
Anubis Group provides fire watch and waking watch cover across the UK for residential blocks, construction sites, and commercial buildings where a fire risk assessment has flagged an interim measure is required. Our operatives are SIA licensed under our Approved Contractor Scheme status, briefed on the specific evacuation strategy for each building, and managed from our 24-hour control room.
What a waking watch actually involves
A waking watch is a person, or a team of people, patrolling a building continuously to detect a fire in its early stages and initiate the evacuation strategy set out in the building’s fire risk assessment. This is different from a standard security patrol. The waking watch operative’s sole function during their shift is fire safety: watching for smoke and fire, raising the alarm, and directing occupants to evacuate in line with the building’s specific plan, whether that is simultaneous evacuation or a phased approach.
Waking watches became widespread in the UK after building safety reviews following the Grenfell Tower fire identified defects, most commonly unsafe cladding, in a large number of residential blocks. Where a defect cannot be remediated immediately and the building lacks an adequate fire alarm system, a waking watch is often the interim measure a fire risk assessor requires until either the defect is fixed or a common fire alarm system is installed, which typically allows the waking watch to be reduced or removed.
Fire watch for construction and refurbishment sites
Fire watch cover is not only a residential block issue. Construction and refurbishment sites, particularly those involving hot works such as welding, cutting or roofing, carry a real fire risk that standard site security does not address. A fire watch operative is briefed specifically on hot works schedules, checks for smouldering material after work has finished for the day, and knows the site’s evacuation and fire point layout.
This is a genuinely different skill set from general site security. Our fire watch operatives working on construction sites are trained to recognise the specific risks of the trades being carried out that day, not simply to patrol a perimeter.
How we resource a waking watch
Every waking watch contract starts with a briefing from the building’s fire risk assessor or responsible person so our team understands exactly what the watch is covering, the evacuation strategy, and any building-specific hazards. From there:
- We deploy SIA-licensed operatives on a rota that provides continuous, 24-hour cover for as long as the building requires it.
- Every operative is briefed on the building’s fire action plan, the location of alarm points and refuge areas, and the specific defect being monitored.
- Shift handovers are logged, so there is a continuous record of coverage and any incidents for the building owner, managing agent and fire and rescue service.
- Our control room maintains contact with operatives throughout their shift and can escalate immediately if an incident occurs.
Reducing the cost of a waking watch
Waking watches attract criticism, often fairly, because of their ongoing cost to leaseholders and building owners. A waking watch is a stop-gap, not a permanent fix, and the responsible person for the building should be working towards remediation or a common fire alarm system that removes the need for it. We are direct with clients about this: our role is to keep people safe for as long as the interim measure is required, and we support the transition away from a waking watch as soon as the building’s fire risk assessment allows it, rather than treating the contract as one to extend unnecessarily.
Where a common fire alarm system is being installed, we can also provide a reduced fire watch presence during the transition period, scaled to what the fire risk assessor specifies.
Managing agents and freeholders
If your building has an outstanding fire safety defect identified by a fire risk assessment, whether cladding-related or otherwise, we provide the accredited, insured cover you need to meet your obligations to leaseholders and the fire and rescue service, along with clear reporting you can share with both.
Construction and refurbishment contractors
For sites carrying out hot works or with heightened fire risk during a build phase, we provide fire watch cover briefed on your specific method statement and hot works permits.
Facilities and building safety managers
Where a commercial building has a temporary fire safety gap, whether from alarm system works, a fire door failure, or another defect, we provide interim cover while the fix is carried out.
How this compares with a standard security patrol
| Fire watch / waking watch | Standard manned guarding | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary purpose | Continuous fire detection and evacuation readiness | Access control, deterrence, incident response |
| Training focus | Fire action plans, evacuation strategy, hot works risk | Site-specific security procedures |
| Typical client | Managing agents, freeholders, construction sites with a fire safety defect | Commercial and residential sites generally |
| Reporting | Fire safety incident logs shared with the responsible person and fire and rescue service | Standard security incident logs |
What happens when you contact us
- Tell us about the defect identified in your fire risk assessment and the evacuation strategy your fire risk assessor has set.
- We provide a written proposal covering the number of operatives required, shift patterns, and cost, based on your building’s specific requirements.
- Once agreed, we mobilise, brief operatives on-site, and begin cover, usually within days for urgent cases.
- We provide ongoing shift logs and stay in contact with your managing agent or fire risk assessor as remediation progresses.
Why choose Anubis for fire watch
Anubis Group holds SIA Approved Contractor Scheme status, NSI Silver certification, ISO 9001 certification and Safe Contractor accreditation for five consecutive years. Every waking watch and fire watch operative is SIA licensed and briefed on your building’s specific fire action plan before their first shift, and our 24-hour control room stays in contact with operatives throughout every shift.
Frequently asked questions
How quickly can a waking watch be put in place?
Where there is an urgent fire safety requirement, we can typically mobilise operatives within a few days of instruction, and faster in genuine emergencies. Contact our control room to discuss your timeframe.
Do waking watch operatives need specific training?
Yes. Beyond standard SIA licensing, our fire watch and waking watch operatives receive building-specific briefings on the evacuation strategy, fire action plan, and any particular hazards identified in the fire risk assessment before their first shift.
How long does a waking watch typically last?
This depends entirely on the defect and the pace of remediation. Some buildings need cover for a matter of weeks while a fire door issue is resolved. Others, particularly cladding remediation cases, can run for many months. We review coverage requirements with the responsible person on a regular basis rather than assuming the contract should simply continue unchanged.
Can a waking watch be scaled down once a common fire alarm system is installed?
In most cases, yes, once your fire risk assessor confirms the alarm system meets the building’s requirements. We work with your managing agent to reduce or remove the waking watch at that point rather than continuing it by default.
Do you cover fire watch for construction sites as well as residential buildings?
Yes. We provide fire watch operatives briefed specifically on hot works schedules and site-specific fire risks for construction and refurbishment projects, distinct from our waking watch service for residential blocks.
Get a quote
Call 0800 121 6576 or email sales@anubis-security.com to discuss a waking watch or fire watch requirement. Fire watch and waking watch sits alongside our wider manned guarding and static security service, and our security risk assessment team can help identify other gaps in your building’s fire safety.