In an industry that has historically relied on paper records, Latimer Fire Protection knew they wanted a different solution. The Northamptonshire-based passive fire protection specialist has grown to a 50-strong company, and the team can be out on multiple sites at the same time. Founder Joel Latimer has complete peace of mind, knowing he and his team can check on quality across all his sites without leaving their desks.
About Latimer Fire Protection
Latimer Fire Protection Ltd specialises in passive fire protection, air sealing and acoustics. Joel Latimer founded the company in 2008, wanting to bring a new option to the market. The Corby-based company now employs around 50 people and specialises in passive fire protection, including intumescent coatings to structural steelwork, service penetrations and fire barriers, alongside fire stopping work.
The company works across a broad client base, construction sites, NHS buildings, local authorities and private end users, with projects not just across the UK, but also Europe.
The challenge: developing an accessible record of compliance for every job
Since Latimer Fire Protection started 15–16 years ago, the regulatory landscape has shifted significantly, particularly since the Grenfell Tower fire.
“Regulations have changed massively since Grenfell — there’s a lot more onus on good QA to prove that works have been done, to prove compliance, and for the golden thread.“
Before this shift, site records were largely paper-based, with little or no photographic evidence of completed work. That reliance caused a problem for a business running dozens of projects simultaneously. With up to 40–50 projects on the go at any one time, spread right across the country, they needed a way to keep oversight of quality and standards without being on every site in person. Demonstrating that work was compliant and having a reliable way to prove this, sometimes years later, was a necessary foundation for the business to grow.
Why Latimer Fire Protection chose FireArrest
Joel first discovered FireArrest when it was new to the market. Entering at an attractive price point, it offered a fresh alternative to the recording apps already available.
While the business also uses other recording apps, largely driven by individual client preference, Joel is clear on how FireArrest compares:
“The lads who work for me would say it’s the easiest one on the market to use. It’s fast and simple. There are others on the market that are too clunky, too much to get around, and you need to go through too many stages to get to what you absolutely need.”
Latimer Fire Protection had found other apps comparatively difficult to work with. Joel says his team “didn’t get on with it as well” and found it “a bit clunky” next to FireArrest.
The impact
Time saved on documentation. FireArrest allows the team to document Regulation 38 information as work is completed, cutting down significantly on admin time needed.
Proof of compliance, on demand. Perhaps most valuably, FireArrest gives Latimer Fire Protection photographic, timestamped evidence of completed work. Contractors are sometimes called back to sites two to three years after a job; with FireArrest, the team can pull up exactly what was done and demonstrate it was carried out correctly.
Oversight without being on site. With up to 50 projects running at once nationwide, FireArrest gives Joel a clear view of work quality across every site, saving both time and money.
Faster quality checks, more projects covered. Latimer Fire Protection’s compliance team can review considerably more projects in a day using FireArrest.
Early identification of issues. FireArrest is a valuable safeguard, allowing the team to spot quickly when work hasn’t been completed to the required standard on site, so it can be rectified fast.
In Joel’s own words:
“Easy to use, functionality is very good, time-saving, good reporting, photographic evidence. This brings valuable peace of mind that you can pull up any data you need to from previous projects at the click of a button.“
Onboarding and support
Latimer Fire Protection also value FireArrest’s customer support as a standout feature. Reported issues are typically resolved the same day, with major issues addressed within 24 hours.
“You always get through to a person with FireArrest customer support, and that makes a huge amount of difference.“
For Latimer Fire Protection, FireArrest has become a core part of how the business proves the quality and compliance of its work, enabling the company to complete more work to the highest standards, every time.
If you’d like to find out about how FireArrest can help you simplify operations, speak to the team today.
