What happened?
NFPA Journal published a 2026 feature discussing fire safety risks that appear when renovation, retrofit, or repair work takes place inside buildings that remain occupied or in use.
The issue is not limited to one building type. It can affect hotels, malls, residential towers, schools, hospitals, office buildings, warehouses, and mixed-use facilities where people continue to live, work, visit, or move through the space while contractors are working.
Renovation work is temporary, but the fire safety risk during that period is real. A clear evacuation route, working alarms, accessible extinguishers, visible exit signs, and fire doors that remain usable should not be treated as final-stage details.
Why occupied renovations need extra attention
During normal operation, a building may have an approved fire safety arrangement. But renovation can change how that arrangement performs in practice.
Temporary partitions, dust protection, stored materials, scaffolding, disconnected areas, covered detectors, open fire doors, or blocked corridors can all reduce the effectiveness of the original safety plan.
- Exit routes can become narrower or less visible.
- Fire extinguishers can be moved, hidden, or blocked by materials.
- Fire alarm devices can be affected by dust, covering, or temporary isolation.
- Emergency lighting and exit signs can be hidden by temporary works.
- Fire doors can be held open to support movement of workers or materials.
- Access for emergency response can become more difficult.
What should contractors and facility owners review?
Fire safety during renovation should be reviewed before the work starts and monitored while the work is active. The goal is not only to finish the renovation safely, but to keep the occupied parts of the building protected during the process.
What this means for project teams
The message for project teams is practical: renovation safety should not wait until final handover. It should be part of the work plan from the beginning.
A building that is safe after renovation may still become exposed during renovation if temporary changes are not controlled. This is especially important in occupied buildings because the people inside may not understand temporary routes, blocked areas, or changing conditions.
Temporary renovation conditions should be reviewed with the same seriousness as permanent fire safety systems. The risk is often created by movement, obstruction, isolation, and visibility problems — not only by missing equipment.
Recommended checks before starting renovation
- Identify occupied areas and expected daily movement of people.
- Confirm temporary exit routes and keep them clearly marked.
- Review emergency lighting and exit sign visibility after temporary barriers are installed.
- Keep extinguishers and firefighting equipment accessible at all times.
- Confirm whether any fire alarm devices need protection, relocation, or temporary arrangements.
- Control storage of materials, packaging, paints, tools, and waste.
- Make sure fire doors are not wedged open or blocked.
- Review the site daily as renovation conditions change.
Falcon Power recommendation
Occupied renovation projects should be reviewed as temporary fire safety environments. The project team should not only ask what the final system will look like, but also how people will evacuate and how emergency equipment will remain available during the work.
Falcon Power Global supports projects with fire safety equipment, emergency lighting, fire alarm products, extinguishers, and product documentation that can help contractors and facility teams plan safer renovation and handover stages.