Smoke and soot leave more than a smell. Sample. Quantify. Restore safely.
Post-fire residue sampling and reoccupation risk assessment with a focus on char and soot microscopy — supporting restoration scoping and reoccupation decisions. Extended PAH analysis available where required.
- UK-wide since 2013
- Independent assessments
- ISO 9001 accredited
- Practical control advice
What this means for you
Evidence you can act on and defend.
Measured exposure evidence
Data suitable for HSE, insurers and audits.
Independent assessment
Occupational hygiene review of real exposure risk.
Practical control recommendations
Prioritised actions based on risk and operational practicality.
Compliance support
Evidence to support COSHH and internal governance.
Speak with a fire residue specialist
0800 433 7914
sales@sysco-env.co.ukMon–Fri · 08:00–18:00 · Independent advice · Fixed-price scope
Typical response: same working day
What happens next
We'll confirm an attendance date once the building is secured.
We attend the secured building, sample affected and adjacent areas, advise on restoration scope and verify clearance once works are complete.
No unnecessary disruption. No generic paperwork. No unnecessary complexity.
Whether exposure is controlled
A clear yes or no, backed by measurement.
Where the highest risks are
Locations, tasks and roles ranked by exposure.
What actions matter most
A prioritised plan you can budget and schedule.
What you get
Four answers. One clear plan.
You need to know what your workforce is exposed to, whether your controls are effective, what actions matter most, and how to demonstrate control confidently.
That is exactly what we deliver.
Char & soot identification
Microscopic identification of char and soot morphology to determine the extent and nature of combustion residue.
Quantify the spread
Surface and air sampling across affected and adjacent areas to map deposition and support restoration planning.
Reoccupation risk
Health-based interpretation against insurance and HSE expectations for post-fire reoccupation.
Restoration scope
A clear, contractor-ready scope of works for restoration and decontamination.
Why clients call
If any of this sounds familiar, you're in the right place.
- 01
An auditor is asking
HSE, your insurer or a client wants evidence — not assurances
We provide measured fire residue data and a clear technical report that resolves the issue quickly.
- 02
Your team is worried
Operatives are reporting concerns or symptoms
We attend site, quantify workforce exposure and provide clear evidence of current risk levels.
- 03
You suspect a problem
You know there's a risk and you want measured data before it becomes a crisis
We quantify exposure, assess it against current limits and provide a prioritised corrective action plan.
What we answer for you
Three questions, settled.
- Where your people are exposed
- We map the tasks, areas and shifts where fire residue matters, then sample what your team actually breathes — not a generic site average.
- Whether your controls are working
- An independent review of your LEV, ventilation, PPE and work practices — what is effective and what requires improvement.
- What you need to fix first
- A prioritised, costed action list — the smallest set of changes that gets you compliant and measurably safer.
How we work with you
From your first call to your action plan.
- 1
We listen first — your site, your concerns, your deadline.
- 2
We walk the workplace with your team to see exposure as it actually happens.
- 3
We sample on the people most at risk, using validated occupational hygiene methods for fire residue.
- 4
We assess your existing controls honestly — what's working, what isn't.
- 5
You receive a clear technical report suitable for operational, compliance and regulatory readers.
- 6
We hand you a prioritised action plan you can budget, schedule and defend.
Typical survey outputs
What you receive at the end of the engagement.
- Surface wipe / tape-lift results
- Char & soot microscopy report
- PAH analysis (where requested)
- Deposition mapping
- Restoration scope of works
- Reoccupation risk statement
- Post-clean clearance plan
- Defensible report
Client testimony
“Sysco's fire-residue report scoped the restoration cleanly — accepted by our insurer first time.”
— Property manager
UK commercial landlord
Typical environments we assess
Wherever fire residue risk affects your people.
- Commercial premises
- Industrial buildings
- Hospitality / residential
- Healthcare facilities
- Schools
- Manufacturing plants
Background
Fire residue, in detail.
What's in fire residue
Combustion of mixed building materials produces a complex residue dominated by soot and char particles. Our primary expertise is in microscopic identification of these combustion residues, which tells you where the fire reached, how residue travelled, and what type of material burned. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can also be present and extended analysis is available where required.
How we sample
Tape-lift and wipe sampling of surfaces in fire-affected and adjacent areas, with optional air sampling for residual particulate. Our laboratory analysis centres on transmission and reflectance microscopy for char and soot morphology, with GC/MS for PAH speciation where the extended panel is requested.
Restoration and reoccupation
Results inform a contractor scope: HEPA vacuum, surface decontamination, source removal, and post-clean clearance sampling. A clearance report supports insurer release and safe reoccupation.
Related services
Often assessed alongside fire residue.
Common questions
Fire Residue — FAQs.
Quick answers to the questions we hear most from operations, HSE and procurement teams.
- When should we sample?
- After the fire is out and the building secure, before restoration starts and again after restoration for clearance.
- Can we use the report for insurance?
- Yes — our reports are routinely used by loss adjusters and insurers.
- How quickly can you mobilise?
- Post-fire response is prioritised — we'll confirm an attendance date when you enquire.
- Do you specify the restoration?
- We provide a contractor-ready scope of works.
- What is your primary analysis method?
- Char and soot microscopy is our core expertise. We can also arrange PAH analysis where the extended panel is required.
- Where in the UK?
- Nationwide UK coverage.
Speak with a fire residue specialist
Tell us the incident. We'll mobilise a survey.
Tell us
- building type and floor area affected,
- fire scope and source,
- current building access,
- and your insurer's deadline.
We will provide
- a clear scope,
- fixed quotation,
- proposed attendance strategy,
- and expected reporting timeframe.
Send us a brief
Outline the sites, tasks and timelines of concern — we'll reply with a clear scope and fixed quotation.