What the method considers
Fundación MAPFRE’s Fire Safety Manual presents MESERI as a points-based scheme for medium-sized companies with a medium level of risk. It distinguishes risk-generating or aggravating factors from protective factors.
Considerations include construction, processes, fire spread and protective resources. Simplification provides an overview, but requires checking that the establishment and study purpose fit the method.
Prepare a useful inspection
Before scoring, define the building, compartment or unit analysed and obtain drawings, activity descriptions, stored-material information and installation documentation. The site visit must compare that information with actual conditions.
Installed equipment that is out of service cannot be treated as operational protection. Differences between documentation and reality must be recorded and resolved, especially where they affect access, storage or available resources.
Maintain a consistent version
The original publication catalogued by Fundación MAPFRE identifies the method’s origin. Retain the version used, its criteria and the justification for each rating.
Avoid mixing tables, coefficients or ranges from downloaded sheets without checking their origin. Comparing two sites or change over time requires equivalent scope and criteria; otherwise, a numerical improvement may merely reflect a different template.
Difference from intrinsic fire risk
In Spain, Royal Decree 164/2025 establishes the fire safety framework for industrial establishments, with its own rules for determining requirements according to configuration and risk. A MESERI score does not replace those checks.
Applicable legislation must be identified according to activity, building, dates and transitional arrangements. A simplified report does not remove any requirement for design documentation or technical assessment.
Protection of people and maintenance
Emergency and evacuation arrangements are governed by Article 20 of the LPRL. They must consider people present, resources and effective response without inferring adequacy from an overall rating.
The Fire Protection Installations Regulations govern installations and their maintenance and inspection. Recording a good score does not replace those obligations or correct a blocked exit.
Turn assessment into action
The report should distinguish deficiencies requiring immediate action, prioritised improvements and matters needing a more detailed study. Each measure needs an owner, deadline and evidence of closure.
Changes to storage, activity or safeguards require review of the affected analysis. The score helps track decisions, but the aim is to reduce hazardous conditions and maintain effective measures, not reach a number by adjusting criteria.
Hypothetical example: two warehouses
A company compares two warehouses using the same MESERI version. Inspection reveals that one has favourable documentation, but some of its protective equipment is out of service.
It corrects the deficiency and requests the corresponding technical and statutory checks. The assessment is then updated; the average of the two warehouses is not used to conceal the first warehouse’s problem.
