The latest of these are the Fire Safety (England) Regulations, which come into effect on 23rd January. Although the legislation mostly applies to residential buildings, some businesses will also be affected. Here’s our guide to the new law, what it covers, and what actions you need to take.
Which buildings does the law apply to?
The law covers any building in England that contains two or more residential units. As well as blocks of flats, this applies to mixed-use buildings that contain both residential units and business premises.
The legislation also includes special provisions for high-rise buildings. These apply to any building with at least seven floors, or a total height of 18 metres or more.
What has changed under the new law?
The new regulations follow on from the Fire Safety Act 2021. This amended the Fire Safety Order (2005), which clarified the scope of fire risk assessments in residential buildings. It stated that the responsible person must consider external walls and flat entrances when conducting a risk assessment. If these elements had been omitted, a new risk assessment was required.
The new regulations take this one step further by requiring the responsible person to provide detailed fire safety information to residents. In the case of high-rise buildings, the responsible person must also provide information to local fire services to help them plan a rescue in the event of a fire.
What is a responsible person?
The law defines a responsible person as the person who has control of the building, or certain areas of the building. In a block of flats, this would be the owner, which could for example be the management company. For a mixed-use building, the owner would be responsible for the residential units, but each employer would be responsible for their own premises.
What information do I need to provide?
As a responsible person for a business, your main duty under the new law is to provide fire safety information to your employees. This should include:
- Instructions on how to report a fire
- What to do in the event of a fire
- Details of evacuation routes
- Reminders of the importance of fire doors
Depending on the height of the building, you may have additional duties. Anyone responsible for a building with a height of 11 metres or more is required to carry out quarterly checks of all fire doors. This includes looking for signs of damage, and making sure that the gap between the door and the frame is less than 4mm.
If you are responsible for a high-rise building (one with at least seven stories or a height of 18m), you also need to provide the following information to the local Fire and Rescue Service:
- Up to date floor plans of the building in electronic form. You must also keep a hard copy of these plans on site in a secure information box.
- Details of the design and materials of your external wall system. If these change, you need to inform the Fire and Rescue service immediately.
You should also carry out monthly checks of any lifts that would be used by firefighters during a rescue, or by employees during an evacuation. If you find a fault that can’t be fixed within 24 hours, you must report it to the Fire and Rescue Service so that they can update their plans.
Help performing your duties as a responsible person
If you work in a building that contains residential units, there is a good chance that the new legislation applies to you. Failure to comply can have serious consequences, including fines and even imprisonment.
If you are the responsible person, we can act as your competent professional assisting you in your duties. If you want to find out more, don’t hesitate to give us a call.
