Ali Mamodesen from 4site Consulting looks at the update to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order of 2005, why these changes have been implemented, what the changes are, and more importantly, how these changes are going to affect you as a property professional.
It’s been over 5 years now since Dame Judith Hackitt was commissioned to review building regulations and fire safety in the UK, following the Grenfell Tower tragedy, and almost 5 years since the publication of the 262-page Hackitt review containing a series of recommendations for improvements to building safety practices, designed to “create lasting generational change”.
One outcome from this developed into The Fire Safety Bill. The bill, originally proposed in March 2020, was introduced to clarify who would be responsible for managing and reducing fire risks in the communal parts of multi-occupied residential buildings, to prevent future tragedies occurring.
Now the Fire Safety Act, it applies to any building falling ‘within scope’, which presently is all buildings containing two or more residential dwelling and is applicable to both existing and new buildings. Specific requirements can be different, depending on the scope of the residential building. For example, any residential build over 11m in height are now required, by the new legislation to undertake a much more scrutinised yearly fire door audit; whereas multi-occupied residential buildings under 11m are still subject to previous legislation.
What has changed?
The new Act amends the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and extends the provisions of the Fire Safety Order under the Fire Safety Act (FSA), giving authorities the means to hold any building owners to account for any shortcomings in compliance and, critically, it has now also the designated accountable person, with financial and criminal liability charges.
Most of the regulations are aimed at high-rise multi-occupied buildings, but certain regulations within the FSA apply to all buildings containing more than one residential dwelling. The regulations require the Responsible Person(s) to provide additional fire safety measures and, in all multi-occupied residential buildings, the new regulations will require the Responsible Person(s) to provide residents with fire safety instructions and information on the importance of fire doors.
How these changes are going to affect you?
The regulations are to become law on the 7th July this year, although it is not intended that they will be enforced until the end of January 2023, allowing both the Responsible Person and any enforcing authorities time to implement these changes. With this in mind it is recommend that action be taken sooner rather than later, so that adequate provisions are already in place ahead of this date, making your properties safer now and avoiding enforcement action associated with the teething errors of last-minute implementation.
Below is a breakdown of the main regulations concerning Responsible and/or Accountable Persons (Freeholders, RMC Directors & Building Mangers), including an infographic to aid in identifying the new responsibilities required for your building.
All height buildings
Fire Safety Instructions: There is a requirement to provide relevant fire safety instructions to residents. This includes instructions on how to report a fire and any other actions a resident must take to maintain remain safe upon the identification of a Fire.
Fire Door Information: There is now a requirement to provide residents with information relating to fire doors, their function and importance and key information about their impact on fire safety.
High Rise Specific
Building Plans: Up-to-date electronic building floor plans are now required to be provided to your local Fire and Rescue Service. Also, there is a requirement to retain a hard copy of these plans alongside a single page building plan which identifies key firefighting equipment, in a secure information box on site (Property Information Box – PIB).
External Wall Systems: Information about the design and materials of a high-rise building’s external wall system is now a requirement. As too is the necessity to inform the Fire and Rescue Service of any material changes to such a system, and to provide information in relation to the level of risk that the design and materials of the external wall structure gives rise to, as soon as possible.
Lifts and other Key Fire-Fighting Equipment: Monthly checks are now required on the operational status of lifts that are intended for use by firefighters as well as any other key firefighting equipment. This regulation also covers any evacuation lifts in the building, with a requirement to report any defective equipment to the local Fire and Rescue Service as soon as they become known and if any such fault cannot be corrected within 24 hours. In these instances, it is also now a requirement and to record the outcome of checks and make them available to residents. Information Boxes: There is now a requirement to install and maintain a secure information box on site. This box must contain the name and contact details of the building’s responsible person and include hard copies of the building floor plans and significant risks.
Way-Finding Signage: There is now a requirement to install signage that can be visible in low light or smoke-filled conditions which identifies escape-routes, door-number locations and floor numbers. Flat entrance doors must now be inspected annually for their ability to act effectively as a Fire Door. Similarly, communal Fire doors must also undergo an inspection, albeit at a quarterly frequency.
These regulations under The Fire Safety (England) Regulations apply in England only.
Further guidance on the Fire Safety Order will be issued throughout 2022. Keep up to date with www.4siteConsulting.co.uk to be the best informed on any and all changes as they happen.
