What are the new changes?
The Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 report's recommendations have been put into action with the introduction of the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022. The rules went into effect on January 23, 2023, and have been introduced in under Article 24 of the Fire Safety Order.
The most recent fire safety regulations in England have added new requirements for Responsible Persons (RP). The goal of these requirements is to ensure that fire risk information is communicated to those who need to know about it. This includes providing evacuation procedures in an easy-to-understand format for residents.
Furthermore, there is a new requirement for the RP to electronically provide up-to-date risk information to the Fire and Rescue Service. This data will be used to plan for, and respond to, operational incidents. To meet this requirement, the RP must provide floor plans, information on external wall construction (where applicable), and details on any critical equipment that may be defective for more than 24 hours, such as fire lifts.
What do these regulations require responsible persons to do?
The regulations require Responsible Persons (RPs) in multi-occupied residential buildings to take specific actions depending on the building's height. RPs are required to provide residents fire safety instructions and information about the importance of fire doors for buildings of any height.
Annual checks of flat entrance doors and quarterly checks of fire doors in common areas are required for buildings taller than 11 metres.
For high-rise buildings of at least 18 metres in height, RPs must provide electronic building floor plans to the local FRS (and keep hard copies in a secure box on-site), as well as information about external wall systems and the functionality of lifts and other firefighting equipment. RPs must also ensure that wayfinding signage is installed in stairwells.
Where can I find more information?
The Home Office has provided a series of fact sheets and documents which provide more detailed information on what the Regulations mean in England.
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