The Grenfell Tower fire in 2017 was one of the worst structural fire incidents in the United Kingdom that lead to the deaths of over 72 people and the injury of 70 others. Following this incident, the government introduced the Fire Safety Bill to amend the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. The original order, enforced by the Fire and Rescue Authorities, applies to all non-domestic premises, including communal areas of residential buildings with multiple homes, and designates those in control of premises as the responsible person for fire safety, risk assessment, and management. This ‘responsible person’ must carry out certain duties and actions to prevent fire hazards, as well as take measures to prevent injury and death in the event of a fire.
In addition to this, the ‘Building Regulations: Fire safety regulation has also undergone a few changes, which came into effect on 26 November 2020, and include:
- The requirement for sprinkler installation for residential or mixed-use buildings must be extended to include buildings of 11m in height
- Residential buildings with a top storey of more than 11m above ground level must be provided with consistent wayfinding signage for fire and rescue service personnel
How Can Professional Fire Safety Companies Help
The ‘responsible person’ who is in charge of fire safety in any residential or commercial building must work with a professional fire safety company to ensure the building and everyone inside are protected from fire. Some of the main fire safety regulation areas that need to be managed diligently are:
- Fire Risk Assessment
The fire risk assessment of the building must be conducted and reviewed regularly by professionals. Along with identifying the potential causes of fire, the fire risk assessment must also identify any people at risk, analyse the suitability of fire alarms and fire exit routes, assess the management of fire drills and staff training, and develop a fire safety action plan accordingly.
- Fire Fighting Equipment
The legislation also states that you must ensure the provision of efficient firefighting equipment such as portable fire extinguishers, sprinklers, and hose reels, depending on the risk criteria of the business and building.
- Appropriate Signs
To be legally compliant with the latest Fire Safety regulations, businesses will need to ensure their buildings have at least 2 signs (a Fire Action Notice and an Extinguisher ID sign), along with other signs such as fire exit signs, fire alarm call point signs and other warning signs.
- Fire Alarms
Nearly all businesses, except certain small shops, need to have a suitable fire alarm system on their premises. Your alarm system needs to be installed, tested, and regularly maintained by a certified fire safety professional. You must also ensure that everyone in the building can hear the fire alarm and that there’s an alarm call point by every exit on every floor.
LNS is a professional fire and security company that can provide all the necessary equipment and services to safeguard a building from fire hazards. Our team is just a phone call away and will be happy to assist you with any specific fire and safety needs of your business. Get in touch to learn more about how we can help.