As part of its collection of guidance documents for those with a legal duty for fire safety in relevant premises, the Department for Housing Communities and Local Government (DLUHC) has published three new fire safety guides for those responsible for small premises.
In addition, a five-step checklist for fire safety risk assessments has also been updated.
The documents are designed to support Responsible Persons or those with duties under fire safety legislation to understand what is needed to comply with the law, carry out and review a fire risk assessment, and identify the general fire precautions that are required to be put in place and maintained.
The three new fire safety guides for small premises cover:
They have been published by the Home Office, and were drafted by C.S Todd and Associates Ltd following engagement with stakeholders in the fire, business and housing sectors, as well as the general public. They are intended to support the application of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022.
The Home Office believes these guides to provide simple and practical advice, so that those responsible may be able to carry out fire risk assessments themselves. Each one includes a fire risk assessment checklist.
This guide is designed to provide simple and practical advice to assist persons with responsibilities for fire safety in common parts of blocks of flats, the building’s structure, external walls and the doors between flats and common parts that are limited to three storeys.
Read the fire safety guidance for small blocks of flats.
The guide is designed to assist those with responsibilities for fire safety in paying guest accommodation with simple layouts, limited fire risks and a small number of bedrooms designated as guest sleeping accommodation for short-term lets, such as a small bed and breakfast, guest hoses and self-catering accommodation.
Read the fire safety guidance for small paying guest accommodation.
The guide is designed to assist those with responsibilities for fire safety in small non-domestic premises that have simple layouts, low fire risk, with limited fire hazards and a small number of employees, customers and visitors.
Read the fire safety guidance for small non-domestic premises.
Other documents in the collection include guidance for residential buildings, for non-domestic premises, for workplaces where people sleep and for evacuating disabled persons.
Download the Fire Safety in 2023 eBook, keeping you up to date with the biggest news and prosecution stories from around the industry. Chapters include important updates such as the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 and an overview of the new British Standard for the digital management of fire safety information.
Plus, we explore the growing risks of lithium-ion battery fires and hear from experts in disability evacuation and social housing.
