Fire Safety Regulations In England Come Into Force

The Grenfell Tower tragedy in June 2017 shocked the UK and the world. The fire that broke out in the residential tower block in North Kensington, West London, claimed 72 lives and sparked widespread outrage and concern. An official public inquiry, led by Sir Martin Moore-Bick, was established to investigate the cause of the disaster and make recommendations to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The evidence presented during the inquiry indicated that "faulty and ambiguous" government guidance was a significant factor in the tragedy, as it allowed the use of highly flammable cladding on tall buildings. The Housing Secretary, Michael Gove, acknowledged this and placed a new deadline for developers to sign a government contract to fix their unsafe towers or face consequences, including being banned from the market.

As a result of the Grenfell Tower disaster and the findings of the public inquiry, the Fire Safety (England) Regulations were introduced, implementing the recommendations made in the Hackitt review. The regulations put in-occupation responsibilities for high-rise buildings at the forefront and are expected to have a significant impact on building owners, contractors, and sub-contractors involved in constructing, refurbishing, or maintaining these buildings.

On 23 January, the Fire Safety (England) Regulations came into force, expanding on the Fire Safety Order 2005. These regulations aim to ensure fire safety in high-rise buildings, particularly in light of the Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017, where 72 people lost their lives. The regulations are the latest in a series of legislative measures implementing the recommendations of the Hackitt review, which was set up in the aftermath of the Grenfell disaster.

The regulations put in-occupation responsibilities on building owners, but their requirements are expected to flow down to contractors and sub-contractors when constructing, refurbishing, or maintaining the relevant buildings. Some of the key regulations that may impact the construction industry are outlined below.

First, the responsible person must keep records of the design and materials used in the external walls of the building, including details of any risks identified and mitigating steps taken. They must also keep accurate floor and building plans, identifying the location of lifts and key fire-fighting equipment.

Second, the responsible person must carry out monthly checks of the lifts and fire-fighting equipment, using a specialist repair and maintenance contractor if necessary. The original lift sub-contractor must provide information for these checks in the operations and maintenance manual.

Third, the responsible person must provide information about fire doors to residents every 12 months, and in buildings over 11 meters, must undertake checks of the fire doors every 12 months for domestic dwellings and every three months for communal areas. If any issues are identified during these checks, the responsible person must remedy them as soon as possible.

Finally, if issues arise with the fire doors that are not due to resident actions, the responsible person must ensure there is contractual recourse against relevant contractors and suppliers.

It is crucial that all parties involved in construction have a clear understanding of their obligations under the regulations and take steps to protect their position. The regulations will have a significant impact on the construction sector, so it is important for all parties to be familiar with the changes from the date that they came into force. Visit Ansell and Bailey for more information.