Section 156 - Fire Safety Regulations
Latest
-
DLUHC has published guidance to explain what responsible persons need to do as a result of changes made to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (‘the Fire Safety Order’) through the Building Safety Act 2022. You are advised to check whether you are a responsible person.
The guidance is for people who have responsibilities under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 which has been amended by Section 156 of the Building Safety Act.
Use this guide to understand what new responsibilities you have for fire safety when they come into force on 1 October 2023.
The guide has been published by the Secretary of State under Article 50 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO) to assist responsible persons in meeting their duties under the FSO.
- Building Safety Act
- Section 156 - Fire Safety Regulations
-
The Home Office has published the second of its Fire Safety Reform Team’s update.
This update covers the following issues:
- Upcoming changes to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
- Monitoring the impact of reforms to-date
- Promoting the fire safety reforms
- Supporting work on Fire Risk Assessor capacity and capability
- An update on the Fire Safety Guidance Programme
Download the 2nd bimonthly update here.
If you would like to be added to the distribution list or if you have any general questions then please feel free to email firesafetyreform@homeoffice.gov.uk.
- Fire Safety
-
In response to a question from a member, The Property Institute has sought advice from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue Service, its Primary Authority Partner, on what is the minimum size for the Secure Information Box that the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 requires to be installed and maintained on all high-rise residential buildings.
According to Dean Dixon, Hampshire’s Primary Authority Manager, “there is nothing so prescriptive as to the size of the box, only that it must hold all the information required”. The information required must of course include the A3 Orientation Plan required by the regulations to enable firefighters to orientate themselves with the building and its location in relation to the surrounding streets, neighbouring or adjoining buildings and other features that might cause them operational problems such as adjacent rivers or railway lines.
According to Dean there is nothing to prevent the A3 being folded before putting it in the box. The only risk as he sees it would be that “repeated folding and unfolding may cause the plan to degrade but hopefully there won't be too many occasions when this would happen.”
Dean notes that they have a primary authority partner “that has their A3 plan in a frame on the wall inside the development” with the additional paperwork in a Secure Information Box in the entrance porch. The frame can be released to allow access for fire services. Dean has said that if an ARMA member was to adopt this solution, they would be happy to defend the frame as a suitable receptacle if a member was challenged by other fire and rescue services as to its suitability.
- Fire Safety
-
ARMA, part of The Property Institute (TPI), has today published an updated version of its ‘Fire Safety Management in Flats’ Advice Note, a good practice guide for those involved in the management of fire safety in properties in the residential long leasehold sector, including RMCs, RTMs, managing agents, developers and landlords.
This Guidance Note is for professional Fire Safety personnel involved in the residential long leasehold sector, including managing agents, developers and landlords. It represents the core of good practice for managing agents who manage fire safety in residential long leasehold properties and the clients/responsible persons who they act for. It has been written to apply to residential long leasehold properties (a lease of a term in excess of 21 years when originally granted) in England and Wales where a service charge, which varies according to expenditure, is payable.
This guidance has been independently reviewed and endorsed by Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, ARMA’s Primary Authority Partner.
The Advice Note, first published in October 2019, has been substantially updated to reflect current statutory guidance and industry best practice and has been independently reviewed and endorsed by Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, ARMA’s Primary Authority Partner.
The Note represents the core of good practice for those who manage fire safety in residential long leasehold properties and the clients/responsible persons whom they act for and covers four main areas: Fire Safety Law; Fire Risk Assessments; Fire Safety Management; and Managing Fire Risks. It also includes an example of a fire action notice for blocks with a Stay Put policy, advice on the scope and types of fire risk assessments (FRAs), an overview of fire design standards, and a useful index of links to current legislation and regulations, as well as guidance from Government, the National Fire Chiefs Council and RICS.
Download a copy of the Advice Note HERE
- Fire Safety
- Fire Safety Management in Flats