What is the Fire Safety Bill?
The Fire Safety Bill is currently finding its way through the Parliamentary process. When it is enacted, it will amend the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (referred to here as the fire safety order).
In particular, the bill is intended to clarify article 6 of the fire safety order in relation to what aspect of residential flats is covered.
So, what issue is The Bill intended to solve?
Following the tragic Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017, the Government appointed Dame Judith Hackett to carry out a review of building regulations and fire safety. Amongst the findings, was a lack of ownership (and clarity) about the extent to which the Fire Safety Order applies to buildings used for residential purposes. The key issue is the application of the fire safety order to external finishings and individual flat doors.
Article 6, of the fire safety order, exempts domestic premises, with the exception of common areas in multiple occupancy residential buildings. What isn’t clear, for both the responsible person and the enforcing authority, is the extent to which the term ‘common areas’ should be applied.
How will the Fire Safety Bill help?
Although the Fire Safety Bill hasn’t been enacted yet and is, therefore, subject to amendment, it is expected to make clear that doors to individual flats, external building surfaces, such as cladding or balconies, as well as windows, will be included in the meaning of ‘common areas’.
This means that if you are a responsible person in relation to multi-occupancy residential premises, you will need to review your risk assessment to include these aspects.
If you would like to chat with us about your risk assessment needs
West Yorkshire Fire Safety offer fire risk assessments, which conform to PAS-79, carried out by experienced risk assessors.
