Fire Safety in Purpose Built Blocks

192 Pages·2011·2.82 MB·English

pE
lan
nv
nir
inon
gm

ae
nn
dt
w, h
ao
su
tes
in
g
Fire safety in purpose-built ,

blocks of flats
Foreword
Flats have been used to house people since Victorian times. From the early tenements for
the poor to mansion blocks for the affluent, these buildings were often seen as innovative
solutions to the country’s housing needs.
However, it was the post war demand for affordable housing that, in the 1940s and 50s,
spurred on the building of high-density, purpose-built blocks of flats. In the 1960s, in
particular, high-rise blocks began to dominate the skyline of towns and cities across the
country. Each flat represented a self-contained, domestic dwelling, the block where it was
located having all the necessary facilities and amenities each household needed to live
independently of others.
Given that most fires occur in domestic dwellings, it was recognised that a block of flats –
as a building containing many such dwellings – had the potential for a higher risk to people
should fire break out. Accordingly, the fire safety standards that were developed to address
this risk sought to afford the same level of safety found in houses to those living in blocks of
flats.
These standards have been embodied in Building Regulations, which, now as then, ensure
that adequate fire safety provisions are incorporated in blocks of flats when they are
constructed.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (the FSO) came into force in October 2006.
It brought the common parts of blocks of flats within the scope of mainstream fire safety
legislation for the first time.
Guidance on the FSO and its requirements has been issued in a series of guides. Blocks of
flats are included, among many other types of residential premises, in the HM Government
guide ‘Fire safety risk assessment: sleeping accommodation’ published by the Department
for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).
However, application of the FSO to blocks of flats has proved problematic: it has led to widely
varying outcomes. In some buildings, significant work to upgrade fire safety standards within
the common parts has been undertaken to satisfy this legislation. In others, none has been
considered necessary.
There has also been confusion over the scope of this legislation: how it relates to those who
live in the flats, and, indeed, to what extent, if any, this legislation can require improvements
beyond the flat entrance door. These are just two of the questions that tax those seeking to
apply and enforce it.
2 Fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats
Enforcing authorities are often unfamiliar with the particular issues that can be found
in existing blocks of flats. In addition many of those now giving advice to landlords and
managing agents also have limited experience of these issues. Of particular concern is the
resulting variation in the findings of fire risk assessments carried out by third parties on behalf
of landlords and others responsible for fire safety in blocks of flats.
This guide is intended to meet the needs of housing providers and enforcing authorities for
guidance tailored to purpose-built blocks of flats. These buildings are only a small part of the
scope of other guidance documents. This document is intended to assist responsible persons
to comply with the FSO and the Housing Act 2004. Accordingly, it is expected that enforcing
authorities will have regard to this guide.
Fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats 3
Contents
Acknowledgments 9
Introduction 11
1. Responsibility for this guide 11
2. Purpose 11
3. Scope of this guidance 12
4. Intended readership 13
5. Relationship to other guidance 14
6. Layout of the guide 14
7. Appendices 17
8. Glossary 17
9. Bibliography 17
Part A: Safe as Houses? Fires in flats and their impact 18
10. Fires in domestic dwellings 19
11. Relative risk in flats 19
12. Is ‘stay put’ safe? 20
13. High-rise equals high-risk? 20
14. Factors influencing the likelihood of a fire 21
Part B: Fire safety – how blocks of flats differ from other residences 22
15. Introduction 23
16. Means of escape 23
17. Compartmentation 26
4 Fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats
18. Evacuation strategy 27
19. ‘Stay put’ policy 27
20. Fire detection and alarm systems 28
21. Other fire safety measures 30
22. Fire-fighting 30
23. Benchmark standards 31
24. Developments in fire safety technology and practice 32
Part C: The law governing fire safety in blocks of flats 34
25. Relevant legislation 35
26. Building Regulations 35
27. Housing Act 2004 36
28. Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety Order) 2005 37
29. Overlap of legislation 39
Part D: Fire risk assessment 41
30. Introduction 42
31. Requirement for a fire risk assessment 42
32. What is a fire risk assessment? 42
33. Common misconceptions about fire risk assessments 42
34. Scope of a fire risk assessment 44
35. Types of fire risk assessment 44
36. The risk assessment process 46
37. The action plan 47
38. Who should carry out the fire risk assessment? 48
39. Competence of professional fire risk assessors 48
Fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats 5
40. Review of fire risk assessments 49
Part E: Managing fire risk – preventing fires 51
41. Introduction 52
42. Smoking 52
43. Arson 53
44. Housekeeping 55
45. Recycling 61
46. Electrical hazards 62
47. Heating and ventilation systems and equipment 64
48. Lightning 65
49. Other causes 65
Part F: Managing fire risk – fire protection 66
50. Introduction 68
51. Limitations of this guidance 68
52. Methodology for using benchmarks 68
53. Third-party certification 71
54. Compartmentation 71
55. Means of escape 75
56. Means of escape within the flat 75
57. Escape routes within the common parts 84
58. Escape from flats with internal corridor or lobby approach 84
59. Escape from flats with external balcony or deck access approach 90
60. External stairways 91
61. Escape routes over roofs 91
6 Fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats
62. Blocks of flats that do not meet the current design benchmarks for means of escape 94
63. Fire safety signs 101
64. Lighting on escape routes 102
65. Refuse and chute rooms 102
66. Fire detection and alarm systems 103
67. Fire extinguishing appliances 104
68. Security locks and access systems 105
69. Flats in mixed-use buildings 106
70. Sheltered housing 107
71. Fire-fighting facilities 110
72. External fire-spread 111
Part G: Managing fire risk – ongoing control 112
73. Introduction 113
74. Responsibility for fire safety in the building 114
75. Access to competent advice on fire safety legislation 114
76. Coordination with other occupiers 115
77. Engaging with residents 115
78. Instruction, training and information for non-residents 117
79. Preparing for emergencies 118
80. Controlling hazardous activities 121
81. Inspection, testing and maintenance of fire safety systems and equipment 122
82. Inspections and repairs of other fire safety measures 125
83. Monitoring the common parts and being alert to new hazards 127
84. Reviewing and auditing fire safety standards 128
Fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats 7
85. Controlling alterations so that they are not detrimental to fire safety 129
86. Being alert to possibilities of improving fire safety standards 130
87. Maintaining records 131
88. Liaising with agencies responsible for fire safety 132
Appendix 1: History of fire safety design standards for purpose-built blocks of flats 133
Appendix 2: Steps in a fire risk assessment 146
Appendix 3: Selecting a competent professional fire risk assessor 150
Appendix 4: Fire safety advice for residents 152
Appendix 5: Examples of fire action notices 154
Appendix 6: Fire detection and fire alarm systems for blocks of flats 156
Appendix 7: Case study – Three-storey block, with flats opening directly
onto single stairway 161
Appendix 8: Case study – Five-storey block, with excess travel distance
and other issues 163
Appendix 9: Case study – Nine-storey block, with inadequate smoke control
and other issues 165
Appendix 10: Case study – Mixed-use block, with inadequate compartmentation 168
Appendix 11: Case study – Block containing two-storey flats, without adequate
alternative exits 170
Appendix 12: Case study – Block containing single storey flats, without adequate
alternative exits 172
Appendix 13: Case study – Three-storey leasehold blocks with uncooperative
leaseholders 175
Glossary 177
Bibliography 181
Index 185
8 Fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats
Acknowledgements
Local Government Group entrusted responsibility for this guide to a sector-led group of
stakeholders, comprising:
Accreditation Network UK ANUK
Association of Residential Managing Agents ARMA
Association of Retained Council Housing ARCH
Chartered Institute of Environmental Health CIEH
Chartered Institute of Housing CIH
Chief Fire Officers’ Association CFOA
Department for Communities and Local Government DCLG
Electrical Safety Council ESC
Federation of Private Residents Associations FPRA
Homes and Communities Agency HCA
Leasehold Advisory Service LEASE
London Councils
National Federation of ALMOs NFA
National Housing Federation NHF
National Housing Maintenance Forum NHMF
National Landlords Association NLA
Office of the Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser CFRA
Residential Landlords Association RLA
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors RICS
Tenant Services Authority TSA
Universities UK
Fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats 9
This guide was drafted for LG Group by CS Todd & Associates Ltd, who consulted with, and
received comment from, a number of individuals, professional bodies, trade associations and
others, the assistance of whom is gratefully acknowledged. Photographs and diagrams in this
guide are reproduced with the kind permission of those responsible for the premises and the
following:
• Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP)
• Homes for Islington
• Guinness South
• O & H Properties
• Gerda Security Products Ltd
• Roché Systems Ltd
• Lorient Polyproducts Ltd
• Department for Communities and Local Government
• Norberne Seals Ltd
• Mr S Jacques
10 Fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats