Fire Safety

Question 1

What is your understanding of the Fire Safety Order 2005?

Answer 1

• Emphasis on fire prevention
• Applies to Non-domestic property in England and Wales
• The ‘Responsible Person’ is the employer, or occupier or owner who controls the property
• Must be fire precautions in place following a risk assessment
• Matter covered in Approved Document Part B ‘ Fire Safety’

Question 2

What is the New Fire Safety Act 2021? And what are the main reforms to the Fire Safety Order 2005?

Answer 2

• Following the Hackett Review (2018), the Fire Safety Act (2021) is an update to the Fire Safety Order 2005 and relates to multi occupied residential buildings
  Reforms include:
• The ‘Responsible Person’ is to take precautions, identify and remedy any dangerous cladding on residential multi occupied buildings
• Allow the Fire Service to take enforcement action against non-compliance

Question 3

Following the Grenfell Disaster are you aware of any guidance the RICS has published to support fire safety?

Answer 3

The RICS Guidance note ‘Cladding of Surveyors’ This supports surveyors working on multi story occupancy buildings.

Question 4

What is ACM Cladding?

Answer 4

• Aluminium Composite Material

It consists of two skins of aluminium bonded together with a lightweight insulated core (such as polythene)

The use of ACM’s was reviewed after Grenfell. Part B building regulations was updated in 2020 with the introduction of Regulation 7 introducing restrictions on the combustibility of materials used within external walls of ‘relevant buildings’.

Question 5

What are the ‘Relevant Buildings’ under the Fire Safety Act?

Answer 5

• Any Building with a storey at least 18m above ground level and which contains:
• One or more dwelling
• An institution