Small-and-Medium-Places-of-Assembly-NI-Fire-Safety-Guide-Final ...

Fire Safety RiskAssessmentSmall and MediumPlaces of Assembly

© Crown Copyright, 2013ISBN: 978 0 33709 7225Printed in the UK for The Stationery Office Limitedon behalf of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public SafetyPC3152 03/13

ContentsHow to use this guide 1Preface 2Introduction 3Part 1 Fire risk assessment 9Step 1 Identify fire hazards 12Step 2 Identify people at risk 15Step 3 Evaluate, remove, reduce and protect 16from riskStep 4 Record, plan, inform, instruct and train 36Step 5 Review 43Part 2 Further guidance on fire risk assessment 45and fire precautionsSection 1 Further guidance on fire risks and preventative 47measuresSection 2 Further guidance on fire detection and warning 64systemsSection 3 Further guidance on firefighting equipment and 68facilitiesSection 4 Further guidance on escape routes 73Section 5 Further guidance on emergency escape lighting 116Section 6 Further guidance on signs and notices 119

Section 7 Further guidance on recording, planning, 123informing, instructing and trainingSection 8 Quality assurance of fire protection equipment 135and installationAppendix A A1 Example fire safety maintenance checklist 136A2 Example form for recording significant 140findingsAppendix B Technical information on fire-resisting 141separation, fire doors and door fasteningsAppendix C Historic buildings 152Appendix D Glossary 154References 160Further reading 165iv

How to use this guideThis guide is divided into two parts:• Part 1 Explains what a fire risk assessment is and how you might go about it. Fire riskassessment should be the foundation for all the fire precautions in your premises.• Part 2 Provides further guidance on fire precautions. The information is provided for youand others to dip into during your fire risk assessment or when you are reviewing yourprecautions.The appendices provide example checklists, some detailed technical information on fireresistingelements and advice on historic buildings.This guide is one of a series of guides listed on the back cover.The rest of this introduction explains how the law applies.Technical terms are explained in the glossary and references to other publications listed atthe end of the publication are identified by a superscript number in the text.In this guide reference is made to British Standards and standards provided by otherbodies. The standards referred to are intended for guidance only and other standards couldbe used. Reference to any particular standard is not intended to confer a presumption ofconformity with the requirements of the Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order2006 1 or the Fire Safety Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 2 .The level of necessary safety (or service) must be dictated by the findings of your riskassessment so you may need to do more or less than that specified in any particularstandard referred to. You must be prepared to show that what you have done complies withany requirements or prohibitions of the Order 1 or Regulations 2 irrespective of whether youhave relied on a particular standard.A full list of references can be found at the back of this book.1

PrefaceThis guidance gives advice on how to avoid fires and how to ensure people’s safetyif a fire does start. Why should you read it? Because:• Fire kills. Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service attend thousands of major firesannually. Every year hundreds of people end up as casualties in incidents which occur indomestic and non domestic premises and tragically a small number are killed as a resultof fire.• Fire costs money. The costs of a serious fire can be high and after a fire manybusinesses do not re-open. Every year insurance companies in the UK pay out hundredsof millions of pounds for damage caused by fire.This guide applies to Northern Ireland only. It does not set prescriptive standards, butprovides recommendations and guidance for use when assessing the adequacy offire precautions in small and medium places of assembly. Other fire risk assessmentmethods may be equally valid to comply with fire safety law. The guide also providesrecommendations for the fire safety management of the premises.Your existing fire safety arrangements may not be the same as the recommendations usedin this guide but, as long as you can demonstrate that they meet an equivalent standard offire safety, they are likely to be acceptable. If you decide that your existing arrangements arenot satisfactory there may be other ways to comply with fire safety law. This means there isno obligation to adopt any particular solution in this guide if you prefer to meet the relevantrequirement in some other way.Where the building has been recently constructed or significantly altered, the fire detectionand warning arrangements, escape routes and facilities for the Fire and Rescue Serviceshould have been designed, constructed and installed in accordance with current buildingregulations. In such cases, it is likely that these measures will be satisfactory as long asthey are being properly maintained and no significant increase in risk has been introduced.This guide should not be used to design fire safety in new buildings. Where alterations areproposed to existing premises, they may be subject to building regulations. However, it canbe used to develop the fire safety strategy for the building.2

IntroductionWHo SHoulD uSe tHIS guIDe?This guide is for all employers, managers, occupiers and owners of small and mediumplaces of assembly. Details of other guides in the series are listed on the back cover. Ittells you what you have to do to comply with fire safety law, helps you to carry out a fire riskassessment and identify the general fire precautions you need to have in place.This guide is intended for premises where the main use of the building or part of thebuilding is as a small (i.e. premises accommodating up to 60 people) or a medium (i.e.premises accommodating up to 300 people) place of assembly. These include: publichouses; clubs; dance halls/schools; village halls; community centres; churches; otherplaces of religious worship or study and associated premises; temporary structures andmarquees/tents.This guide does not apply to sports grounds or common areas of shopping malls; referenceshould be made to the guide for Large Places of Assembly for these premises.This guide may also be suitable where the premises adjoin other complexes, althoughco-operation with the other managers will be necessary as part of an integrated riskassessment for the complex.Also, where you handle and store flammable materials and substances, it will help you totake account of these in your risk assessment and help you to determine the necessaryprecautions to take to minimise the likelihood of them being involved in a fire.The guide has been written to provide guidance for an appropriate person, to help them tocarry out a fire risk assessment in less complex premises. If you read the guide and decidethat you are unable to apply the guidance, then you should seek expert advice from acompetent person. More complex premises will probably need to be assessed by a personwho has comprehensive training or experience in fire risk assessment. However, this guidecan be used for multi-occupied buildings to address fire safety issues within their individualoccupancies.It may also be useful for:• employees;• employee-elected representatives;• trade union-appointed health and safety representatives;• enforcing authorities; and• all other people who have a role in ensuring fire safety in small and medium placesof assembly.3

If your premises are listed as of historic interest, also see Appendix C.Fire safety is only one of many safety issues management must address to minimise therisk of injury or death to staff or the public. Unlike most of the other safety concerns, firehas the potential to injure or kill large numbers of people very quickly. This guidance isconcerned only with fire safety, but many of the measures discussed here will impact uponother safety issues, and vice versa. It is recognised that these differing safety demands cansometimes affect one another and management should consult other interested agencies,such as the Local Council, where necessary to confirm that they are not contravening otherlegislation or guidance.You can get advice about minimising fire losses from your insurer.FIRe SAFetY legISlAtIonPrevious general fire safety legislationThe Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 1 and the Fire SafetyRegulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 2 replace previous fire safety legislation. Any firecertificate issued under the Fire Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1984 3 will cease to haveany effect. If a fire certificate has been issued in respect of your premises or the premiseswere built to recent building regulations, as long as you have made no material alterationsand all the physical fire precautions have been properly maintained, then it is unlikely youwill need to make any significant improvements to your existing physical fire protectionarrangements to comply with the Order 1 and the Regulations 2 . However, you must still carryout a fire risk assessment and keep it up to date to ensure that all the fire precautions inyour premises remain current and adequate.If you have previously carried out a fire risk assessment under the Fire Precautions(Workplace) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001 4 , as amended 2003 5 , and this assessmenthas been regularly reviewed, then all you will need to do is revise that assessment takingaccount of the wider scope of the Order 1 and Regulations 2 as described in this guide.Your premises may also be subject to the provisions of a licence or registration e.g. underthe Licensing (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 6 or the Local Government (MiscellaneousProvisions) (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 7 , and Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Servicemay wish to review your risk assessment as part of the licensing approval process.BackgroundThe Order 1 and Regulations 2 apply in Northern Ireland. They cover general fire precautionsand other fire safety duties which are needed to protect ‘relevant persons’ in case of firein and around most ‘premises’. The Order 1 and Regulations 2 require fire precautions to be4

put in place ‘where necessary’ and to the extent that it is reasonable and practicable in thecircumstances to do so.Responsibility for complying with the Order 1 and Regulations 2 rests with the ‘appropriateperson’. In a workplace, this is the employer and any other person who may have controlof any part of the premises, e.g. the occupier or owner. In all other premises the person orpeople in control of the premises will be responsible. If there is more than one appropriateperson in any type of premises (e.g. a multi-occupied complex), all must take all reasonablesteps to co-operate and co-ordinate with each other.If you are the appropriate person you must carry out a fire risk assessment which mustfocus on the safety in case of fire of all ‘relevant persons’. It should pay particular attentionto those at special risk, such as disabled people, those who you know have special needsand children, and must include consideration of any dangerous substance liable to be onthe premises. Your fire risk assessment will help you identify risks that can be removed orreduced and decide the nature and extent of the general fire precautions you need to take.If your organisation employs five or more people, your premises are licensed or analterations notice is in force, you must record the significant findings of the assessment. It isgood practice to record your significant findings in any case.There are some other fire safety duties you need to comply with:• You must appoint one or more competent persons, depending on the size and useof your premises, to assist in undertaking any of the preventive and protectivemeasures required by the Order 1 and Regulations 2 (you can nominate yourself for thispurpose). A competent person is someone with enough training and experience orknowledge and other qualities to be able to implement these measures properly.• You must provide your employees with clear and relevant information on the risks tothem identified by the fire risk assessment, about the measures you have taken toprevent fires, and how these measures will protect them if a fire breaks out.• You must consult your employees (or their elected representatives) about nominatingpeople to carry out particular roles in connection with fire safety and about proposals forimproving the fire precautions.• You must, before you employ a child, provide a parent with clear and relevantinformation on the risks to that child identified by the risk assessment, the measuresyou have put in place to prevent/protect them from fire and inform any otherappropriate person of any risks to that child arising from their undertaking.• You must inform non-employees, such as temporary or contract workers, of therelevant risks to them, and provide them with information about who are the nominatedcompetent persons, and about the fire safety procedures for the premises.5

• You must co-operate and co-ordinate with other appropriate persons who also havepremises in the building, inform them of any significant risks you find, and how you willseek to reduce/control those risks which might affect the safety of their employees.• You must provide the employer of any person from an outside organisation who isworking in your premises (e.g. agency providing temporary staff) with clear and relevantinformation on the risks to those employees and the preventive and protective measurestaken. You must also provide those employees with appropriate instructions and relevantinformation about the risks to them.• If you are not the employer but have any control of premises which contain more thanone workplace, you are also responsible for ensuring that the requirements of theOrder 1 and Regulations 2 are complied with in those parts over which you have control.• You must consider the presence of any dangerous substances and the risk thispresents to relevant persons from fire.• You must establish a suitable means of contacting the emergency services and providethem with any relevant information about dangerous substances.• You must provide appropriate information, instruction and training to your employees,during their normal working hours, about the fire precautions in your workplace, whenthey start working for you, and from time to time throughout the period they work for you.• You must ensure that the premises and any equipment provided in connection withfirefighting, fire detection and warning, or emergency routes and exits are covered bya suitable system of maintenance, and are maintained by a competent person in anefficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair.• Your employees must co-operate with you to ensure the workplace is safe from fire andits effects, and must not do anything that will place themselves or other people at risk.The above outlines some of the main requirements of the Order 1 and Regulations 2 . The restof this guide will explain how you might meet these requirements.Responsibilities for short-term hiring or leasing and for shared useSome premises or structures may be leased as an empty and unsupervised facility (e.g.village halls, temporary structures and marquees). The fire safety responsibilities of thoseleasing the building or structure (and, therefore, in charge of the activities conducted withinthe building or structure), and those of the owner/leasee, need to be established as part ofthe contract of hire.In some premises (e.g. pubs), part of the premises may be hired out to another organisationfor a separate function (e.g. DJs and dance promoters, weddings, birthdays and funeral6

organisers). The fire safety responsibilities of those organising the separate function, andthose of the remainder of the building, need to be established as part of the contract ofhire.The appropriate person for each individual unique, occasional or separate event or functionwill need to be clearly established and documented, and their legal duties made clear tothem. In particular, and where necessary, the appropriate person will need to take accountof their own lack of familiarity with the layout of the premises, the fire safety provisions, andthe duties of other appropriate persons within the premises.Who enforces the Fire Safety legislation?Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service will enforce the Order 1 and Regulations 2 in mostpremises. The exceptions are:• Crown-occupied/owned premises where the Health and Safety Executive forNorthern Ireland will enforce;• premises within armed forces establishments where the defence fire and rescueservice will enforce.The enforcing authority will have the power to inspect your premises to check that you arecomplying with your duties under the legislation. They will look for evidence that you havecarried out a suitable fire risk assessment and acted upon the significant findings of thatassessment. If you are required to record the outcome of the assessment they will expectto see a copy.If the enforcing authority is dissatisfied with the outcome of your fire risk assessmentor the action you have taken, they may issue an enforcement notice that requires you tomake certain improvements or, in extreme cases, a prohibition notice that restricts the useof all or part of your premises until improvements are made.If you are making changes to your premises, you should also consult your local licensingauthority.If your premises are considered by the enforcing authority to be or have potential to be highrisk, they may issue an alterations notice that requires you to inform them before you makeany changes to your premises or the way they are used.Failure to comply with any duty imposed by the Order 1 or Regulations 2 or any notice issuedby the enforcing authority is an offence. You have a right of appeal to a County Courtagainst any notice issued. Where you agree that there is a need for improvements to yourfire precautions but disagree with the enforcing authority on the technical solution to beused (e.g. what type of fire alarm system is needed) you may agree to refer this for anindependent determination.7

If having read this guide you are in any doubt about how fire safety law applies to you,contact your local fire safety office through Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue ServiceHeadquarters. Contact details are available from www.nifrs.org.If your premises were in use before 2010, then they may have been subject to the FireServices (Northern Ireland) Order 1984 3 and the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations(Northern Ireland) 2001 4 , as amended 2003 5 . Where the layout (means of escape) andother fire precautions have been assessed by the Fire and Rescue Service to satisfy theguidance that was then current, it is likely that your premises already conform to manyof the recommendations here, providing you have undertaken a fire risk assessment asrequired by the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001 4 , asamended 2003 5 .New buildings or significant building alterations should be designed to satisfy currentbuilding regulations 8 which address fire precautions. However, you will still need to carry outa fire risk assessment, or review your existing one (and act on your findings), to comply withthe Order 1 and Regulations 2 .8

Part 1 Fire risk assessmentMAnAgIng FIRe SAFetYGood management of fire safety is essential to ensure that fires are unlikely to occur; that ifthey do occur they are likely to be controlled or contained quickly, effectively and safely; orthat, if a fire does occur and grow, everyone in your premises is able to escape to a place oftotal safety easily and quickly.The risk assessment that you must carry out will help you ensure that your fire safetyprocedures, fire prevention measures, and fire precautions (plans, systems and equipment)are all in place and working properly, and the risk assessment should identify any issuesthat need attention. Further information on managing fire safety is available in Part 2.WHAt IS A FIRe RISk ASSeSSMent?A fire risk assessment is an organised and methodical look at your premises, the activitiescarried on there and the likelihood that a fire could start and cause harm to those in andaround the premises.The aims of the fire risk assessment are:• To identify the fire hazards.• To reduce the risk of those hazards causing harm to as low as reasonably practicable.• To decide what physical fire precautions and management arrangements arenecessary to ensure the safety of people in your premises if a fire does start.The term ‘where necessary’ (see Glossary) is used in the Order 1 and Regulations 2 , thereforewhen deciding what fire precautions and management arrangements are necessary you willneed to take account of this definition.The terms ‘hazard’ and ‘risk’ are used throughout this guide and it is important that youhave a clear understanding of how these should be used.• Hazard: anything that has the potential to cause harm.• Risk: the chance of that harm occurring.If your organisation employs five or more people, or your premises are licensed or analterations notice requiring it is in force, then the significant findings of the fire riskassessment, the actions to be taken as a result of the assessment and details of anyoneespecially at risk must be recorded. You will probably find it helpful to keep a record of thesignificant findings of your fire risk assessment even if you are not required to do so.9

HoW Do You CARRY out A FIRe RISk ASSeSSMent?A fire risk assessment will help you determine the chances of a fire starting and the dangersfrom fire that your premises present for the people who use them and any person in theimmediate vicinity. The assessment method suggested in this guide shares the sameapproach as that used in general health and safety legislation and can be carried out eitheras part of a more general risk assessment or as a separate exercise. As you move throughthe steps there are checklists to help you.Before you start your fire risk assessment, take time to prepare, and read through the restof Part 1 of this guide.Much of the information for your fire risk assessment will come from the knowledge youremployees, colleagues and representatives have of the premises, as well as informationgiven to you by people who have responsibility for other parts of the building. A tour of yourpremises will probably be needed to confirm, amend or add detail to your initial views.It is important that you carry out your fire risk assessment in a practical and systematicway and that you allocate enough time to do a proper job. It must take the whole of yourpremises into account, including outdoor locations and any rooms and areas that are rarelyused. If your premises are small you may be able to assess them as a whole. In somepremises you may find it helpful to divide them into a series of assessment areas usingnatural boundaries, e.g. assembly spaces, process areas (such as cooking facilities invillage halls), offices, stores, as well as corridors, stairways and external routes.If your premises are in a multi-use complex then the information on hazard and riskreduction will still be applicable to you. However, any alterations to the use or structure ofyour individual unit will need to take account of the overall fire safety arrangements in thebuilding.Your premises may be simple, with few people present or with a limited degreeof activity, but if it forms part of a building with different occupancies, then the measuresprovided by other occupiers may have a direct effect on the adequacy of the fire safetymeasures in your premises.Under health and safety law (enforced by the Health and Safety Executive for NorthernIreland (HSENI) or the local council) you are required to carry out a risk assessment inrespect of any work processes in your workplace and to take or observe appropriate special,technical or organisational measures. If your health and safety risk assessment identifiesthat these processes are likely to involve the risk of fire or the spread of fire then youwill need to take this into account during your fire risk assessment under the Order 1 andRegulations 2 and prioritise actions based on the level of risk.10

You need to appoint one or more competent persons (this could be you) to carry out any ofthe preventive and protective measures needed to comply with the Order 1 and Regulations 2 .This person could be you, or an appropriately trained employee or, where appropriate, athird party.Your fire risk assessment should demonstrate that, as far as is reasonable, you haveconsidered the needs of all relevant people, including disabled people.Figure 1 shows the five steps you need to take to carry out a fire risk assessment.1234FIRe SAFetY RISk ASSeSSMentIdentify fire hazardsIdentify:Sources of ignitionSources of fuelSources of oxygenIdentify people at riskIdentify:People in and around the premisesPeople especially at riskevaluate, remove, reduce and protect from riskEvaluate the risk of a fire occurringEvaluate the risk to people from fireRemove or reduce fire hazardsRemove or reduce the risks to people• Detection and warning• Fire-fighting• Escape routes• Lighting• Signs and notices• MaintenanceRecord, plan, inform, instruct and trainRecord significant findings and action takenPrepare an emergency planInform and instruct relevant people; co-operate and co-ordinate with othersProvide training5 ReviewKeep assessment under reviewRevise where necessaryRemember to keep your fire risk assessment under review.Figure 1: The five steps of a fire risk assessment11

SteP 1 IDentIFY FIRe HAzARDSFor a fire to start, three things are needed:• a source of ignition;FUELFlammable gasesFlammable liquidsFlammable solids• fuel; and• oxygen.If any one of these is missing, a fire cannotstart. Taking measures to avoid the threecoming together will therefore reduce thechances of a fire occurring.The remainder of this step will advise onhow to identify potential ignition sources, thematerials that might fuel a fire and the oxygensupplies that will help it burn.1.1 Identify sources of ignitionOXYGENAlways present in the airAdditional sources fromoxidising substancesIGNITION SOURCEHot surfacesElectrical equipmentStatic electricitySmoking/naked lightsFigure 2: The fire triangleYou can identify the potential ignition sources in your premises by looking for possiblesources of heat, which could get hot enough to ignite material found in your premises.These sources could include:• cooking equipment, hot ducting, flues andfilters;• smokers’ material, e.g. cigarettes, matchesand lighters;• electrical, gas or oil-fired heaters (fixed orportable), room heaters;• hot processes, e.g. welding by contractors;• faulty or misused electrical equipment;Naked flameHot surface• light fittings and lighting equipment, e.g.halogen lamps or display lighting;• hot surfaces and obstruction of equipment ventilation;Mechanically generated sparksElectrically generated sparksFigure 3: Sources of ignition• central heating boilers;12

• naked flames, e.g. candles or gas or liquid-fuelled open-flame equipment;• flares, fireworks and pyrotechnics; and• deliberate fire setting.Indications of ‘near-misses’, such as scorch marks on furniture or fittings, discolouredor charred electrical plugs and sockets, cigarette burns, etc., can help you identify hazardswhich you may not otherwise notice.1.2 Identify sources of fuelAnything that burns is fuel for a fire. You need to look for the things that will burn reasonablyeasily and are in enough quantity to provide fuel for a fire or cause it to spread to anotherfuel source. Some of the most common ‘fuels’ found in small and medium places ofassembly are:• flammable liquid-based products, such as paints, varnishes, thinners and adhesives;• flammable liquids and solvents, such as alcohol (spirits), white spirit, methylated spirit,cooking oils and disposable cigarette lighters;• flammable chemicals, such as certain cleaning products and photocopier chemicals;• flammable gases such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and acetylene;• displays and stands;• costumes, drapes and hangings, scenery and banners;• packaged foodstuffs;• packaging materials, stationery, advertising material and decorations;• plastics and rubber, such as video tapes, polyurethane foam-filled furniture andpolystyrene-based display materials and rubber or foam exercise mats;• upholstered seating and cushions, textiles and soft furnishings and clothingdisplays;• litter and waste products, particularly finely divided items such as shreddedpaper and wood shavings, offcuts, and dust accumulation amongst lubricated areas;and• fireworks and pyrotechnics.13

You should also consider the materials used to line walls and ceilings, e.g. polystyreneor carpet tiles, the fixtures and fittings, and brought-in materials, and how they mightcontribute to the spread of fire. Further information is available in Part 2, Section 1.1.3 Identify sources of oxygenThe main source of oxygen for a fire is in the air around us. In an enclosed building this isprovided by the ventilation system in use. This generally falls into one of two categories:natural airflow through doors, windows and other openings; or mechanical air conditioningsystems and air handling systems. In many buildings there will be a combination ofsystems, which will be capable of introducing/extracting air to and from the building.Additional sources of oxygen can sometimes be found in materials used or stored atpremises such as:• some chemicals (oxidising materials), which canprovide a fire with additional oxygen and so helpit burn. These chemicals should be identifiedon their container (and Control of SubstancesHazardous to Health data sheet, see Figure 4) bythe manufacturer or supplier who can advise asto their safe use and storage;• oxygen supplies from cylinder storage; and• pyrotechnics (fireworks) which contain oxidisingmaterials and need to be treated with great care.Figure 4: Label on oxidsing materialsChecklist• Have you identified all potential ignition sources?• Have you identified all potential fuel sources?• Have you identified all potential sources of oxygen?• Have you made a note of your findings?14

SteP 2 IDentIFY PeoPle At RISkAs part of your fire risk assessment, you need to identify those at risk if there is a fire.To do this you need to identify where you have people working, either at permanentlocations (such as workstations) or at occasional locations around the premises, and toconsider who else may be at risk, such as worshippers, customers, other users of thefacilities, including visiting performance companies, visiting contractors, etc., and wherethese people are likely to be found.You must consider all the people who use the premises, but you should pay particularattention to people who may be especially at risk such as:• yourself and your helpers if you are ‘managing’ the premises but are unfamiliar withthe location, e.g. organisers hiring the venue;• employees who work alone and/or in isolated areas, e.g. cleaners and security staff;• unaccompanied children;• people who are unfamiliar with the premises, e.g. visitors and customers;• people with disabilities* (including mobility impairment, or hearing or visionimpairment, etc.);• people who may have some reason for not being able to leave the premises quickly,e.g. people in a state of undress (e.g. swimmers or performers), elderly customers,pregnant women or parents with children;• sensory impaired due to alcohol, drugs or medication; and• other people in the immediate vicinity of the premises.In evaluating the risk to people with disabilities you may need to discuss their individualneeds with them. In more complex buildings used extensively by the public you may need toseek professional advice.Further guidance on help for people with special needs is given in Part 2, Section 1.13.* Visit the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland www.equalityni.org or the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission www.nihrc.org formore information.15

Checklist• Have you identified who is at risk?• Have you identified why they are at risk?• Have you made a note of your findings?SteP 3 evAluAte, ReMove, ReDuCe AnD PRoteCt FRoM RISkThe management of the premises and the way people use it will have an effect on yourevaluation of risk. Management may be your responsibility alone or there may be others,such as the building owners or managing agents, who also have responsibilities. In multioccupiedbuildings all those with some control must co-operate and you need to considerthe risk generated by others in the building.3.1 evaluate the risk of a fire occuringThe chances of a fire starting will be low if your premises has few ignition sources andcombustible materials are kept away from them.In general, fires start in one of three ways:• accidentally, such as when smoking materials are not properly extinguished or whenmobile heaters are knocked over;• by act or omission, such as when electrical equipment is not properly maintained, orwhen waste is allowed to accumulate near to a heat source; and• deliberate fire setting, such as an attack involving setting fire to external rubbish binsplaced too close to the building.Look critically at your premises and try to identify any accidents waiting to happen and anyacts or omissions which might allow a fire to start. You should also look for any situationthat may present an opportunity for a deliberate fire setter.Further guidance is given in Part 2, Section 1 on evaluating the risk of a fire starting.16

3.2 evaluate the risk to peopleIn Step 2 you identified the people likely to be at risk should a fire start anywhere in thepremises and earlier in Step 3 you identified the chances of a fire occurring. It is unlikelythat you will have concluded that there is no chance of a fire starting anywhere in yourpremises so you now need to evaluate the actual risk to those people should a fire start andspread from the various locations that you have identified.While determining the possible incidents, you should also consider the likelihood of anyparticular incident; but be aware that some very unlikely incidents can put many people atrisk.To evaluate the risk to people in your premises, you will need to understand the way fire canspread. Fire is spread by three methods:• convection;• conduction; and• radiation.ConvectionFire spread by convection is the most dangerousand causes the largest number of injuries anddeaths. When fires start in enclosed spaces suchas buildings, the smoke rising from the fire getstrapped by the ceiling and then spreads in alldirections to form an ever-deepening layer over theentire room space. The smoke will pass through anyholes or gaps in the walls, ceiling and floor into otherparts of the building. The heat from the fire getstrapped in the building and the temperature rises.ConductionSome materials, such as metal shutters andducting, can absorb heat and transmit it to the nextroom, where it can set fire to combustible items thatare in contact with the heated material.Figure 5: Smoke moving through a building17

RadiationRadiation heats the air in the same way as an electric bar heater heats a room. Any materialclose to a fire will absorb the heat until the item starts to smoulder and then burn.Smoke produced by a fire also contains toxic gases which are harmful to people. A fire ina building with modern fittings and materials generates smoke that is thick and black,obscures vision, causes great difficulty in breathing and can block the escape routes.It is essential that the means of escape and other fire precautions are adequate to ensurethat everyone can make their escape to a place of total safety before the fire and its effectscan trap them in the building.In evaluating this risk to people you will need to consider situations such as:• fire starting within an assembly space, such as a church hall, where many people couldbe affected;• fire starting on a lower floor affecting the only escape route for people on upper floors orthe only escape route for people with disabilities;• fire developing in an unoccupied space that people have to pass by to escape from thebuilding;• fire or smoke spreading through a building via routes such as vertical shafts, serviceducts, ventilation systems, poorly installed, poorly maintained or damaged walls,partitions and ceilings affecting people in remote areas;• fire spreading rapidly through the building because of combustible structuralelements and/or large quantities of combustible goods;• fire and smoke spreading through a building due to poor installation of fire precautions,e.g. incorrectly installed fire doors (see Appendix B2 for more information on fire doors)or incorrectly installed services penetrating fire walls;• fire and smoke spreading through the building due to poorly maintained and damagedfire doors or fire doors being wedged open; and• fire starting in a service room and affecting hazardous materials (such as pyrotechnics orswimming pool chemicals).Further guidance on fire risks is given in Part 2, Section 1.18

3.3 Remove or reduce the hazardsHaving identified the fire hazards in Step 1, you now need to remove those hazards ifreasonably practicable to do so. If you cannot remove the hazards, you need to takereasonable steps to reduce them if you can. This is an essential part of fire risk assessmentand as a priority this must take place before any other actions.Ensure that any actions you take to remove or reduce fire hazards or risk are not substitutedby other hazards or risks. For example, if you replace a flammable substance with a toxic orcorrosive one, you must consider whether this might cause harm to people in other ways.Remove or reduce sources of ignitionThere are various ways that you can reduce the risk caused by potential sources of ignition,for example:• Wherever possible replace a potential source by a safer alternative.• Replace naked flame and radiant heaters with fixed convector heaters or a centralheating system. Fire guard naked flames and restrict the movement of portableheating appliances.• Restrict and control the use of naked flames, e.g. candles.• Operate a safe smoking policy in designated smoking areas, ensuring sufficient ashtraysare provided and cleaned appropriately, and prohibit smoking elsewhere.• Ensure that sources of heat are kept away from flammable materials such as curtains,scenery and displays.• Ensure electrical, mechanical and gas equipment is installed, used, maintained andprotected in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.• Strictly control hot proceses/hot work by operating permit to work schemes.• Ensure that no one carrying out work on gas fittings which involves exposing pipes thatcontain or have contained flammable gas uses any source of ignition such as blow-lampsor hot-air guns.• Ensure that no-one uses any source of ignition while searching for an escape of gas.• Ensure cooking and catering equipment is installed, used, maintained and protectedin accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.19

• Check all areas where hot work (e.g. welding) has been carried out, to ensure that noignition has taken place or any smouldering materials remain that may cause a fire.• Ensure that flares and fireworks are not brought into the premises by members of thepublic.• Ensure that all pyrotechnics, fireworks, flares and other hazardous equipmentare installed, used, maintained, protected and stored in accordance with themanufacturer’s instructions.• Take precautions to avoid deliberate fire setting.Remove or reduce sources of fuelThere are various ways that you can reduce the risks caused by materials and substanceswhich burn, for example:• Ensure that all upholstered furniture, curtains, drapes and other soft furnishings, arefire-retardant, or have been treated with a proprietory fire-retardant treatment designedto enhance their fire performance.• Ensure that display materials (including artificial and dried foliage), scenery and stands,are fire-retardant, or have been treated with a proprietory fire-retardant treatmentdesigned to enhance their fire performance.• Reduce stocks of flammable materials, liquidsand gases on display in public areas to aminimum. Keep remaining stock in dedicatedstorerooms or storage areas, preferably outside,where the public are not allowed to go, and keepthe minimum required for the operation of thebusiness.• Ensure flammable materials, liquids and gases,are kept to a minimum, and are stored properlywith adequate separation distances betweenthem.• Do not keep flammable solids, liquids and gasestogether.• Remove, cover or treat large areas of highlycombustible wall and ceiling linings, e.g.polystyrene or carpet tiles, to reduce the rate offlame spread across the surface.Figure 6: Storage of flammables20

• Develop a formal system for the control of combustible waste by ensuring that wastematerials and rubbish are not allowed to build up and are carefully stored until properlydisposed of, particularly at the end of the day.• Ensure that foam mats (e.g. gymnasium mats), contents of foam pits and similarequipment are of combustion modified foam. Cover pits when not in use.• Do not keep scenery or properties which are not in current use on an open stage otherthan in an approved scenery store or property store.• Ensure that quantities of all pyrotechnics, fireworks and other hazardous equipment arekept to a minimum.• Take action to avoid any parts of the premises, and in particular storage areas andground staff equipment, being vulnerable to deliberate fire setting or vandalism.• Check all areas where hot work (e.g. welding) has been carried out to ensure that noignition has taken place and no smouldering or hot materials remain that may cause afire later.Further guidance on removing and reducing hazards is given in Part 2, Section 1.Remove or reduce sources of oxygenYou can reduce the potential source of oxygen supplied to a fire by:• closing all doors, windows and other openings not required for ventilation, particularlyout of working hours;• shutting down ventilation systems which are not essential to the function of thepremises;• not storing oxidising materials (including pyrotechnics and fireworks) near or with anyheat source or flammable materials;• controlling the use and storage of oxygen cylinders, ensuring that they are not leaking,are not used to ‘sweeten’ the atmosphere, and that where they are located is adequatelyventilated; and• controlling the use and storage of pyrotechnics and fireworks.21

3.4 Remove or reduce the risks to peopleHaving evaluated and addressed the risk of fire occuring and the risk to people(preventative measures) it is unlikely that you will be able to conclude that no risk of firestarting and presenting a risk remains to people in your premises.You now need to reduce any remaining fire risk to people to as low as reasonablypracticable, by ensuring that adequate fire precautions are in place to warn people in theevent of fire and allow them to escape safely.The rest of this step describes the fire protection measures you may wish to adopt to reducethe remaining fire risk to people (see Steps 3.4.1 to 3.4.6).The level of fire protection you need to provide will depend on the level of riskthat remains in the premises after you have removed or reduced the hazards and risks. Part2, Section 4.1 can help you decide the level of risk that you may still have.Flexibility of fire protection measuresFlexibility will be required when applying this guidance; the level of fire protection shouldbe proportional to the risk posed to the safety of the people in the premises. Therefore, theobjective should be to reduce the remaining risk to a level as low as reasonably practicable.The higher the risk of fire and risk to life, the higher the standards of fire protection will needto be.Your premises may not exactly fit the solutions suggested in this guide and they may need tobe applied in a flexible manner without compromising the safety of the occupants.For example, if the travel distance is in excess of the norm for the level of risk you havedetermined (see Part 2, Table 2 on page 81), it may be necessary to do any one or acombination of the following to compensate:• Provide earlier warning of fire using automatic fire detection.• Revise the layout to reduce travel distances.• Reduce the fire risk by removing or reducing combustible materials and/or ignitionsources.• Control the number of people in the premises.• Limit the area to trained staff only (no public).• Increase staff training and awareness.22

note: This list is not exhaustive and is only used to illustrate some examples of trade-offs toprovide safe premises.If you decide to significantly vary away from the benchmarks in this guidance then youshould seek expert advice before doing so.3.4.1 Fire detection and warning systemsIn many premises a fire may be obvious to everyone as soon as it starts (e.g. in a simpleopen plan village hall). In these cases, where the number and position of exits and thetravel distance to them is adequate, a simple shout of ‘fire’ or a simple manually operateddevice, such as a gong, whistle or air horn that can be heard by everybody when operatedfrom any single point within the building, may be all that is needed.Organisors or staff will need amanaged fire evacuation plan to dothis.Where an alarm given from any singlepoint is unlikely to be heard throughoutthe building, an electrical systemincorporating sounders and manuallyoperated call points (break-glassboxes) is likely to be required. This typeof system is likely to be acceptablewhere all parts of the building areoccupied at the same time and it isunlikely that a fire could start withoutsomebody noticing it quickly. However,where there are unoccupied areas,or common corridors and circulationspaces in multi-occupied buildings, in which a fire could develop to the extent that escaperoutes could be affected before the fire is discovered, an automatic fire detection systemwith a control panel which is able to identify the zone or specific location where the alarmhas been raised may be necessary (see Figure 7).You may need to consider special arrangements for times when people are workingalone, are disabled, or when your normal occupancy patterns are different, e.g. whenmaintenance staff or other contractors are working while the premises are closed.In complex premises, particularly those accommodating large numbers of people indifferent rooms, such as community centres, it is likely that a more sophisticated form ofwarning and evacuation, possibly involving staff alarms, should be provided (where staff arealerted before members of the public).orVisualorAudible/voiceFigure 7: Fire detection and warning system23

The control panel (or a repeater) should be located near the entrance to the premises.Arrangements should be made to brief the Fire and Rescue Service when they arrive.False alarms from electrical fire warning systems are a major problem and result in manyunwanted calls to the Fire and Rescue Service each year. To help reduce the number offalse alarms, the design and location of activation devices should be reviewed against theway the premises are currently used.If you are not sure whether your current arrangements are adequate, see the additionalguidance on fire warning systems in Part 2, Section 2.Checklist• Can the existing means of detection ensure a fire is discovered quickly enoughfor the alarm to be raised in time for all the occupants to escape to a place oftotal safety?• Are the detectors of the right type and in the appropriate locations• Can the means of warning be clearly heard and understood by everyonethroughout the whole building when initiated from a single point? Are thereprovisions in locations where the alarm cannot be heard?• If the fire detection and warning system is electrically powered, does it have aback-up power supply?3.4.2 Firefighting equipment and facilitiesFirefighting equipment can reduce the risk of a small fire, e.g. a fire in a waste-paperbin, developing into a large one. The safe use of an appropriate fire extinguisher to control afire in its early stages can also significantly reduce the risk to other people in the premisesby allowing people to assist others who are at risk.This equipment will need to comprise enough portable extinguishers that must be suitablefor the risk.24

Main types of portable extinguishers, their uses and colour codingWATER POWDER FOAM CARBON DIOXIDE (CO 2)For wood, paper, textile For liquid and electrical fires For use on liquid fires For liquid and electrical firesand solid material firesDO NOT USE on liquid,electrical or metal firesDO NOT USEon metal firesDO NOT USE onelectrical or metal firesDO NOT USE onmetal firesThe contents of an extinguisher is indicated by a zone of colour on the red body.Halon extinguishers are not shown since no new Halon production is permitted in the UKFigure 8: Types of fire extinguishersIn simple premises, having one or two portable extinguishers of the appropriate type, readilyavailable for use, may be all that is necessary.In complex premises, such as multi-roomed community centres, where it is considered thata number of portable extinguishers are required, they should be sited in suitable locations,such as on the escape routes at each floor level. It may also be necessary to indicate thelocation of extinguishers with suitable signs. You should locate extinguishers in areas wherethey can be easily accessed by trained members of staff, but not in areas open to misuse orvandalism.Some premises will also have permanently installed firefighting equipment such as hosereels, for use by trained staff or firefighters.People with no training should not be expected to attempt to extinguish a fire. However, allstaff should be familiar with the location and basic operating procedures for the equipmentprovided, in case they need to use it. If your fire strategy means that certain people, e.g.fire marshals, will be expected to take a more active role, then they should be provided withmore comprehensive training.Other fixed installations and facilities to assist firefighters, such as dry rising mains andaccess for fire engines, or automatically operated, fixed fire suppression systemssuch as sprinklers and gas or foam flooding systems, may also have been provided.Where these have been required by law, e.g. the Building Regulations or local legislation,such equipment and facilities must be maintained.25

Similarly, if provided for other reasons, e.g. insurance, it is good practice to ensure thatthey are properly maintained.In most cases it will be necessary to consult a competent service engineer. Furtherinformation is given in Part 2, Section 3. Keeping records of the maintenance carriedout will help you demonstrate to the enforcing authority that you have complied with firesafety law.Appendix A.1 provides a sample fire safety maintenance checklist you can use.For more guidance on portable extinguishers see Part 2, Section 3.1, for fixed firefightinginstallations, Part 2, Section 3.2 and other facilities (including those for firefighters) seePart 2, Section 3.3.Checklist• Are the extinguishers suitable for the purpose?• Are there enough extinguishers sited throughout the premises at appropriatelocations?• Are the right types of extinguishers located close to the fire hazards and canusers get to them without exposing themselves to risk?• Are the extinguishers visible or does their position need indicating?• Have you taken steps to prevent the misuse of extinguishers?• Do you regularly check equipment provided to help maintain the escape routes?• Do you carry out daily checks to ensure that there is clear access for fire engines?• Are those who test and maintain the equipment competent to do so?• Do you have the necessary procedures in place to maintain any facilities thathave been provided for the safety of people in the building (or for the use offirefighters, such as access for fire engines and firefighting lifts)?26

3.4.3 escape routesOnce a fire has started, been detected and a warning given, everyone in your premisesshould be able to escape to a place of total safety unaided and without the help of the Fireand Rescue Service. However, some people with disabilities and others with special needsmay need help from staff who will need to be designated for the purpose.Escape routes should be designed to ensure, as far as possible, that any person confrontedby fire anywhere in the building should be able to turn away from it and escape to a place ofreasonable safety, e.g. a protected stairway. From there they will be able to go directly to aplace of total safety away from the building.Those who require special assistance (e.g. very young children and some people withdisabilities) could be accommodated on the same level as the final exit from the premisesto facilitate escape. Where they need assistance to evacuate, you should make sure thatthere are sufficient staff to ensure a speedy evacuation.The level of fire protection that should be given to escape routes will vary dependingon the level of risk of fire within the premises and other related factors.When determining whether your premises have adequate escape routes, you need toconsider a number of factors, including:• the type and number of people using the premises;• escape time;• the age and construction of the premises;• the number and complexity of escape routes and exits;• assembly points;• assisted means of escape/personal evacuation plans;• whether lifts can or need to be used; and• the use of delayed alarms (staff alarms).the type and number of people using the premisesThe people present in your premises will sometimes be employees (out of opening hours),but most of the time will be a mixture of employees and members of the public (includingdisabled people and unaccompanied children). Employees can reasonably be expected27

to have an understanding of the layout of the premises, while members of the public,particularly in more complex premises, will be unlikely to have knowledge of alternativeescape routes.The number and capability of people present will influence your assessment of the escaperoutes. You must ensure that your existing escape routes are sufficient and capable ofsafely evacuating all the people likely to use your premises at any time, and particularlyduring times of high usage (e.g. during an amateur dramatics perfomance in a village hall).If necessary you may need either to increase the capacity of the escape routes or restrictthe number of people in the premises.In considering the numbers of people using your premises, you may also need to takeaccount of the possible effects of intoxicants (alcohol, illegal drugs, etc.) on how peoplemay react in a fire. You also need to take account of the type of event being held on thepremises, for example if it is a ticketed event, or an event with free admission. You mayhave to consider monitoring the number of people entering the premises, controlling entrynumbers or controlling the numbers within specific areas, and/or preventing migrationand overcrowding. You may also wish to consider other behavioural issues such as parentsseeking their children and people reluctant to abandon their property.escape timeIn the event of a fire, it is important to evacuate people as quickly as possible from thepremises. Escape routes in a building should be designed so that people can escapequickly enough to ensure that they are not placed in any danger from fire. The time availablewill depend on a number of factors, including how quickly the fire is detected and thealarm raised, the number of escape routes available, the nature of the occupants and thespeed of fire growth. For simplicity, the travel distances in Part 2, Table 2 on page 81 takethese factors into account. Part 2, Section 4.1 will help you decide the level of risk in yourpremises for escape purposes.the age and construction of the premisesOlder buildings may comprise different construction materials from newer buildings andmay be in a poorer state of repair. The materials from which your premises are constructed,the quality of building work and state of repair could contribute to the speed with which anyfire may spread, and potentially affect the escape routes the occupants will need to use. Afire starting in a building constructed mainly from combustible material will spread fasterthan one where fire-resisting construction materials have been used.If you wish to construct internal partitions or walls in your premises, perhaps to divideup a meeting room, you should ensure that any new partition or wall does not obstructany escape routes or fire exits, extend travel distances or reduce the sound levels of the28

fire alarm system. Any walls that affect the means of escape should be constructed ofappropriate material. (Further technical information is provided in Appendix B.)Depending on the findings of your fire risk assessment, it may be necessary to protect theescape routes against fire and smoke by upgrading the construction of the floors, ceilingand walls to be a fire-resisting standard. You should avoid having combustible wall andceiling linings in your escape routes. For further information see Appendix B. You may needto seek advice from a competent person. Any structural alterations may require buildingregulation approval.the number of escape routes and exitsIn general there should normally be at least two escape routes from all parts of thepremises, but a single escape route may be acceptable in some circumstances (e.g.a premises or part of a premises accommodating less than 60 people or where the traveldistances are limited).Where two escape routes are necessary and to further minimise the risk of peoplebecoming trapped, you should ensure that the escape routes are completely independent ofeach other. This will prevent a fire affecting more than one escape route at the same time.When evaluating escape routes, you may need to build in a safety factor by discountingthe largest exit from your escape plan or doors which cannot be opened quickly. Youcan then determine whether the remaining escape routes from a room, floor or buildingwill be sufficient to evacuate all the occupants within a reasonable time. Escape routesthat provide escape in a single direction only may need additional fire precautions to beregarded as adequate.Exit doors on escape routes and final exit doors shouldnormally open in the direction of travel, and be quickly andeasily opened without the need for a key. Checks should bemade to ensure final exits are wide enough to accommodatethe number of people who may use the escape routes theyserve.Management of escape routesIt is essential that escape routes, and the means provided toensure they are used safely, are managed and maintainedto ensure that they remain usable and available at alltimes when the premises are occupied. Tell employees instaff training sessions about the escape routes within thepremises.Figure 9: A blocked corridor withincorrect signage29

Corridors and stairways that form part of escape routes should be kept clear and hazardfree at all times. Items that may be a source of fuel or pose an ignition risk should never belocated on any corridor or stairway that will be used as an escape route.Further guidance is available in Part 2, Section 4.emergency evacuation of persons with mobility impairmentThe means of escape you provide must be suitable for the evacuation of everyone likely tobe in your premises. This may require additional planning and allocation of staff roles – withappropriate training. Provisions for the emergency evacuation of disabled persons mayinclude:• stairways;• evacuation lifts;• firefighting lifts;• horizontal evacuation;• refuges; and• ramps.Use of these facilities will need to be linked to effective management arrangements as partof your emergency plan. The plan should not rely on Fire and Rescue Service involvementfor it to be effective.Marquees, tents and temporary structuresExit routes from marquees, tents and temporary structures may be over uneven ground ortemporary flooring, duck boards, ramps, etc. These factors should be taken into accountto ensure that there are safe egress routes. Travel distances should be shorter than inconventional buildings (see Part 2, Section 4.1).Further guidance on escape routes is available in Part 2, Section 4.30

Checklist• Is your building constructed, particularly in the case of multi-storey buildings, sothat, if there is a fire, heat and smoke will not spread uncontrolled through thebuilding to the extent that people are unable to use the escape routes?• Are any holes or gaps in walls, ceilings and floors properly sealed, e.g. whereservices such as ventilation ducts and electrical cables pass through them?• Can all the occupants escape to a place of total safety in a reasonable time?• Are the existing escape routes adequate for the numbers and type of peoplethat may need to use them e.g. staff and members of the public, includingdisabled people?• Are the exits in the right place and do the escape routes lead as directly aspossible to a place of total safety?• If there is a fire, could all available exits be affected or will at least one routefrom any part of the premises remain available?• Are the escape routes and final exits kept clear at all times?• Do the doors on escape routes open in the direction of escape?• Can all final exit doors be opened easily and immediately if there is anemergency?• Will everybody be able to safely use the escape routes from your premises?• Are the people who work in the building aware of the importance of maintainingthe safety of the escape routes, e.g. by ensuring that fire doors are not wedgedopen and that combustible materials are not stored within escape routes?• Are there any particular or unusual issues to consider?3.4.4 emergency escape lightingPeople in your premises must be able to find their way to a place of total safety if thereis a fire by using escape routes that have enough lighting. Where any escape routes areinternal and without windows, or your premises are used during periods of darkness,including early darkness on winter days, then some form of back-up to the normal escaperoute lighting (emergency escape lighting) is likely to be required.31

In simple premises, where the escape routes are straightforward, borrowed lighting, e.g.from street lamps where they illuminate escape routes, may be acceptable. Where borrowedlighting is not available, suitably placed torches may be acceptable for the use of staff only.In complex premises it is likely that a more comprehensive system of electrical automaticemergency escape lighting will be needed to illuminate all the escape routes.Where people have difficulty seeing conventional signs, a ‘way-guidance’ system may needto be considered.Further guidance on emergency escape lighting is given in Part 2, Section 5.Checklist• Are your premises used during periods of darkness?• Will there always be sufficient lighting to safely use escape routes?• Do you have back-up power supplies for your emergency lighting?3.4.5 Signs and noticesSignsSigns must be used, where necessary to help people identify escape routes, find firefightingequipment and emergency fire telephones. These signs are required under the Health andSafety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 9, 10 and must complywith the provisions of these Regulations.A fire risk assessment that determines that no escape signs are required (because, forexample, trained staff will always be available to help persons to escape routes), is unlikelyto be acceptable to an enforcing authority other than in the smallest and simplest ofpremises where the exits are in regular use and familiar to staff and guests (e.g. in a smallvillage hall).For a sign to comply with these Regulations it must be in pictogram form (see Figure 10).The pictogram can be supplemented by text if this is considered necessary to make the signmore easily understood, but you must not have a safety sign that uses only text.Where the locations of firefighting equipment are readily apparent and the firefightingequipment is visible at all times e.g. in a foyer, then signs may not be necessary. In all othersituations it is likely that the fire risk assessment will indicate that signs will be necessary.32

Figure 10: Typical fire exit signnoticesNotices must be used, where necessary, toprovide the following:• instructions on how to use any fire safetyequipment;• the actions to be taken in the event of fire;and• help for the Fire and Rescue Service (e.g.location of sprinkler valves or electrical cutoffswitches).All signs and notices should be positioned sothat they can be easily seen and understood.Further guidance on signs and notices is givenin Part 2, Section 6.Figure 11: Simple fire action noticeChecklist• Where necessary, are escape routes and exits, the locations of firefightingequipment and emergency telephones indicated by appropriate signs?• Have you provided notices such as those giving information on how to operatesecurity devices on exit doors, those indicating doors enclosing fire hazards thatmust be kept shut and fire action notices for staff and other people?• Are you maintaining all the necessary signs and notices so that they continue tobe correct, legible and understood?• Are you maintaining signs that you have provided for the information of the Fireand Rescue Service, such as those indicating the location of water suppressionstop valves and the storage of hazardous substances?33

3.4.6 Installation, testing and maintenanceNew fire precautions should be installed by a competent person.You must keep any existing equipment, devices or facilities that are provided in yourpremises for the safety of people, such as fire alarms, fire extinguishers, lighting, signs, fireexits and fire doors, in effective working order and maintain separating elements designedto prevent fire and smoke entering escape routes.You must ensure regular checks, periodic servicing and maintenance are carried outwhatever the size of your premises and any defects are put right as quicklyas possible.You, or a person you have nominated, can carry out certain checks and routinemaintenance work. Further maintenance may need to be carried out by a competentservice engineer. Where contractors are used, third party certification is one methodwhere a reasonable assurance of quality of work and competence can be achieved (seePart 2, Section 8).If you allow your premises to be hired (e.g. a village hall) you retain overall responsibility.However, some of the checking responsibilities should be passed to the hirer under theirhiring agreement to carry out these checks on the day they use the premises.The following are examples of checks and tests that should be considered. You shoulddetermine the appropriate period for these checks from your risk assessment. Theexamples of testing and maintenance given are not intended to be prescriptive and otherregimes may be appropriate.Daily checks (and/or checks before an event)Remove bolts, padlocks and security devices from fire exits, ensure that doors on escaperoutes swing freely and close fully and check escape routes to ensure they are clear fromobstructions and combustible materials and in a good state of repair. Check the fire alarmpanel to ensure the system is active and fully operational. Where practicable, visually checkthat emergency lighting units are in good repair and apparently working. Check that allsafety signs and notices are legible. (See Appendix B3 for more details on bolts, padlocksand security devices.)Weekly tests and checksTest fire detection and warning systems and manually-operated warning devices weeklyfollowing the manufacturer’s or installer’s instructions. Check the batteries of safety torchesand that fire extinguishers and hose reels are correctly located and in apparent workingorder.34

Monthly tests and checksTest all emergency lighting systems and safety torches to make sure they have enoughcharge and illumination according to the manufacturer’s or supplier’s instructions. Thisshould be at an appropriate time when, following the test, they will not be immediatelyrequired.Check that fire doors are in good working order and closing correctly and that the framesand seals are intact.Six-monthly tests and checksA competent person should test and maintain the fire-detection and warning system.Annual tests and checksThe emergency lighting and all firefighting equipment, fire alarms and other installedsystems should be tested and maintained by a competent person.All structural fire protection and elements of fire compartmentation should be inspectedand any remedial action carried out. Specific guidance on the maintenance of timber fireresistingdoors is given in Appendix B2.Appendix A.1 provides an example of a fire safety maintenance checklist. You will find ituseful to keep a log book of all maintenance and testing.Further guidance on maintenance and testing of individual types of equipment and facilitiescan be found in the relevant section in Part 2.Checklist• Do you regularly check all fire doors and escape routes and associated lightingand signs?• Do you regularly check all your firefighting equipment?• Do you regularly check your fire detection and alarm equipment?• Are those who test and maintain the equipment competent to do so?• Do you keep a log book to record tests and maintenance?35

Step 3 Checklistevaluate, remove, reduce and protect from risks by:• Evaluating the risk to people in your building if a fire starts.• Removing or reducing the hazards that might cause a fire.Have you:– Removed or reduced sources of ignition?– Removed or reduced sources of fuel?– Removed or reduced sources of air or oxygen?Have you removed or reduced the risks to people if a fire occurs by:– Considering the need for fire detection and for warning?– Considering the need for firefighting equipment?– Determining whether your escape routes are adequate?– Determining whether your lighting and emergency lighting are adequate?– Checking that you have adequate signs and notices?– Regularly testing and maintaining safety equipment?– Considering whether you need any other equipment or facilities?SteP 4 ReCoRD, PlAn, InFoRM, InStRuCt AnD tRAInIn Step 4 there are four further elements of the risk assessment you should focus on toaddress the management of fire safety in your premises. In some premises with simplelayouts this could be done as part of the day-to-day management; however, as the premisesor the organisation get larger it may be necessary for a formal structure and written policy tobe developed. Further guidance on managing fire safety is given in Part 2 on page 45.4.1 Record the significant findings and action takenIf you or your organisation employ five or more people, your premises are licensed, or analterations notice requiring you to do so is in force, you must record the significant findingsof your fire risk assessment and the actions you have taken.Significant findings should include details of:• the fire hazards you have identified (you don’t need to include trivial things like a smalltin of solvent-based glue);36

• the actions you have taken or will take to remove or reduce the chance of a fireoccurring (preventive measures);• persons who may be at risk, particularly those especially at risk;• the actions you have taken or will take to reduce the risk to people from the spreadof fire and smoke (protective measures);• the actions people need to take in case of fire including details of any personsnominated to carry out a particular function (your emergency plan); and• the information, instruction and training you have identified that people need and how itwill be given.Further information can be found in Part 2.You may also wish to record discussions you have had with staff or staff representatives(including trade unions).Even where you are not required to record the significant findings, it is good practice to do so.In some premises record keeping may be no more than a few sheets of paper (possiblyforming part of a health and safety folder), containing details of significant findings, anyaction taken and a copy of the emergency plan.AssemblypointWCWCKitchenKEYFire warden to checkStaffroomLobbyBreak glass call pointEmergency lightingFire extinguisherOfficeFire exit signStoreroomHallSelf-closing 30-minutefire door30-minute fire-resistingconstructionFigure 12: Example of a line drawing general fire safety precautions37

The record could take the form of a simple list which may be supported by a simple plan ofthe premises (see Figure 12). More complex premises may need a more detailed record;however, there is no one ‘correct’ format specified for this.You must be able to satisfy the enforcing authority, if called upon to do so, that you havecarried out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment. Keeping records will help you dothis and will also form the basis of your subsequent reviews. If you keep records, you do notneed to record all the details, only those that are significant and the action you have taken.It might be helpful to include a simple line drawing. This can also help you check your fireprecautions as part of your ongoing review.The findings of your fire risk assessment will help you to develop your emergency plan, theinstruction, information and training you need to provide, the co-operation and co-ordinationarrangements you may need to have with other appropriate people and the arrangementsfor maintenance and testing of the fire precautions. If you are required to record thesignificant findings of your fire risk assessment then these arrangements must also berecorded.Further guidance about fire safety records with an example is given in Part 2, Section 7.1.Checklist• Have you recorded the significant findings of your assessment?• Have you recorded what you have done to remove or reduce the risk?• Are your records available for inspection by the enforcing authority?4.2 emergency plansYou need to have an emergency plan for dealing with a fire situation.The purpose of an emergency plan is to ensure that the people in your premises know whatto do if there is a fire and that the premises can be safely evacuated.If you or your organisation employ five or more people, or your premises are licensedor an alterations notice requiring it is in force, then details of your emergency plan must berecorded. Even if it is not required, it is good practice to keep a record.38

Your emergency plan should be based on the outcome of your fire risk assessment and beavailable for your employees, their representatives (where appointed) and the enforcingauthority.In premises with simple layouts the emergency plan may be no more than a fire actionnotice. In multi-occupied and more complex premises the emergency plan will need to bemore detailed and compiled after consultation with other occupiers and other appropriatepeople, e.g. owners, who have control over the building. In most cases this means that anemergency plan covering the whole building will be necessary. It will help if you can agreeone person to co-ordinate this task.Further guidance on emergency plans is given in Part 2, Section 7.2.Checklist• Do you have an emergency plan and, where necessary, have you recordedthe details?• Does your plan take account of other emergency plans applicable to the samebuilding?• Is the plan readily available for staff to read?• Is the emergency plan available to the enforcing authority?4.3 Inform, instruct, co-operate and co-ordinateYou must give clear and relevant information and appropriate instructions to your staff andthe employers of other people working in your premises, such as contractors, about how toprevent fires and what they should do if there is a fire.If you intend to employ a child, you must inform the parents of the significant risks you haveidentified and the precautions you have taken. You must also co-operate and co-ordinatewith other appropriate people who use any part of the premises. It is unlikely that youremergency plan will work without this.Information and instructionAll staff should be given information and instruction as soon as possible after they areappointed and regularly after that. Make sure you include staff who work outsidenormal working hours, such as contract cleaners or maintenance staff.39

All other relevant persons should be given information about the fire safety arrangementsas soon as possible. Information should be available for the public, e.g. fire action notices.The information and instructions you give must be in a form that can be used andunderstood. They should take account of those with disabilities such as hearing or sightimpairment, those with learning difficulties and those who do not use English as their firstlanguage.The information and instruction you give should be based on your emergency plan and mustinclude:• the significant findings from your fire risk assessment;• the measures that you have put in place to reduce the risk;• what staff should do if there is a fire;• the identity of people you have nominated with responsibilities for fire safety; and• any special arrangements for serious and imminent danger to persons from fire.Information and instruction may simply involve an explanation of the fire proceduresand how they are to be applied. This should include showing staff the fire-protectionarrangements, including the designated escape routes, the location and operation of thefire-warning system and any other fire-safety equipment provided, such as fire extinguishers.Fire action notices can complement this information and, where used, should be posted inprominent locations.Further guidance on information and instruction to staff, and on working with dangeroussubstances, is given in Part 2, Section 7.3.Co-operation and co-ordinationIn premises that are not multi-occupied you are likely to be solely responsible. However,in buildings owned by someone else, or where there is more than one occupier, and othersare responsible for different parts of the building, it is important that you liaise with themand inform them of any significant risks that you have identified. By liaising you can coordinateyour resources to ensure that your actions and working practices do not placeothers at risk if there is a fire, and a co-ordinated emergency plan operates effectively.Where two or more appropriate persons share premises in which an explosive atmospheremay occur, the appropriate person with overall responsibility for the premises mustco-ordinate any measures necessary to protect everyone from any risk that may arise.Employees also have a responsibility to co-operate with their employer so far as it isnecessary to help the employer comply with any legal duty.40

Further guidance on co-operation and co-ordination is given in Part 2, Section 7.3.Checklist• Have you told your staff about the emergency plan?• Do you know the location and identity of people you have nominated to do aparticular task?• Have you given staff information about any dangerous substances?• Do you have arrangements for informing temporary or agency staff?• Do you have arrangements for informing other employers whose staff are guestworkers in your premises, such as maintenance contractors and cleaners?• Have you informed guests and visitors about what to do in an emergency?• Have you co-ordinated your fire safety arrangements with other appropriatepeople and with any contractors in the building?• Have you recorded details of any information or instructions you have given andthe details of any arrangements for co-operation and co-ordination with others?4.4 Fire safety trainingYou must provide adequate fire safety training for your staff. The type of training should bebased on the particular features of your premises and should:• take account of the findings of the fire risk assessment;• explain your emergency procedures;• take account of the work activity and explain the duties and responsibilities of staff;• take place during normal working hours and be repeated periodically whereappropriate;• be easily understandable by your staff and other people who may be present; and• be tested by fire drills.41

In simple premises this may be no more than showing new staff the fire exits and givingbasic training on what to do if there is a fire. In most premises, in particular where there is ahigh staff turnover and many shift patterns, the organisation of fire safety training will needto be more formal, e.g. by an induction course. Some of your staff may have received somefire safety training as part of a national accreditation scheme (e.g. door staff and stewards).Your training should include the following:• what to do on discovering a fire;• how to raise the alarm and what happens then;• what to do upon hearing the fire alarm;• the procedures for alerting members of the public and visitors including, whereappropriate, directing them to exits;• the arrangements for calling Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service;• the evacuation procedures for everyone (including the public and contractors) in yourpremises to reach an assembly point at a place of total safety;• the location and, when appropriate, the use of firefighting equipment;• the location of escape routes, especially those not in regular use;• how to open all emergency exit doors;• the importance of keeping fire doors closed to prevent the spread of fire, heat andsmoke;• where appropriate, how to stop machines and processes and isolate power suppliesin the event of a fire;• the reason for not using lifts (except those specifically installed or nominated,following a suitable fire risk assessment);• the safe use of and risks from storing or working with highly flammable andexplosive substances; and• the importance of general fire safety, which includes good housekeeping.All the staff identified in your emergency plan that have a supervisory role if there is a fire(e.g. fire marshals or wardens), should be given details of your fire risk assessment andreceive additional training.42

Further guidance on training and how to carry out a fire drill is given in Part 2, Section 7.4.Checklist• Have your staff received any fire safety training?• Have you carried out a fire drill recently?• Are employees aware of specific tasks if there is a fire?• Are you maintaining a record of training sessions?• Do you carry out joint training and fire drills in multi-occupied buildings?• If you use or store hazardous or explosive substances have your staff receivedappropriate training?SteP 5 RevIeWYou should constantly monitor what you are doing to implement the fire risk assessment, toassess how effectively the risk is being controlled.If you have any reason to suspect that your fire risk assessment is no longer valid or therehas been a significant change in your premises that has affected your fire precautions, youwill need to review your assessment and if necessary revise it. Reasons for review couldinclude:• changes to work activities or the way that you organise them, including theintroduction of new equipment;• alterations to the building, including the internal layout;• substantial changes to furniture and fixings;• the introduction, change of use or increase in the storage of hazardous substances;• the failure of fire precautions, e.g. fire-detection systems and alarm systems, life safetysprinklers or ventilation systems;43

• significant changes to displays or quantities of stock;• a significant increase in the number of people present; and• the presence of people with some form of disability.You should consider the potential risk of any significant change before it is introduced.It is usually more effective to minimise a risk by, for example, ensuring adequate,appropriate storage space for an item before introducing it to your premises.Do not amend your assessment for every trivial change, but if a change introduces newhazards you should consider them and, if significant, do whatever you need to do to keepthe risks under control. In any case you should keep your assessment under review tomake sure that the precautions are still working effectively. You may want to re-examinethe fire prevention and protection measures at the same time as your health and safetyassessment.If a fire or ‘near miss’ occurs, this could indicate that your existing assessment may beinadequate and you should carry out a re-assessment. It is good practice to identify thecause of any incident and then review and, if necessary, revise your fire risk assessment inthe light of this.Records of testing, maintenance and training, etc. are useful aids in a review process. SeeAppendix A1 for an example.Alterations noticesIf you have been served with an ‘alterations notice’ check it to see whether you need tonotify the enforcing authority about any changes you propose to make as a result of yourreview. If these changes include building work, you should also consult a building controlbody.enD oF PARt 1You should now have completed the five-step fire risk assessment process, using theadditional information in Part 2 where necessary. In any review you may need to revisitSteps 1 to 4.44

Part 2 Further guidance on fire riskassessment and fire precautionsManaging fire safetyGood management of fire safety in yourpremises is essential to ensure that anyfire safety matters that arise are alwayseffectively addressed. In simple premisesthis can be achieved by the manager orowner maintaining and planning fire safetyin conjunction with general health andsafety.In larger premises it is good practicefor a senior manager to have overallresponsibility for fire safety. It may beappropriate for this responsibility to beplaced with the manager designated withoverall responsibility for health and safety.If your premises are owned or managedby a corporate organisation, e.g. anational company with multiple outlets,the organisation’s fire safety policy shouldbe flexible enough to allow modification.This is particularly important when localmanagers have to function daily with otherbusinesses in the same building. It shouldbe recognised that fire safety operates at alllevels within an organisation and thereforelocal managers should be able to develop,where necessary, a local action plan fortheir premises.The company policy should be set out inwriting and may cover such things as:• who will hold the responsibility for firesafety at board level;• who will be the appropriate person foreach of their premises (this will be theperson who has overall control, usuallythe manager, but may be part-time orshift managers);• the arrangement whereby thoseresponsible for fire safety will, wherenecessary, nominate in writing specificpeople to carry out particular tasks ifthere is a fire; and• the arrangement whereby regional orarea managers should monitor andcheck that individual managers aremeeting the requirements of the firesafety law.You should have a plan of action to bringtogether all the features you have evaluatedand noted from your fire risk assessmentso that you can logically plan what needs tobe done. It should not be confused with theemergency plan, which is a statement ofwhat you will do if there is a fire.The plan of action should include what youintend to do to reduce the hazards andrisks you have identified and to implementthe necessary protection measures.You will need to prioritise these actionsto ensure that any findings which identifypeople in immediate danger are dealtwith straight away, e.g. unlocking fireexits. In other cases where people arenot in immediate danger but action is stillnecessary, it may be acceptable to plan thisover a period of time.You need to be aware that certain functionse.g. discos, can present additional dangersfor the audience, largely from the effects ofover excitement and irrational behaviour;together with the higher noise level andflashing lights. In such circumstances, andparticularly where there is a mainly youngeraudience, you should ensure that thereare a sufficient number of competent andadequately trained attendants to cover45

an emergency situation; and a publicaddress system which can over-ride theperformance and be heard clearly in allparts of the premises will be required.Before admitting the public to yourpremises you need to ensure that all ofyour fire safety provisions are in place andin working order, or, if not, that alternativearrangements are in place. Constantchecks are needed while the public arepresent, and again after they have left.Detailed recommendations are given inBS 9999 11 .The guidance in Part 2 provides additionalinformation to:• ensure good fire safety management byhelping you establish your fire preventionmeasures, fire precautions and firesafety procedures (systems, equipmentand plans); and• assist you to carry out your fire safetyrisk assessment and identify any issuesthat need attention.It is important that the manager ensuresthat where, for operational reasons, staffare transferred to another part of thepremises, they are made aware of themeans of escape and fire procedures ofthe new work area (including any additionalresponsibilities) if this differs from theirpermanent duty station.Where your premises or parts of yourpremises are either hired or leased thenthe management responsibilities of thehirer should be defined.For a place of assembly, Northern IrelandFire and Rescue Service should be called toevery outbreak of fire.46

Section 1 Further guidance on firerisks and preventative measuresThis section provides further informationon evaluating the risk of a fire and itsprevention in your premises. You shouldspend time developing long-term workableand effective strategies to reduce hazardsand the risk of a fire starting. At its simplestthis means separating flammable materialsfrom ignition sources.You should consider:• housekeeping;• storage;• dangerous substances: storage and use;• equipment and machinery;• electrical safety;• smoking;• managing building work and alterations;• existing layout and construction;• particular hazards in corridors andstairways used as escape routes;• insulated core panels;• restricting the spread of fire and smoke;be monitored carefully. Good housekeepingis essential to reduce the chances ofescape routes and fire doors being blockedor obstructed.RefuseThe accumulation of waste and litter(such as programmes and food and drinkpackaging) should be avoided. All parts ofthe premises should therefore be inspectedbefore, during (as far as is practicable)and after each event or period open to thepublic. Any accumulation of waste or littershould be removed without delay or kept ina fire-resisting container or room, pendingremoval.Sufficient waste and litter bins should beprovided and arrangements made for theirfrequent emptying, especially during anevent or function of extended duration.Waste material should be kept in suitablecontainers prior to removal from thepremises. If bins, particularly wheeled bins,are used outside, they should be securedin a compound to prevent them beingmoved to a position next to the building andset on fire. Skips should never be placedagainst a building and should normally be aminimum of 6m away from any part of thepremises (see Figure 13).• deliberate fire setting; and• help for people with special needs.1.1 HousekeepingGood housekeeping will lower the chancesof a fire starting, so the accumulation ofcombustible materials in premises shouldFigure 13: Bins under a stairway47

If you generate a considerable quantity ofcombustible waste material then you mayneed to develop a formal plan to managethis effectively.In high risk areas you need to make surearrangements are in place for safe closedown, e.g. checking all appliances areturned off and combustible waste has beenremoved.1.2 StorageMany of the materials found in yourpremises will be combustible. If yourpremises have inadequate or poorlymanaged storage areas then the risk of fireis likely to be increased (see Figure 14). Themore combustible materials you store thegreater the source of fuel for a fire. Poorlyaranged storage could prevent equipmentsuch as sprinklers working effectively.Combustible materials are not just thosegenerally regarded as highly combustible,such as polystyrene, but all materialsthat will readily catch fire. However, bycarefully considering the type of material,the quantities kept and the storagearrangements, the risks can be significantlyreduced.Stacks of combustible materials (e.g.seating or, in offices, the retention of largequantities of paper records) can increasethe fire hazard. Such readily availablecombustible material makes the potentialeffect of deliberate fire setting moreserious.Case StudyA church owned a petrol-drivenlawnmower. When not in use, thelawnmower was stored under the stairsinside the church, and exposed to thepublic. The lawnmower presented asignificant risk, and could be a target fordeliberate fire setting.The lawnmower should have been storedin a property ventilated fire-resistingstoreroom away from the church.Many premises will take great care topresent an efficient and attractive image inthe public areas, while storage areas areneglected and allowed to become dumpingareas for unused material.Figure 14: An example of poor storage48

Do not pile combustible material againstelectrical equipment or heaters, even ifturned off for the summer, and do notallow smoking in areas where combustiblematerials are stored.To reduce the risk, store excess materialsin a dedicated storage area, storeroom orcupboard. Do not store excess materials inareas where the public would normally haveaccess.Consider how materials are stored andevaluate any additional risk of fire thatit generates. For example, to reduce thepotential rate of fire growth, when not inuse foam gym mats should be laid flatand stacked on top of one another in adedicated storeroom. Stacked side by sideor vertically against a wall, the potentialspeed with which the fire may grow issignificantly increased.Your fire risk assessment should alsoconsider any additional risk generated byseasonal products such as fireworks andChristmas decorations.Consider the following to reduce theserisks:• ensure storage and display areas areadequately controlled and monitored;• use fire-retardant display materialswherever possible (suppliers should beable to provide evidence of this); and• ensure electrical lighting used as part ofthe display does not become a potentialsource of ignition.Furnishings, upholstered seating andcushionsWhen stored in bulk, certain types ofcushioning (e.g. which is distributed orhired for event use), foam mats and ballpit play areas pose a risk of a rapid firegrowth and should therefore be stored in afire-resisting container or room. (See alsoSection 1.11.)Cellars and basementsCellars and basements are often usedfor storage, of items such as stock andpromotional materials, fuel used foroutdoor barbeques and patio heaters.Care may be needed if the cellar connectsdirectly to the rest of the building,especially if the cellar is accessible to thepublic. Cellar areas may also offer a targetfor deliberate fire setters and should besecured against unauthorised access.Scenery store, storage enclosures, openstage storageBecause scenery often comprisescombustible materials, you need to takeparticular care with its storage and, inparticular, storage on an open stage.Only materials which you know are notcombustible should be stored on an openstage; otherwise such materials should bestored in a 30-minute fire-resisting storageenclosure when they are not in current use.If in doubt you should seek specialist advice.49

1.3 Dangerous substances:storage, display and useSpecific precautions are required whenhandling and storing dangerous substancesto minimise the possibility of an incident.Your supplier should be able to providedetailed advice on safe storage andhandling; however, the following principleswill help you reduce the risk from fire:• substitute highly flammable substancesand materials with less flammable ones;• reduce the quantity of dangeroussubstances to the smallest reasonableamount necessary for running thebusiness or organisation;• correctly store dangerous substances,e.g. in a fire-resisting enclosure. Allflammable liquids and gases shouldideally be locked away, especially whenthe premises are unoccupied, to reducethe chance of them being used in adeliberate fire setting attack; and• ensure that you and your employeesare aware of the fire risk the dangeroussubstances present and the precautionsnecessary to avoid danger.Additional general fire precautions may beneeded to take account of the additionalrisks that may be posed by the storage anduse of these substances.see the HSE’s Approved code of practiceand guidance 13 ).Flammable liquidsHighly flammable liquids present aparticularly high fire risk. For example,a leak from a container of flammablesolvents, such as acetone, may producelarge quantities of heavier-than-airflammable vapours. These can travel largedistances, increasing the likelihood of themreaching a source of ignition well awayfrom the original leak, such as a basementcontaining heating plant and/or electricalequipment on automatic timers.Flammable liquids stored in plasticcontainers can be a particular problem ifinvolved in fire because they readily melt,spilling their contents and fuelling rapid firegrowth.The risk is reduced by ensuring thestorage and use of highly flammableliquids is carefully managed, thatmaterials contaminated with solvent areproperly disposed of (see Figure 15) andwhen not in use, they are safely stored. Upto 50 litres may be stored in a fire-resistingcabinet or bin that will contain any leaks(see Figure 16).Certain substances and materials are bytheir nature, highly flammable, oxidising orpotentially explosive. These substances arecontrolled by other legislation in addition tofire safety law, in particular the DangerousSubstances and Explosive AtmospheresRegulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 12 (also50

lPg storage and useWhere LPG in cylinders or cartridges ispresent you need to take particular care tominimise the possibility of its involvementin a fire. The total amount of LPG shouldbe kept to the minimum necessary to meetyour needs.Half-hourHalf-hourfire-resistant fire-resistant exterior exteriorMaximum Maximum 50 litres 50 litres totalFigure 15: A fire-resisting pedal bin for ragsNon-combustible,Non-combustible,high melting melting point hinges pointhingesBonded/fireBonded/fire stopped junctionstopped junctionFigure 16: A 50 litre flammable storage binThere should be no potential ignitionsources in areas where flammableliquids are used or stored and flammableconcentrations of vapours may be present.Any electrical equipment used in theseareas, including fire alarm and emergencylighting systems, needs to be suitable foruse in flammable atmospheres. In suchsituations, it is recommended thatyou seek advice from a competent person.The two primary forms of LPG used forheating and/or cooking purposes arePropane and Butane. Propane cylindersmust be stored outside buildingson firm level ground and in a wellventilated location. The only exceptionfor using propane inside a building isfor maintenance purposes on a limited,temporary basis. For information on theuse and storage of butane cylinders refer tothe Liquefied Petroleum Gas Association’sCode of Practice 14 or contact the HSENI.Locate the LPG cylinders and cartridgesin a safe, secure and well ventilated placewhere:• they cannot be interfered with;• they can be kept upright (with valveprotection fitted);• they are away from sources of ignitionand/or ignitable materials; and• are away from any corrosive toxic oroxidant materials.51

Where there are retail premises within theplace of assembly holding LPG cylindersand cartridges, the maximum stock shouldnot exceed the recommended amount andshould be kept in a safe place, where theycannot be interfered with, and away fromstairways, exit doors and places where theymight obstruct means of escape.Stock in excess of the recommendedamount should be kept in a properlydesigned and located storage area awayfrom the premises or in a building that isdedicated for LPG. Advice on the use ofLPG for heating is given in Section 1.4.Bulk storage tanks for LPG shouldbe designed, installed and located inaccordance with industry guidance.LPG must not be kept/stored below groundlevel within a building i.e. in a basement.Before using or storing LPG in yourpremises a Risk Assessment should becarried out. If you are in any doubt aboutthe safety of your premises you shouldconsult a competent person.Further guidance on the safe storage ofLPG is available from your supplier, theLiquefied Petroleum Gas Association’sCode of Practice 14 or the HSENI.PipingPiping conveying gas or flammable liquidshould be, as far as practicable, of rigidmetal. Any necessary flexible piping shouldconsist of material suitable for the gasor liquid being conveyed; it should beadequately reinforced to resist crushingand withstand the maximum internalpressure to which it may be subjected. Anyconnections to the flexible piping shouldbe of an approved pattern (i.e. screwed orotherwise secured with a patent designdevice to prevent accidental disconnection).If in doubt you should seek advice from acompetent person.Storage and use of cylindersOnly those compressed gas cylinders or gasvessels containing flammable liquids or gasunder pressure required for immediate useshould be kept within the premises. Anyspare cylinders should be stored in a safeand secure location outside the building.Hazardous materialsWhere it is necessary to utilise hazardousmaterials, such as fuels (whether incontainers or within fuel tanks andmachinery), fertilisers, weed killers, paints,they should be stored in a secure and safelocation, for example a properly ventilatedfire-resistant storeroom. Care should alsobe taken to ensure that incompatiblematerials are not stored together. If in anydoubt you should seek the advice of yoursupplier.explosives and flammable substancesYou should adopt and enforce a clear policyprohibiting people from bringing flares orfireworks into the premises.Explosive or highly flammable substancesshould only be brought onto the premisesunder specified and monitored conditions.All pyrotechnics and similar substancesmust be operated safely and in accordancewith manufacturer’s instructions.‘Homemade’ pyrotechnics or those with adoubtful origin should not be used.52

Pyrotechnics intended for use in theopen air should not be used inside yourpremises.Pyrotechnics should only be used by aperson(s) who is trained and competent tohandle them.Issues that need to be considered include:• siting of the pyrotechnic devices;• type of firing device to be employed;• use of bomb tanks;• storage, storage receptacles andenclosures; and• general safety and security.Detailed recommendations on the useand storage of explosives and flammablesubstances are given by the Associationof British Theatre Technicians 15 and theHealth and Safety Executive 16 .Real flameReal flame (including candles) should notbe used in an entertainment unless yourrisk assessment shows that it can be donesafely. Where real flame is used, a trainedmember of your staff should monitorthe activity and have an appropriate fireextinguisher readily available.Smoke and vapour effects, lasers andstrobes and firearmsSuch equipment should be operated safelyand in accordance with manufacturer’sinstructions. The recommendationsregarding the use of pyrotechnics (seeabove), equipment and machinery andelectrical safety should be applied asappropriate. However, such devices cancreate an illusion of the presence of fire(and/or smoke) and consequently someadditional measures may need to be takento avoid unnecessary alarm and also toensure that the use of such devices doesnot disguise the presence of a real fire.Detailed recommendations on the useof smoke and vapour effects, lasers andstrobes and firearms are given by the HSE 17 .Premises licensed under the Licensing(Northern Ireland) Order 1996 6 or the LocalGovernment (Miscellaneous Provisions)(Northern Ireland) Order 1985 7 may haveconditions prohibiting or restricting the useof explosives, flammable substances, realflame, smoke and vapour effects, lasersand strobes or firearms. You may need toconsult the local licensing authority on thismatter.1.4 equipment and machineryCommon causes of fire in equipment andmachinery are:• allowing ventilation points to becomeclogged or blocked, causing overheating;• allowing extraction equipment incatering environments to build upexcessive grease deposits;• loose drive belts or lack of lubricationleading to increased friction;• disabling or interfering with automaticor manual safety features and cut-outs;and53

• leaking valves, glands or joints allowingoils and other flammable liquids tocontaminate adjacent floors or goods.All machinery, equipment and plant,including cooking and heating equipment,and office equipment such as photocopiers,should be properly maintained by acompetent person. Appropriate signs andinstructions on safe use may be necessary.HeatingIndividual heating appliances requireparticular care if they are to be usedsafely, particularly those which are keptfor emergency use during a power cut oras supplementary heating during severeweather. The greatest risks arise from lackof maintenance and staff unfamiliaritywith them. Heaters should be secured inposition when in use and fitted with a fireguard if appropriate.As a general rule, convector or fan heatersshould be preferred to radiant heatersbecause they present a lower risk of fireand injury.The following rules should be observed:• All heaters should be kept well clear ofcombustible materials and where theydo not cause an obstruction.• Heaters which burn a fuel should besited away from draughts.• Portable fuel burning heaters (includingbottled gas (LPG)) should only beused in public areas in exceptionalcircumstances and if shown to beacceptable in your risk assessment.All gas heating appliances should be usedonly in accordance with manufacturer’sinstructions and should be servicedannually by a competent person.1.5 electrical safetyElectrical equipment is a significant causeof accidental fires in premises. The maincauses are:• overheating cables and equipment, e.g.due to overloading circuits, bunched orcoiled cables or impaired cooling fans;• incorrect installation or use ofequipment;• damaged or inadequate insulation oncables or wiring;• combustible materials being placedtoo close to electrical equipment whichmay give off heat even when operatingnormally or may become hot due to afault;• arcing or sparking by electricalequipment; and• lack of maintenance or testing.All electrical equipment should be installedand maintained in a safe manner by acompetent person. If portable electricalequipment is used, including items broughtinto a workplace by staff, then your firerisk assessment should ensure that it isvisually inspected and undergoes portableappliance testing (‘PAT’) at intervalssuitable for the type of equipment and itsfrequency of use (refer to HSE guidance 18 ).If you have any doubt about the safety of54

your electrical installation then you shouldconsult a competent electrician.Issues to consider include:• overloading of equipment;• correct fuse ratings;• PAT testing and testing of the fixedinstallation;• protection against overloading ofinstallation;• protection against short circuit;• insulation, earthing and electricalisolation requirements;• frequency of electrical inspection andtest;• annual electrical inspection and test;• temperature rating and mechanicalstrength of flexible cables;• portable electrical equipment, includinglanterns;• physical environment in which theequipment is used (e.g. wet or dustyatmospheres); and• suitable use and maintenance ofpersonal protective equipment.All electrical installations should beregularly maintained by a competentelectrical engineer, appointed by you, oron your behalf, in accordance with theElectricity at Work Regulations (NorthernIreland) 1991 19 , as amended in 1998 20 and1999 21 . The use of low voltage equipmentshould conform to the requirements of theElectrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations1994 22 , including the requirement to be CEmarked.1.6 SmokingThe Smoking (Northern Ireland) Order2006 23 makes it against the law to smokein enclosed or substantially enclosedworkplaces, public places and certainvehicles. Premises covered includerestaurants, bars, cafes, hotels, theatres,bingo halls, leisure centres, shoppingcentres, schools, hospitals and all clubs. Ifhowever you choose to provide designatedsmoking areas within your premises thenyou should consider the following guidance.Carelessly discarded cigarettes and othersmoking materials are a major cause of fire.A cigarette can smoulder for several hours,especially when surrounded by combustiblematerial. Many fires are started severalhours after the smoking materials havebeen emptied into waste bags and left forfuture disposal.Operate a safe smoking policy in thedesignated smoking areas and prohibitsmoking elsewhere. Display suitable signsthroughout the premises informing peopleof the smoking policy and the locationswhere smoking is permitted. Smokingshould be prohibited in those parts of thepremises which are constructed of, orcontain, combustible or flammable items ormaterials.In those areas where smoking is permitted,provide deep and substantial metalashtrays to help prevent unsuitable55

containers being used. Empty all ashtraysdaily into a metal waste bin and take itoutside. It is dangerous to empty ashtraysinto plastic waste sacks which are then leftinside for disposal later.1.7 Managing building work andalterationsFires are more frequent when buildings areundergoing refurbishment or alteration.You should ensure that, before anybuilding work starts, you have reviewedthe fire risk assessment and consideredwhat additional dangers are likely to beintroduced. You will need to evaluate theadditional risks to people, particularlyin those buildings that continue to beoccupied. Lack of pre-planning can leadto haphazard co-ordination of fire safetymeasures.You should liaise and exchange informationwith contractors who will also have aduty under the Construction (Design andManagement) Regulations (NorthernIreland) 2007 24, 25 to carry out a riskassessment and inform you of theirsignificant findings and the preventivemeasures they may employ. This may besupported by the contractors’ agreed workmethod statement. The designer shouldalso have considered fire safety as part ofthe Construction (Design and Management)Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 24, 25 .You should continuously monitor the impactof the building work on the general firesafety precautions, such as the increasedrisk from quantities of combustiblematerials and accumulated waste andmaintaining adequate means of escape.You should only allow the minimummaterials necessary for the work in handwithin or adjacent to your building.Activities involving hot work such aswelding, flame cutting, use of blow lampsor portable grinding equipment can pose aserious fire hazard and need to be strictlycontrolled when carried out in areas nearflammable materials. This can be doneby having a written permit to work for thepeople involved (whether they are youremployees or those of contractor).A permit to work is appropriate in situationsof high hazard/risk and, for example, wherethere is a need to:• ensure that there is a formal checkconfirming that a safe system of work isbeing followed;• co-ordinate with other people oractivities;• provide time limits when it is safe tocarry out the work; and• provide specialised personal protectiveequipment (such as breathing appratus)or methods of communication.Additional risks that can occur duringbuilding work include:• hot work such as flame cutting, weldingor, soldering, paint stripping;• temporary electrical equipment;• blocking of escape routes, includingexternal escape routes;• introduction of combustibles into anescape route;56

• loss of normal storage facilities;• fire safety equipment, such as automaticfire-detection systems becomingaffected;• fire-resisting partitions being breachedor fire doors being wedged open (seeAppendix B1 for information on fireresistingseparation); and• additional personnel who may beunfamiliar with the premises.You must notify the Fire and Rescue Serviceabout alterations in your premises if analterations notice is in force.Further guidance on fire safety duringconstruction work is available from the FireProtection Association 26 .1.8 existing layout andconstructionIn many premises, the design is for openplanareas allowing members of the publicand staff to move freely throughout the floor.Traditionally, occupants are advised to shutdoors when escaping from a fire but inopen-plan areas this may not be possible.In these areas the fire, and especially thesmoke, may spread faster than expected.To assess the risk in your premises youneed to evaluate the construction and layoutof your premises. This does not mean astructural survey, unless you suspect thatthe structure is damaged or any structuralfire protection is missing or damaged, butrather an informed look around to see ifthere are any easy paths through whichsmoke and fire may spread and whatyou can do to stop that. In general, olderbuildings will have more void areas, possiblyhidden from view, which will allow smokeand fire to spread away from its source.Whatever your type of building, you mayneed to consider typical situations that mayassist the spread of fire and smoke such as:• vertical shafts, e.g. lifts, open stairways,dumb waiters or holes for moving stockaround;• false ceilings, especially if they are notfire-stopped above walls;• voids behind wall panelling;• unsealed holes in walls and ceilingswhere pipe work, cables or otherservices have been installed; and• doors, particularly to stairways, whichare ill-fitting or routinely left open.Marquees, tents and temporary structuresMarquees, tents and temporary structuresshould be of proven fire performance. Anyflexible membrane covering a structure(other than an air supported structure)should comply with the recommendationsgiven in Appendix A of BS 7157 27 .Emergency lighting should be provided onescape routes.Ensure that all long grass around amarquee is cut before the marquee iserected and remove the cuttings to preventthe risk of fire.57

1.9 Particular hazards in escaperoutesItems that are a source of fuel, pose anignition risk, or are combustible and likelyto increase the fire loading or spread offire, should not be located on any corridoror stairway or circulation space that willbe used as an escape route. Such itemsinclude:• portable heaters, e.g. bottled gas (LPG)or electric radiant heaters and electricconvectors or boilers;• gas cylinders for supplying heaters;• cooking appliances; and• unenclosed gas pipes, meters, and otherfittings.1.10 Insulated core panelsMany buildings have insulated corepanels as exterior cladding or for internalstructures and partitions. They are oftenused because they are easily constructed,which enables alterations and additionalinternal partitions to be erected withminimum disruption to business.They normally consist of a centralinsulated core, sandwiched between aninner and outer metal skin (see Figure17). The central core can be made ofvarious insulating materials, ranging fromvirtually non-combustible through to highlycombustible. Fire can grow unnoticed in thecore and only become apparent when it iswell developed.However, depending on the findings of yourrisk assessment and where more thanone escape route is available, the itemsbelow may be acceptable if the minimumexit widths are maintained and the itempresents a relatively low fire risk:• coat racks;• non-combustible lockers;• vending machines;• small items of electrical equipment (e.g.photocopiers); and• small quantities of upholsteredfurniture which meets BS 7176 28 or theFurniture and Furnishing (Fire) (Safety)Regulations 1988 29 (as amended1993) 30 .Figure 17: Insulated core panels - internal panelIt is difficult to identifty the type of core thepanels have, therefore best practice canhelp you reduce any additional risk.• Do not store highly combustiblematerials, or install heating appliances,such as baking ovens, against thepanels.• Control ignition sources that areadjacent to, or penetrating the panels.58

• Have damaged panels or sealed jointsrepaired immediately and make surethat jointing compounds or gasketsused around the edges of the panels arein good order.• Check where openings have been madefor doors, windows, cables and ducts toensure that these have been effectivelysealed and the inner core has not beenexposed.• Check that there has been nomechanical damage, e.g. caused bymobile equipment.• Ensure that any loads, such as storageand equipment, are only supported bypanels that have been designed andinstalled to perform this function.• Check that inner and outer skins areadhering tightly to the core.The use of combustible panels in areas ofbuildings with a high life risk, e.g. wherelarge numbers of people are present,should be carefully considered. Your firerisk assessment may need to be revisedto ensure that any increased risk resultingfrom this type of construction is considered.The panels should be installed by acompetent person in accordance withindustry guidance.Guidance on the design, construction,specification and fire management ofinsulated core panels has been publishedby the International Association for ColdStorage Construction 31 .1.11 Restricting the spread of fireand smokeTo reduce the risk to people if there is afire, you need to consider how to controlor restrict the spread of fire and smoke.The majority of people who die in fires areovercome by the smoke and gases.It is important to ensure that, in the eventof fire, the rate of fire growth is restricted inits early stages. It should also be noted thatmost measures which restrict the rate offire growth in its early stages will also serveto restrict the fire spread in its later stages.Catering facilitiesWherever possible, any extensive cateringfacility, particularly those with deep fatfryers, should be located in separatebuildings. If located within other buildingsthey should be separated from the rest ofthe building by fire-resisting constructionand provided with adequate ventilation.Where flues pass through any part ofthe structure, the structure should beprotected by fire-resisting construction andthe flue should terminate at a point whereemissions can disperse in the open air.Where fire shutters are used these shouldbe capable of operating both manuallyand by fusible link. Where a fire detectionand warning system is installed the fireshutter should also be designed to closeon activation of the system via a controlledgeared mechanism.Combustible contentsYour premises will contain a range ofcombustible contents. These are likely toinclude:59

• furnishings, upholstered seating,furniture and cushions;• curtains, drapes and other textilehangings;• artificial and dried foliage;• decorative textile fabrics (e.g. withinstands);• sports and play area furnishings, suchas cellular foam gym mats; and• scenery or properties used for stagepresentations.The use of furnishings and other materialswhich are easily ignited or have rapidspread of flame characteristics shouldbe avoided. You should seek to usematerials that are either non combustibleor inherently flame-retardant. Any fabricsused in escape routes, other than foyers,entertainment areas or function roomsshould be non combustible. Drapes andcurtains should not be provided acrossescape routes or exits.You should note that materials treated withflame-retardant treatments may have alimited ‘wash life’ before the effectivenessof the flame-retardant is diminshed. Tomaintain the protection you should followthe manufacturers/suppliers instructions.Similarly, scenery and properties usedfor stage presentations often comprisecombustible materials, so you need totake particular care with their use and, inparticular, when they are on an open stageyou should seek to only use materialswhich you know are not combustible.Upholstered seating, carpets and othertextile floor coverings and underlays shouldbe resistant to ignition.Gymnastic mats and similar equipmentshould ideally contain only combustionmodified high resilience foam.Specifications for the fire performance andtesting of furniture and furnishings can befound in the following standards:• ignitability of upholstered furniture(including composites of cover materialand infill) and loose covers: BS 5852 32 ;• resistance to ignition of upholsteredfurniture for non-domestic use:BS 7176 28 ;• flammability of fabrics for curtains anddrapes (including nets and linings):BS 5867-2 33 ;• burning behaviour (ignitability and flamespread) of curtains and drapes:BS EN 1101 34 (ignitability) andBS EN 1102 35 (flame spread);• assessment and labelling of textile floorcoverings: BS 5287 36 ; and• gymnasium eqiupment: BS 1892 37 .Equivalent European classificationstandards may also be used.If in doubt you should seek specialistadvice with regards to the treatments andtests for these materials which can reducetheir flammability and/or combustibility.60

Display materials and decorationsYou should evaluate what material couldignite first and what would cause the fireto develop and spread, and assess howmaterials used in temporary or permanentdisplays would interact with surface liningsand position them accordingly. In particular,displays such as paper, textiles, Christmasdecorations and trees or other flimsymaterials should not be located in stairwaysor corridors. However, such materials maybe acceptable in other locations if treatedwith an appropriate fire-retardant product.Staff information should be confined toappropriately located display boards inareas away from escape routes. Displayboards may be used on escape routes aslong as they are no bigger than 1m 2 or havebeen enclosed in a sealed display case.Ad-hoc flame testsAd-hoc flame tests can be used to screenout some materials. Simple match tests,or using a cigarette lighter, can be used toassess ease of ignition, but any such testsmust be carried out in the open air, awayfrom combustible materials, and with a fireextinguisher to hand.Fire-resisting structuresMany buildings are divided into differentareas by fire doors and fire-resisting wallsand floors. These are partly designed tokeep a fire within one area, giving peoplemore time to escape. You will need toidentify which doors, walls and floors in yourbuilding are fire-resisting. There may beinformation available from when the buildingwas built, if alterations have been made, orfrom a previously held fire certificate.High-risk areas (e.g. extensive cateringfacilities) should be separated from the restof the premises by 30-minute fire-resistingconstruction.Normally if there are fire doors in a wall,then the wall itself will also need to befire-resisting (see Appendix B for technicalinformation about fire-resisting walls anddoors). If a wall or floor is required to befire-resisting then you should not make anyholes in it, e.g. for extra doors or pipe ducts,without consulting a competent person.ventilation systemsWhere ventilation systems might assist thespread of flames, smoke and hot gasesfrom a fire it will be necessary to take stepsto safeguard the means of escape againstthis hazard.1.12 Deliberate fire settingAll premises can be targeted deliberately orjust because they offer easy access.Of the hundreds of fires that occur innon-domestic premises across NorthernIreland each year, a large percentageare determined to have been starteddeliberately.Be aware of other small, deliberately setfires in the locality, which can indicatean increased risk to your premises. Besuspicious of any small ‘accidental’ fires onthe premises and investigate them fully andrecord your findings.61

Fires started deliberately can be particularlydangerous because they generally developmuch faster and may be intentionallystarted in escape routes. Of all the riskreductionmeasures, the most benefit maycome from efforts to reduce the threat fromdeliberate fire setting.Measures to reduce deliberate fire settingmay include the following:• ensure the outside of the premisesis well lit and, if practical, secure theperimeter of the premises;• thoroughly secure all entry points to thepremises, including windows and theroof, but make sure that this does notcompromise people’s ability to use theescape routes;• make sure you regularly remove allcombustible rubbish;• do not place rubbish skips adjacent tothe building and secure waste bins in acompound separated from the building;• do not place vehicles, caravans or otherportable structures adjacent to thebuilding;• encourage staff to report people actingsuspiciously;• remove automatic entry rights from staffwho have been dismissed;• ensure that your security alarm/firedetectionsystem is monitored and actedon;• secure flammable liquids so thatintruders cannot use them;• secure all storage areas and unusedareas of the building that do notform part of an escape route againstunauthorised access, ensure access tokeys to those areas is restricted; and• fit secure metal letterboxes on the insideof letter flaps to contain any burningmaterials that may be pushed throughand ensure regular inspection forcombustible material or sources ofignition.Further guidance on reducing the risk ofdeliberate fire setting has been publishedby the Arson Prevention Bureau.*1.13 Help for people with specialneedsOf all the people who may be especially atrisk you will need to pay particular attentionto people who have special needs includingthose with a disability. Disability Actionestimates that 1 in 5 adults in NorthernIreland have a disability which maymean that they find it more difficult toleave a building if there is a fire. Underthe Disability Discrimination Act 38 , asamended 2006 39 , if disabled peoplecould realistically expect to use premises,then you must anticipate any reasonableadjustments that would make it easier forthat right to be exercised.The Disability Discrimination Act 38 , asamended 2006 39 , includes the concept of‘reasonable adjustments’ and this can becarried over into fire safety law. It can meandifferent things in different circumstances.* Visit www.arsonpreventionbureau.org.uk for more information62

For a small business it may be consideredreasonable to provide contrasting colourson a handrail to help people with visionimpairment to follow an escape route moreeasily. However, it might be unreasonableto expect that same business to install anexpensive voice-alarm system.If disabled people are going to be in yourpremises then you must also provide a safemeans for them to leave if there is a fire.You and your staff should be aware thatdisabled people may not react, or can reactdifferently, to a fire warning or fire. Youshould give similar consideration to otherswith special needs such as parents withyoung children or the elderly.In premises with a simple layout, acommon-sense approach, such as offeringto help lead a blind person or helping anelderly person down steps may be enough.In more complex premises, more elaborateplans and procedures will be needed, withtrained staff assigned to specified duties.In complex premises, you may also wish tocontact a professional consultant or takeadvice from disability organisations.Whilst the majority of people with specialneeds wish to and are able to make theirown escape, there may be a number whoare only able to move or react adequatelywith assistance from staff.Consider the needs of those with mentaldisabilities or spatial recognition problems.The range of disabilities encountered canbe considerable, extending from mildepilepsy to complete disorientation in anemergency situation. Many of these canbe addressed by properly trained staff,discreet and empathetic use of the ‘buddysystem’ or by careful planning of colour andtexture to identify escape routes.Where people with special needs use orwork in the premises, their needs should,so far as is practicable, be discussed withthem. These will often be modest andmay require only changes or modificationsto existing procedures. You may need todevelop individual ‘personal emergencyevacuation plans’ (PEEPs) for disabledpersons who frequently use a building. Theywill need to be confident of any plan/PEEPthat is put in place after consultation withthem. As part of your consultation exerciseyou will need to consider the matter ofpersonal dignity.If members of the public use your buildingthen you may need to develop a range ofstandard PEEPs which can be provided onrequest to a disabled person or others withspecial needs.Guidance on removing barriers to theeveryday needs of disabled people is inBS 8300 40 . Much of this advice will alsohelp disabled people during an evacuation.You should also consider the particularneeds of children and the elderly who maybe using your premises. Similarly, specialconsideration may be needed if membersof the public are likely to be intoxicated,or where the activity undertaken may limitthe ability, or readiness, to escape (e.g.swimming pools).Further advice can be obtained fromthe Northern Ireland Human RightsCommission and the Equality Commissionfor Northern Ireland.63

Section 2 Further guidance on firedetection and warning systemsWhere a simple shout of ‘fire’ or theoperation of a manual device such as agong, whistle or air horn is not adequateto warn everyone when operated from anysingle point within the building, it is likelythat an electrical fire warning system maybe required. This will typically include thefollowing:• manual call points (break-glass callpoints) at storey exit and final exit doors;• electronic sirens or bells; and• a simple control and indicator panel.Some premises (e.g. a community centre)may only require a few interconnectedmanual call points and sounders. Otherpremises (e.g. a multi-level pub) mayrequire a more complex warning systeminvolving staff action (see Section 2.3).If your building has areas where a firecould develop undetected or where peoplework alone and might not see a fire (e.g.storerooms in a community centre), thenit may be necessary to upgrade your firewarningsystem to incorporate some formof automatic fire detection (e.g. in somecircumstances, this could be a series ofinterconnected smoke alarms, if shown tobe acceptable in your risk assessment).If, for any reason, your system fails, youmust still ensure that people in yourpremises can be warned and escapesafely. A temporary arrangement, such asgongs, whistles or air horns, combined withsuitable training, may be acceptable for ashort period pending system repairs.The fire warning sound levels should beloud enough to alert everyone, taking intoaccount background noise, any soundsystems should be muted (automatically ormanually) when the fire alarm sounds. Inareas with uncontrollable high backgroundnoise, or where people may be wearinghearing protectors, the audible warningshould be supplemented, e.g. with visualalarms.People with hearing difficultiesWhere people have hearing difficulties,particularly those who are profoundlydeaf, then simply hearing the fire warningis likely to be the major difficulty. If thesepersons are never alone while on thepremises then this may not be a seriousproblem, as it would be reasonable forother occupants to let them know that thebuilding should be evacuated. If a personwith hearing difficulties is likely to be alone,then consider other means of raising thealarm. Among the most popular are visualbeacons and vibrating devices or pagersthat are linked to the existing fire alarm.2.1 Manual call pointsManual call points, often known as ‘breakglass’call points, enable a person whodiscovers a fire to immediately raisethe alarm and warn other people in thepremises of the danger.People leaving a building because of afire will normally leave by the way theyentered. Consequently, manual call pointsare normally positioned at exits andstorey exits that people may reasonablybe expected to use in case of fire, not justthose designated as fire exits. However, it isnot necessary in every case to provide callpoints at every exit.64

Manual call points should normally bepositioned so that, after all fixtures andfittings are in place, no one should have totravel more than 45m to the nearest alarmpoint. This distance may need to be less ifyour premises cater for people of limitedmobility or there are particularly hazardousareas. They should be conspicuous (red),fitted at a height of about 1.4m (or lessfor premises with a significant number ofwheelchair users), and not in an area likelyto be obstructed.Conventionally sited call points that operatean immediate general alarm may notbe desirable in some premises used forassembly.To reduce the risk of malicious oraccidental operation which may promotepanic in the event of an actuation by amember of the public (e.g. in a pub), aspart of your management plan you shouldconsider alternative arrangements such as:• locating the majority of manual callpoints in staff areas;• the guarding of manual call points; and• a delayed alarm for investigationpurposes before any general alarm isgiven.Areas that are regularly checked andpatrolled may have less need for a manualcall point. For these approaches to beeffective, robust management proceduresshould be in place around a staff alarmsystem (see Section 2.3).2.2 Automatic fire detectionAutomatic fire detection may be needed fora number of reasons. These can include:• if you have areas where people areisolated or remote and could becometrapped by a fire because they areunaware of its development, such aslone workers;• if you have areas where a fire candevelop unobserved (e.g. storerooms);• as a compensating feature, e.g. forinadequate structural fire protection, indead-ends or where there are extendedtravel distances; and• where smoke control and ventilationsystems are controlled by the automaticfire-detection system.If you have an automatic fire detectionsystem, the system should:• be designed to accommodate theemergency evacuation procedure;• give an automatic indication of the firewarning and its location;• be maintained and tested by acompetent person; and• communicate with a central controlroom (if you have one).New automatic fire detection systemsshould be designed and installed by acompetent person. Further guidance isgiven in BS 5839-1 41 or a more recentstandard where applicable.65

2.3 Staff alarmsIn some premises the actuation of thefire warning system should trigger theimmediate and total evacuation of thebuilding. However, in some premisesthis may not be necessary as alternativearrangements may be in place.For example, the initial alert signal could begiven only to certain staff, who then carryout pre-arranged actions to help othersto evacuate more easily. This will requireable, fully-trained staff to be available at alltimes, particularly to alert disabled peopleto give them the maximum time to escape.This approach should form part of youremergency plan.Where the public address system is partof the fire warning system it should beconnected to an auxiliary power source toensure the continued use of the system inthe event of fire or other emergency.Whichever warning or detection systemsare in place, however, if a fire occurs theFire and Rescue Service should always becalled immediately.2.4 Reducing false alarmsFalse alarms from automatic fire detectionsystems are a major problem and resultin many unwanted calls to the Fire andRescue Service every year. Guidance onreducing false alarms is available on theNorthern Ireland Fire and Rescue Servicewebsite www.nifrs.org.If there are excessive false alarms in yourpremises, people may become complacentand not respond correctly to a warning ofa real fire. In such circumstances, you maybe failing to comply with fire safety law.All false alarms should be investigatedto identify the cause of the problem andremedial action taken.Further detailed guidance on reducing falsealarms is available in BS 5839-1 41 .2.5 testing and maintenanceYour fire warning and/or detectionsystem should be supervised by a namedappropriate person, who has been givenenough authority and training to manage allaspects of the routine testing and scrutinyof the system.The control and indicating equipmentshould be checked at least every 24 hoursto ensure there are no specific faults.All types of fire warning systems shouldbe tested once a week. For electricalsystems a manual call point should beactivated (using a different call point foreach successive test), usually by insertinga dedicated test key (see Figure 18). Thiswill check that the control equipment iscapable of receiving a signal and in turn,activating the warning alarms. Manual callpoints may be numbered to ensure they aresequentially tested.It is good practice to test the alarm at thesame time each week, but additional testsmay be required to ensure that staff orpeople present outside normal workinghours are given the opportunity to hear thealarm.Where systems are connected to a centralmonitoring station arrangements shouldbe made prior to testing to avoid unwantedfalse alarms.66

2.6 guaranteed power supplyIf your fire risk assessment concludesthat an electrical fire-warning system isnecessary, then the Health and Safety(Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations(Northern Ireland) 1996 9 requires it to havea back-up power supply.Whatever back-up system is used, it shouldnormally be capable of operating thefire-warning and detection system for aminimum period of 24 hours and soundingthe alarm signal in all areas for 30 minutes.Figure 18: Using a test keySix-monthly servicing and preventivemaintenance should be carried outby a competent person with specialistknowledge of fire warning and automaticdetection systems. This task is normallyfulfilled by entering into a service contractwith a specialist fire alarm company.2.7 new and altered systemsGuidance on the design and installationof new systems and those undergoingsubstantial alterations is given inBS 5839-1 41 . If you are unsure that yourexisting system is adequate you will need toconsult a competent person.It is good practice to record all tests, falsealarms and any maintenance carried out.Further guidance on testing andmaintenance of fire warning systems canbe found in BS 5839-1 41 .67

Section 3 Further guidance onfirefighting equipment and facilitiesAll premises should be provided withappropriate firefighting eqipment. For themajority of premises, first aid firefightingequipment should be sufficient.You have responsibility for the provisionof appropriate firefighting equipment. Itis also your responsibility to check thatall firefighting equipment is in the correctposition and in satisfactory order before thepremises are used.Appropriate staff should be trained in theuse of all such equipment.3.1 Portable firefightingequipmentAt events such as exhibitions you must takecare that temporary stands or exhibits donot obscure extinguishers or manual callpoints.number and type of extinguishersTypically for the Class A fire risk, theprovision of one water-based extinguisherfor approximately every 200m 2 of floorspace, with a minimum of two extinguishersper floor, will normally be adequate.Where it is determined that there areadditionally other classes of fire risk, theappropriate type, number and size ofextinguisher should be provided. Furtherinformation is available in BS 5306-8 42 .Fire extinguishers provided should beappropriate to the specific risks found inyour premises in accordance with Table 1.This table also shows the different classesof fire, according to what is burning.Table 1: Class of fireClass of fireClass AClass BClass CClass DClass FDescriptionFires involving solid materials such as wood, paper or textiles.Fires involving flammable liquids such as petrol, diesel or oils.Fires involving gases.Fires involving metals.Fires involving cooking oils such as in deep-fat fryers.note: If there is a possibility of a fire in your premises involving material in the shaded boxesthen you should seek advice from a competent person.68

Where the fire risk is not confined to aparticular location, e.g. Class A fires, thefire extinguishers should be positionedon escape routes, close to the exit fromthe room or floor, or the final exit from thebuilding. Similarly, where the particular firerisk is specifically located, e.g. flammableliquids, the appropriate fire extinguishershould be near to the hazard, located sothat they can be safely used. They shouldbe placed on a dedicated stand or hungon a wall at a convenient height so thatemployees can easily lift them off (at about1m for larger extinguishers, 1.5m for smallerones, to the level of the handle). Ideally noone should have to travel more than 30mto reach a fire extinguisher. If there is arisk of malicious use you may need to usealternative, and more secure, locations.Consider the implications of the ManualHandling Operations Regulations (NorthernIreland) 1992 43 when selecting and sitingfirefighting equipment.In self-contained small premises, multipurposeextinguishers which can covera range of risks may be appropriate.Depending on the outcome of your fire riskassessment, it may be possible to reducethis to one extinguisher in very smallpremises with a floor space of less than90m 2 .Extinguishers manufactured to currentstandards (BS EN 3-7) 44 are predominatelyred but may have a colour-coded area, sitedabove or within the instructions, denotingthe type of extinguisher. Most olderextinguishers, manufactured to previousstandards, have bodies painted entirelyin a single colour which denotes the typeof extinguisher. These older extinguishersremain acceptable until they are no longerserviceable. However, it is good practice toensure that old and new style extinguishersare not mixed on the same floor of abuilding.The following paragraphs describe thedifferent types of extinguisher. The colourreferred to is the colour of the extinguisheror the colour-coded area.Water extinguishers (red)This type of extinguisher can only be usedon Class A fires. They allow the user todirect water onto a fire from a considerabledistance. A 9-litre water extinguisher can bequite heavy and some water extinguisherswith additives can achieve the samerating, although they are smaller andtherefore considerably lighter. This type ofextinguisher is not suitable for use on liveelectrical equipment.Water extinguishers with additives (red)This type of extinguisher is suitable forClass A fires. They can also be suitable foruse on Class B fires and where appropriate,this will be indicated on the extinguisher.They are generally more efficient thanconventional water extinguishers.Foam extinguishers (cream)This type of extinguisher can be used onClass A or B fires and is particularly suitedto extinguishing liquid fires such as petroland diesel. They should not be used onfree-flowing liquid fires unless the operatorhas been specially trained, as these havethe potential to rapidly spread the fire toadjacent material. This type of extinguisheris not suitable for deep-fat fryers or chippans.69

Powder extinguishers (blue)This type of extinguisher can be used onmost classes of fire and achieve a good‘knock down’ of the fire. They can be usedon fires involving electrical equipment butwill almost certainly render that equipmentuseless. Because they do not cool thefire appreciably it can re-ignite. Powderextinguishers can create a loss of visibilityand may affect people who have breathingproblems and are not generally suitable forconfined spaces.Carbon dioxide extinguishers (black)This type of extinguisher is particularlysuitable for fires involving electricalequipment as they will extinguish a firewithout causing any further damage (exceptin the case of some electronic equipment,e.g. computers). As with all fires involvingelectrical equipment, the power should bedisconnected if possible.Class ‘F’ extinguishersThis type of extinguisher is particularlysuitable for commercial cateringestablishments with deep-fat fryers.Selection, installation and maintenanceof portable fire extinguishersAll portable fire extinguishers will requireperiodic inspection, maintenance andtesting. Depending on local conditionssuch as the likelihood of vandalism orthe environment where extinguishers arelocated, carry out brief checks to ensurethat they remain serviceable. In normalconditions a monthly check should beenough. Maintenance by a competentperson should be carried out annually.New fire extinguishers should comply withBS EN 3-7 44 . Guidance on the selection andinstallation of fire extinguishers is given inBS 5306-8 42 , for maintenance inBS 5306-3 45 and for colour coding inBS 7863 46 .Fire blanketsFire blankets should be located in the vicinityof the fire hazard they are to be used on, butin a position that can be safely accessedin the event of a fire. They are classified aseither light duty or heavy duty. Light-duty fireblankets are suitable for dealing with smallfires in containers of cooking oils or fatsand fires involving clothing. Heavy-duty fireblankets are for industrial use where there isa need for the blankets to resist penetrationby molten materials.3.2 Fixed firefighting installationsIf your premises forms part of a largerbuilding there may be fixed firefightingsystems and other facilities which areinstalled within the structure of thebuilding. These may include the following.Hose reelsPermanent hose reels installed inaccordance with the relevant BritishStandard (see BS EN 671-3 47 ) provide aneffective firefighting facility. They may offeran alternative, or be in addition to, portablefirefighting equipment. A concern is thatuntrained people will stay and fight a firewhen escape is the safest option. Wherehose reels are installed, and your fire riskassessment expects relevant staff to usethem in the initial stages of a fire, theyshould receive appropriate training.70

Sprinkler systemsSprinkler systems can be very effective incontrolling fires. They can be designed toprotect life and/or property and may beregarded as a cost-effective solution forreducing the risks created by fire. Whereinstalled, a sprinkler system is usuallypart of a package of fire precautions in abuilding.Sprinkler protection could give additionalbenefits, such as a reduction in insurancepremiums, a reduction in the amount ofportable firefighting equipment necessary,and the relaxation of restrictions in thedesign of buildings.Guidance on the design and installation ofnew sprinkler systems and the maintenanceof all systems is given in the Loss PreventionCouncil (LPC) rules 48 , BS EN 12845 49 andBS 5306-2 50 and should only be carriedout by a competent person. Routinemaintenance by on-site personnel mayinclude checking of pressure guages, alarmsystems, water supplies, any anti-freezingdevices and automatic booster pump(s).A competent maintenance contractorshould provide guidance on what recordsneed to be completed.other fixed installationsThere are a number of other fixedinstallations including water mist, gaseous,deluge and fixed powder systems. Ifyour premises have a fixed firefightingsystem that you are unfamiliar with, thenseek advice. Where a fixed firefightingsystems forms an integral part of yoursafety strategy, it should be maintained inaccordance with the relevant standard by acompetent person.3.3 other facilities (includingthose for firefighters)Building Regulations and other legislation,including local legislation, may haverequired firefighting equipment and otherfacilities to be provided for the safetyof people in the building and to helpfirefighters. Fire safety law places a dutyon you to maintain such facilities in goodworking order at all times. These facilitiescould include the following.Access for fire engines and firefightersBuildings that have been constructedto modern building regulations or inaccordance with certain local legislationwill have been provided with facilitiesthat allow fire engines to approach andpark within a reasonable distance so thatfirefighters can use their equipment withouttoo much difficulty.These facilities may consist of access roadsto the building, hard standing areas for fireengines and access into the building forfirefighters. It is essential that where suchfacilities are provided they are properlymaintained and available for use at allrelevant times.Where a building is used by a number ofdifferent occupants you will need to ensureco-operation between the various‘appropriate people’ to maintain Fire andRescue Service access. In exceptionalcases, where access is persistentlyobstructed, you may need to makeadditional arrangements.See Technical Booklet E 8 to the BuildingRegulations for more information.71

Firefighting shafts and liftsFirefighting shafts are provided in largerbuildings to help firefighters reach floorsfarther away from the building’s accesspoint. They enable firefighting operationsto start quickly and in comparative safetyby providing a safe route from the pointof entry to the floor where the fire hasoccurred.Where a firefighting shaft is provided itshould be maintained by a competentperson.Smoke control systemsThese are complex systems that areprovided for life safety of occupants,assistance to firefighters and propertyprotection by clearing hot smoke and gasesfrom the building. If you have one of thesesystems provided in your premises youshould ensure that you understand how itoperates and that it is maintained in fullworking order. If your system is part of alarger system then you should liaise withother occupiers and building managers.Dry and wet rising fire mainsThe rising fire main is an important facilityfor the Fire and Rescue Service in tallerbuildings. It consists of an inlet box wherefirefighters can connect their hoses, a piperunning up or through the building, outletvalves on each floor level and an air vent atthe top.Firefighters’ switchesSafety switches are normally provided toisolate high-voltage luminous signs or to cutoff electrical power. In the case of existinginstallations they should be of a suitablestandard e.g. BS 7671 53 . If in doubt thenyou may need to consult the enforcingauthority regarding the suitability of itslocation and marking.You should consult with the buildingmanagement (e.g. a health and safetymanager of a complex) to establish if youhave any of these facilities and, if youhave, you will need to co-operate withmanagement to ensure that such facilitiesare maintained by a competent person.The smoke control system should bemaintained by a competent personwho is familiar with the fire engineeringperformance specifications of that specificsystem.Further information on smoke control canbe found from the Chartered Institution ofBuilding Services Engineers Guide E 51 orfrom the Building Research Establishment(BRE) 52 .72

Section 4 Further guidance onescape routesIntroductionThis section provides further guidance onthe general principles that apply to escaperoutes and provides examples of typicalescape route solutions for a range ofbuilding layouts. The guidance is based onpremises of normal risk so if your premises(or part of your premises) are higher (orlower) risk you should adopt the solutionaccordingly.You are not obliged to adopt any particularsolution for escape routes in this section ifyou prefer to meet the relevant requirementin some other way. If you decide to adoptsome alternative arrangement it will needto achieve at least an equivalent level of firesafety.Refer to the glossary (Appendix D) for thedefinitions of any terms you may not befamiliar with.levels of riskIn order to apply the guidance in thissection, you need to understand that in anyfire situation, the time that people have toescape before they could become affectedby the fire is limited. Providing them withsufficient time usually means that as wellas having an appropriate way of detectingand giving warning in case of fire, thedistance that people have to travel to maketheir escape to a place of reasonable ortotal safety must be restricted.The travel distances which are usuallyappropriate for this purpose (and aresuggested later in this section) varyaccording to the level of risk in thepremises (or part of them). To check yourescape routes you will need to form ajudgement about the level of risk thatpeople may be at after you have takenother risk reduction (preventative andprotective) measures.In premises where there is a likelihood of afire starting and spreading quickly (or a firecould start and grow without being quicklydetected and a warning given) and affectthe escape routes before people are able touse them then the risk should normally beregarded as ‘higher’. Such premises couldinclude those where significant quantitiesof flammable materials are used or stored;ready sources of ignition are present, e.g.heat producing machinery and processes;premises where significant numbers of thepeople present are likely to move slowly orbe unable to move without assistance; andpremises where the construction provideshidden voids or flues through which a firecould quickly spread.In premises where there is a low occupancylevel and all the occupants are able bodiedand capable of using the means of escapewithout assistance; very little chance ofa fire; few if any highly combustible orflammable materials or other fuels for afire; fire cannot spread quickly; and will bequickly detected so people will quickly knowthat a fire has occurred and can maketheir escape, then the risk can usually beregarded as ‘lower’.In most cases however, the risk will usuallybe ‘normal’.The travel distances suggested are not hardand fast rules and should be applied witha degree of flexibility according to thecircumstances. For example, in premiseswhere the risk might otherwise beconsidered ‘normal’ but where there are73

a significant number of people who moveslowly or may need assistance to evacuate,it would usually be appropriate to considerthis a ‘higher’ risk. However, where othermeasures are in place to mitigate this,such as the availability of extra assistanceand this has been planned for in youremergency plan, it may be that the risklevel can be regarded as ‘normal to higher’.Equally, in premises where the risk categorywould otherwise be ‘lower’ but for the factthat a small number of occupants maymove slowly or need assistance, it maybe appropriate to categorise the risk as‘normal’ in these circumstances.If you are not sure about the level of riskthat remains in your premises, you shouldseek advice from a competent person.4.1 general principlesSuitability of escape routesYou should ensure that your escape routesare:• suitable;• easily, safely and immediately usable atall times;• adequate for the number of people likelyto use them;• free from any obstructions, slip or triphazards;• well lit by normal or emergency escapelighting; and• available for access by the emergencyservices.In-occupied premises, escape routesshould normally be independent of otheroccupiers, i.e. people should not have togo through another occupier’s premises asthe route may be secured or obstructed.Where this is not possible, then robust legalagreements should be in place to ensuretheir availability at all times.All doors on escape routes should openin the direction of escape, and ideallybe fitted with a safety vision panel. Thisis particularly important if more than 60people are expected to use them at any onetime or they provide an exit from an area ofhigh fire risk.At least two exits should be provided ifa room/area is to be occupied by morethan 60 persons. This number of 60 canbe varied in proportion to the risk, for alower risk there can be a slight increase,for a higher risk, lower numbers of personsshould be allowed.Movement of persons up or down a groupof not less than three steps will be soobvious to those following that they willbe prepared for the change in level, butmovement up or down one step is not soreadily observed and may easily lead to afall. Wherever practicable, differences oflevel in corridors, passages and lobbiesshould be overcome by the provisionof inclines or ramps of gradients notexceeding 1 in 12 or steps not having lessthan three risers in any flight. Corridors andpassages should be level for a distanceof 1.5 metres in each direction from anysteps.74

Any mirrors situated in escape routesshould be sited so that persons escapingfrom a fire will not be thrown into confusionby any reflected image of the route they areusing, or be misled as to the direction theyshould take to reach fire exits.In historic buildings (e.g. churches)you may have difficulties achievingthese recommendations and yourrisk assessment should address anyimplications, for example through yourmanagement system. Further informationon listed and historic buildings is given inAppendix C.Seating and gangwaysThe type of seating arrangements adoptedwill vary with the use to which the premisesare put. Premises should only be usedfor closely-seated audiences if your riskassessment shows that it is safe to do so.Where premises are licensed, there maybe additional conditions in the licenceconcerning how seating may be set out.Audiences seated in rows will first haveto make their way to the end of the rowbefore being able to use the escape routesprovided. Seating and gangways in anauditorium should therefore be so arrangedas to allow free and ready access direct tothe exits.In fixed seats there should be a clear spaceof at least 300mm between the back ofone seat to the front of the seat behind it(or the nearmost point of the seat behindit, for automatic tip-up seats, see Figure19). Gangways should be adequate for thenumber of seats served and at least 1.05mwide. There should be no projections whichdiminish these widths.In general, no seat should be more thanseven seats away from a gangway. Iftemporary seating is provided, these shouldbe secured in lengths of not fewer than fourseats (and not more than 12). Each lengthshould be fixed to the floor.Detailed information of seating layout isgiven in BS 9999 11 .Seating and gangways in a hall or assemblyspace should be so arranged to allow freeand ready access direct to the exits.Clear seatwayClear seatwayFixed seatsTip-up seatsFigure 19: Clear space between seating75

Standing and sitting in gangways, or in frontof any exit, should not be permitted. Thisincludes adults standing by children.If booster seats are provided for smallchildren, then you need to consider theimplication on means of escape.Fire-resisting constructionThe type and age of construction are crucialfactors to consider when assessing theadequacy of the existing escape routes.To ensure the safety of people it may benecessary to protect escape routes fromthe effects of a fire. In older premises(see Appendix C for more information onhistorical properties) it is possible thatthe type of construction and materialsused may not perform to current firestandards. Also changes of occupancy andrefurbishment may have led to:• cavities and voids being created,allowing the potential for a fire to spreadunseen;• doors and hardware worn by age andmovement being less likely to limit thespread of smoke;• damaged or lack of cavity barriers inmodular construction; and• breaches in fire compartment walls,floors and ceilings created by theinstallation of new services, e.g.computer cabling.Where an escape route needs to beseparated from the rest of the premises byfire-resisting construction, e.g. a dead-endcorridor or protected stairway (Figure 28),then you should ensure the following:• Doors (including access hatches tocupboards, ducts and vertical shaftslinking floors), walls, floors and ceilingsprotecting escape routes should becapable of resisting the passage ofsmoke and fire for long enough so thatpeople can escape from the building.• Where suspended or false ceilings areprovided, the fire resistance shouldextend up to the floor slab level above.For means of escape purposes a30-minute fire-resisting rating is usuallyenough.• Cavity barriers, fire stopping anddampers in ducts are appropriatelyinstalled.If there is any doubt about the nature ofthe construction of your premises, ask foradvice from a competent person.number of people using the premisesAs your escape routes need to be adequatefor the people likely to use them youwill need to consider how many people,including employees and the public, may bepresent at any one time. Where premiseshave been subject to building regulationsapproval, the number and width of escaperoutes and exits will normally be enough forthe anticipated number of people using thepremises. In such buildings where the riskhas changed or buildings were constructedbefore national building regulations, it willbe necessary to confirm the provision.For most premises, the maximum numbersof staff, visitors and contractors liable tobe in the building at the same time will beknown by the appropriate person. For somepremises (e.g. sports centres or churches)76

the appropriate person will normally beaware of the maximum number of peopleliable to be present from a personalknowledge of use patterns. There willalso be an appreciation of the use of thebuilding by those with special needs suchas disabled people.You also need to be aware of any licensingrequirements and capacity limits set byyour license, although these may not bedirectly related to fire safety.Where you have fixed seating then themaximum numbers of people in the hall orauditorium will be known from the numberof seats provided. If you are providingtemporary seating then this may be limitedby the maximum numbers your escaperoutes can accommodate (see case studybelow). In un-seated areas, foyers or barsyou may estimate the maximum numbersbased on a value of 0.3 to 0.5m 2 perperson.If you propose to make changes to the useor layout of the building which may increasethe number of people, you should checkthe design capacity by referring to guidancegiven in BS 9999 11 or Technical Booklet E 8and consult the Building Control Body.If the numbers of people entering thepremises may be too great then proceduresmay be needed to control entry numbers,for example the use of tickets and clickers,or restrictions to members in private clubs.In some situations you may need tocontrol numbers within specific areas and/or prevent migration and overcrowding.Different events may require differentresponses, for example, ticketed eventsand events with free admission.Case studyDuring the Christmas period, a publichouse became severely overcrowdeddue to a large number of office parties.The number of people became so largeit would have been unlikely, in the eventof a fire, for all members of the public toevacuate the premises in an acceptabletime.The number of people entering thepremises should be controlled to avoidthis overcrowding.Mobility impairmentEffective management arrangements needto be put in place for those that need helpto escape.Consider the following points:• A refuge is a place of reasonablesafety in which disabled people canwait either for an evacuation lift orfor assistance up or down stairs (seeFigure 20). Disabled people should notbe left alone in a refuge area whilstwaiting for assistance to evacuate thebuilding. Depending on the design andfire resistance of other elements, arefuge could be a lobby, corridor, partof a public area or stairway, or an openspace such as a balcony or similar placewhich is sufficiently protected (orremote) from any fire risk and should beprovided with its own means of escapeand a means of two-way communication.77

• Where refuges are provided, they shouldbe enclosed in a fire-resisting structurewhich creates a protected escaperoute which leads directly to a place oftotal safety and should only be used inconjunction with effective managementrescue arrangements. Your fire safetystrategy should not rely on the Fire andRescue Service rescuing people waitingin these refuges.• If firefighting lifts (provided in highbuildings as firefighting access) are tobe used for evacuation, this should beco-ordinated with the Fire and RescueService as part of the pre-plannedevacuation procedures.• Normal lifts may be considered suitablefor fire evacuation purposes, subject toan adequate fire risk assessment anddevelopment of a suitable fire safetystrategy by a competent person.• Since evacuation lifts can fail, a disabledperson, having reached a refuge, shouldalso be able to gain access to a stairway(should conditions in the refuge becomeuntenable). An evacuation lift with itsassociated refuge should therefore belocated adjacent to a protected stairway.• Enough escape routes should alwaysbe available for use by disabled people.This does not mean that every exit willneed to be adapted. Staff should beaware of routes suitable for disabledpeople so that they can direct and helppeople accordingly.• Stairways used for the emergencyevacuation of disabled peopleshould comply with the requirementsfor internal stairs in the buildingregulations. Specialist evacuation chairsor other equipment may be necessary tonegotiate stairs.• Plans should allow for the carefulcarrying of disabled people down stairswithout their wheelchairs, should thewheelchair be too large or heavy. Youwill need to take into account health andsafety manual handling procedures inaddition to the dignity and confidence ofthe disabled person.• Stairlifts should not be used foremergency evacuation. Where installedin a stairway used for emergencyevacuation, no parts of the lift, suchas its carriage rail, should be allowedto reduce the effective width of thestairway or any other part of anemergency evacuation route.• Where ramps are necessary for theemergency evacuation of people inwheelchairs they should be as gentle aspossible. Ramps should be constructedin accordance with Technical Booklet R 54 .Further guidance is available in BS 9999 11 .78

SCFire doorFire-resisting wallSelf-closingSCSCSCRefugeFigure 20: An example of a refugeWidths and capacity of escape routes andstairwaysOnce you have established the maximumnumber of people likely to be in any part ofthe premises, the next step is to establishthat the capacity of the escape routes isadequate for people to escape safely and insufficient time to ensure their safety in caseof fire.The capacity of a route is determined by anumber of factors including the width of theroute, the time available for escape and theability of the persons using them.The effective usable width of an escaperoute is the narrowest point, normally adoor or other restriction such as narrowingof a corridor due to fixtures and fittings. Thecapacity of an escape route is measured bythe number of persons per minute that canpass through it so, to establish the capacityof the route, it is first necessary to measurethe width of the route at the narrowestpoint. The effective width of a doorway isthe clear unobstructed width through thedoorway when the door is open at rightangles to the frame. The effective widthat any other point is the narrowest clearunobstructed width through which peoplecan pass.The time available for escape dependson several factors including the distancethat has to be travelled to reach a place ofsafety and the risk rating of the premises.Established reasonable escape timesare 2 minutes for higher risk premises,2.5 minutes for normal risk premisesand 3 minutes for lower risk premises.For calculation purposes these timesare allowed for in the travel distancessuggested in Table 2. Guidance onestablishing the risk rating of your premisesis given earlier in this section.79

The following guide can be used todetermine the general capacities of escaperoutes:A width of at least 750mm canaccommodate up to:• 80 people in higher risk premises;• 100 people in normal risk premises; or• 120 people in lower risk premises.A width of at least 1,050mm canaccommodate up to:• 160 people in higher risk premises;• 200 people in normal risk premises; or• 240 people in lower risk premises.An additional 75mm should be allowed foreach additional 15 persons (or part of 15).The minimum width of an escape routeshould ideally be 1,050mm but in anycase not less than 750mm (unless it is foruse by less than five people in part of yourpremises) and, where wheelchair users arelikely to use it, not less than 900mm.The aggregate width of all the escaperoutes should not be less than that requiredto accommodate the maximum numbers ofpeople likely to use them.When calculating the overall availableescape route capacity for premisesthat have more than one way out, youshould normally assume that the widestis not available because it has beencompromised by fire. If doors or other exitsleading to escape routes are too close toone another you should consider whetherthe fire could affect both at the same time.If that is the case, it may be necessary todiscount them both from your calculation.As a general rule stairways should beat least 1,050mm wide and in any casenot less than the width of the escaperoutes that lead to them. In all cases theaggregate capacity of the stairways shouldbe sufficient for the number of people likelyto have to use them in case of fire.Stairways wider than 2,100mm shouldnormally be divided into sections, eachseparated from the adjacent section by ahandrail, so that each section measuredbetween the handrails is not less than1,050mm wide.MirrorsAny mirrors situated on escape routesshould be so sited that persons escapingfrom fire will not be confused by anyreflected image of the route they are using,or be misled as to the direction they shouldtake to reach fire exits.travel distanceHaving established the number andlocation of people and the exit capacityrequired to evacuate them safely, younow need to confirm that the number andlocation of existing exits is adequate. Thisis normally determined by the distancepeople have to travel to reach them.Table 2 gives guidance on travel distances.It should be understood, however, thatthese distances are flexible and may beincreased or decreased depending uponthe level of risk after you have put in placethe appropriate fire-prevention measures(Part 1, Step 3.3).80

In new buildings which have been designedand constructed in accordance withmodern building standards the traveldistances will already have been calculated.Once you have completed your fire riskassessment you need to confirm that thosedistances are still relevant.When assessing travel distances you needto consider the distance to be travelled bypeople when escaping, allowing for walkingaround furniture or display stands, etc. Thedistance should be measured from all partsof the premises to the nearest place ofreasonable safety which is:• a protected stairway enclosure (a storeyexit);• a separate fire compartment from whichthere is a final exit to a place of totalsafety; or• the nearest available final exit.The travel distances given in Table 2 arebased on those recommended in TechnicalBooklet E 8 and are intended to complementthe other fire safety recommendations inTechnical Booklet E. Your current escaperoute travel distances may be differentfrom these since they may be based onrecommendations made in alternativeguidance.Where your route leads to more than onefinal exit, but only allows initial travel in asingle direction (e.g. from a room or deadend, see Figures 25 and 26), then this initialtravel distance should be limited to that fora ‘single escape route’ in Table 2. However,your total travel distance should not exceedthat for ‘more than one escape route’.For marquees, the travel distance from anypart of the structure having more than oneexit should be 24m, the initial 6.5m ofwhich may be in a single direction of travel.Where there is only one exit, the traveldistance should not exceed 6.5m.Table 2: Suggested travel distances (not for marquees)Escape routesWhere more than oneroute is providedWhere only a single escaperoute is providedSuggested travel distance:areas with seating in rows32m15mSuggested travel distance:other areas45m18mThe dimensions given above assume that the building will be of normal fire risk. If the building is high risk, then lesser distances shall apply andyou should consider consulting a competent person.81

Measuring travel distanceThe figures that follow are schematic onlyand are intended to represent part of alarger building.The route taken through a room or spacewill be determined by the layout of thecontents, e.g. seating (Figure 21). It is goodpractice to ensure routes to the exits arekept as direct and short as possible. In asmall room there may be only one exit butin a larger room or area there may be manyexits.In some cases, where the contents aremoved around or the space is liable tofrequent change, e.g. in a storage areaor where racking is movable, you shouldensure that the exits, or the routes to them,do not become blocked or the length of theroute is not significantly extended.StoreroomExitFigure 21: Measuring travel distance82

Inner roomsWhere the only way out of a room is throughanother room (Figure 22), an unnoticed firein the outer room could trap people in theinner room. This layout should be avoidedwhere possible. If, however, this cannotbe achieved then adequate warning of afire should be provided by any one of thefollowing means:• a vision panel between the two roomsproviding adequate vision to give anindication of the conditions in the outerroom and the means of escape;• a large enough gap between the dividingwall and the ceiling, e.g. 500mm, so thatsmoke will be seen; or• an automatic smoke detector in theouter room that will sound a warning inthe inner room.In addition, the following points should alsobe considered:• Restrict the number of people using aninner room to 60.• Access rooms should be under thecontrol of the same person as the innerroom.• The travel distance from any point in theinner room to the exit from the accessroom should be restricted to escape inone direction only (see Table 2), unlessthere are alternative exits from theaccess room.• No one should have to pass throughmore than one access room whilemaking their escape.• The outer room should not be an area ofhigh fire risk.Outer roomAutomatic firedetectionVision panelAt least 500mmgap between partitionwall and ceilingInner roomFigure 22: Inner rooms83

Alternative exitsWhere alternative exits from a space orroom are necessary they should whereverpossible be located at least 45° apart (seeFigure 23) unless the routes to them areseparated by fire-resisting construction (seeFigure 24). If in doubt consult a competentperson.45º+Final ExitFinal Exit45º+Figure 23: Alternative exitsless than45º Final Exitless than 45°Final ExitFire-resisting wallFigure 24: Alternative exits (separated by fire-resisting construction)84

Measuring travel distances for initialdead-end travelWhere the initial direction of travel inan open area (see Figure 25) is in onedirection only or within an inner room (seeFigure 26), the travel distance (A–B) shouldbe limited to that for a ‘single escape route’in Table 2.Any alternative exits should be positionedto ensure that a fire will not compromiseboth exits. The maximum total traveldistance recommended in Table 2 shouldapply to the nearest exit (Figure 26,distance A–C). However, since you havetwo exits, your total travel distance shouldnot exceed that for ‘more than one escaperoute’ in Table 2.C ExitC Exit45º+BAC Exit45º+BC ExitAA–BA–CTravel in single direction onlyTotal travel distance (to nearest exit)Figure 25: Measuring travel distance from initial dead end (open plan)85

C ExitC Exit45º+BAC Exit45º+C ExitBAA–B Travel in single direction onlyA–C Total travel distance (to nearest exit)Note: Additional measures are necessary to give warning of fire for inner rooms (see Figure 22).Figure 26: Measuring travel distance from initial dead end (inner room)escape routes with dead-end conditionsIf your premises has escape routes fromwhich escape can be made in one directiononly (a dead end), then an undetected firein that area could affect people trying toescape. To overcome this problem, limit thetravel distance (see Table 2) and use one ofthe following solutions:• Fit an automatic fire detection andwarning system in those areas where afire could present a risk to the escaperoute (see Figure 27).• Protect the escape route with fireresistingconstruction to allow peopleto escape safely past a room in whichthere is a fire (see Figure 28).• Provide an alternative exit (see Figure29).Alternative approaches may be acceptable,although expert advice may be necessary.86

AC ExitBC ExitAC ExitA–BA–CTravel in single direction onlyTotal travel distanceAutomatic fire detectionBC ExitFigure 27: Dead-end condition with automatic fire detectionASCC ExitSCSCSCSCSCBSCSCC ExitAC ExitSCSC SC SCA–BTravel in single direction onlyBA–CSCTotal travel distanceSelf-closingSCSC SC SCFire-resisting wallFire doorC ExitFigure 28: Dead-end condition with fire-resisting construction87

C Alternative ExitC ExitBAC Alternative ExitC ExitC ExitA–BA–CTravel in single direction onlyTotal travel distanceBC ExitAFigure 29: Dead-end condition provided with an alternative exitBasements, escape and protectionIn all buildings with basements (other thanvery small basements), stairways servingupper floors should preferably not extendto the basement and in any case shouldnot do so where they are the only stairwayserving the upper floors. Any stairway thatextends from the basement to the upperfloors should be separated at basementlevel by a fire-resisting lobby or corridorbetween the basement and the stairway. Allbasements used by more than 60 people orwhere there are no exits directly to a placeof total safety, should have at least twoprotected escape stairways.In high risk premises there should be analternative stairway from the basementto ground level, unless there is a suitablealternative route to the final exit.Wherever possible all stairways tobasements should be entered at groundlevel from the open air, and should bepositioned so that smoke from any fire inthe basement would not obstruct any exitserving the other floors of the building.Where any stairway links a basement withthe ground floor, the basement should beseparated from the ground floor, preferablyby two 30-minute fire doors one at basementand one at ground floor level (see Figure 30).As a minimum any floor over a basementshould provide 60 minutes fire resistance.For smaller premises 30 minutes may beacceptable. Where this is impractical, and aslong as no smoke can get through the floor,automatic smoke detection linked to a firealarmsystem which is audible throughoutthe premises could, as an alternative, beprovided in the basement area. If in doubt,contact a competent person for moredetailed advice.88

SCGround floorBasementSCSCFire-resisting wallFire doorSelf-closingFigure 30: Basement protectionSubdivision of corridorsIf your premises has corridors more than30m long, then generally these corridorsshould be subdivided near the centre ofthe corridor with fire doors and, wherenecessary, fire-resisting construction to limitthe spread of fire and smoke and to protectescape routes if there is a fire.Where a corridor serves two exits from afloor, generally these corridors should besubdivided with fire doors to separate thetwo exits (see Figure 31).Doors that are provided solely for thepurpose of restricting the travel ofsmoke need not be fire doors, but will besuitable as long as they are of substantialconstruction, are capable of resisting thepassage of smoke, and are self-closing.Smoke should not be able to bypass thesedoors, e.g. above a false ceiling, or viaalternative doors from a room, or adjoiningrooms, opening on either side of thesubdivision.Generally, false ceilings should be providedwith barriers or smoke stopping over anyfire doors. Where the false ceiling formspart of the fire-resisting construction thismay not be necessary.If you have doubts about subdivision ofcorridors, ask advice from a competentperson.89

SCSCSCSCFire doorFire-resisting wallSelf-closingSCSCSCSCSCUpper storeyFigure 31: Subdivision of corridor between two stairways or exitsStairway enclosuresStairways, if unprotected from fire, canrapidly become affected by heat and smoke,cutting off the escape route and allowing firespread to other floors. However, if adequatelyprotected, escape stairways can be regardedas places of reasonable safety to enablepeople to escape to a place of total safety.In most premises designed and built tobuilding regulations and served by morethan one stairway, it is probable that thesestairways will be protected by fire-resistingconstruction and will lead to final exit. If anyfloor has an occupancy of over 60, eachstorey should have at least two exits, i.e.protected routes. The figure of 60 can bevaried in proportion to the risk, lower riskslight increase, higher risk lower numbers ofpersons.It is possible that you may have somestairways which have no fire protection tothem. In this case they are not designedfor escape and are normally knownas accommodation stairways (seeaccommodation stairways on page 94).If you have a protected stairway(s) then it isessential that you maintain that level offire protection.The benefit of protecting stairways from theeffects of fire allows you to measure yourtravel distance from the furthest point onthe relevant floor to the nearest storey exitrather than the final exit of the building.If you do not have a protected stairway,depending on the outcome of your firerisk assessment, it may be that you canachieve an equivalent level of safety byother means. However, before doing soyou should seek advice from a competentperson.90

If the building you occupy has floors whichare occupied by different organisations toyour own, you need to consider, as part ofyour fire risk assessment, the possibilitythat a fire may occur in another part ofthe building over which you may have nocontrol and which may affect the protectedstairway if allowed to develop unchecked.If your fire risk assessment shows that thismay be the case and people using any floorwould be unaware of a developing fire, thenadditional fire-protection measures may berequired, e.g. an automatic fire-detectionand warning system. If this is required youwill need to consult and co-operate withother occupiers and building managers.You may find that stairways in your buildingare provided with protected lobbies orcorridors at each floor level (see Figure 32).Although these are not generally necessaryfor means of escape in multi-stairwaybuildings of less than 18m high, they mayhave been provided for other reasons(e.g. firefighting access). In all casesprotected corridors, lobbies and stairwaysmust be kept clear of combustibles andobstructions.SCSCSCSCSCSCSCSCSCSCProtected corridorSCFire doorFire-resisting wallSelf-closingSCSCSCProtected lobbySCSCFire doorFire-resisting wallSelf-closingFigure 32: Examples of a stairway with protected lobby/corridor approach91

SCSCIdeally stairway enclosures should leaddirectly to a final exit. If your premises hasFinal Exitonly one stairway from the upper floor(s)SCSC Final Exitwhich does not lead directly to a final exit,adopt one of the following arrangements:Fire door• provide a protected route from the footof the stairway enclosure leading to afinal exit (see Figure 33); orSCFire-resisting wallSelf-closing• provide two exits from the stairway,each giving access to a final exit viaroutes which are separated from eachother by fire-resisting construction (seeFigure 34).SCSCSCSCSCSCSCFire doorFire-resisting wallFinal ExitSCSelf-closingFigure 33: Example of a protected route from a stairway to a final exitSCSCFinal ExitSCSCFinal ExitSCFire doorFire-resisting wallSelf-closingFigure 34: Example of two escape routes from a stairway to a final exits92

Separation of protected stairwaysWhere there are two or more protectedstairways,the routes to final exits should beseparated by fire-resisting construction sothat fire cannot affect more than one escaperoute at the same time (see Figure 35).SCSCSCSCFire doorFire-resisting wallSelf-closingSCSCFinalexitSCSCSCFinalexitFigure 35: Separation of protected stairwaysCreating a stairway bypass routeNo one should have to pass througha protected stairway to reach anotherstairway. Options to avoid this include:• using intercommunicating doorsbetween rooms adjacent to the stairway;such doors must be available at alltimes when the building is occupied (seeFigure 36);• using balconies and other features tobypass the stairway; or• as long as there is enough space, createa bypass corridor around the stairwayenclosure.93

SCSCSCSCSCFire doorFire-resisting wallSelf-closingFigure 36: A stairway bypass routeReception areasReception or enquiry areas should only belocated in protected stairways where thestairway is not the only one serving theupper floors, the reception area is small(less than 10m 2 ) and is of low fire risk.Accommodation stairwaysIf you have stairways that are used forgeneral communication and movement ofpeople in the premises, and they are notdesignated as fire escape stairs then theseare called ‘accommodation stairways’.They may not require fire separation fromthe remainder of the floor as long as theydo not pass through a compartment floor,or people do not have to pass the head ofsuch a stairway in order to access a meansof escape stairway. However, experienceshows that many people will continue touse these as an escape route.Accommodation stairways should notnormally form an integral part of thecalculated escape route; however, whereyour fire risk assessment indicates that it issafe to do so, then you may consider themfor that purpose. In these cases it may benecessary to seek advice from a competentperson to verify this.94

external stairwaysTo be considered a viable escape route,an external stairway should normally beprotected from the effects of a fire alongits full length. This means that any door,window (other than toilet windows) and wallswithin 1.8m horizontally and 9m verticallybelow any part of the stairway should be fireresisting.Windows should be fixed shut anddoors self-closing (see Figure 37).Consider protecting the external stairwayfrom the weather as the treads maybecome slippery, e.g. due to algae, moss orice. If this is not possible, you must ensurethat the stairway is regularly maintained.Consider fixing non-slip material to thetreads.External stairways should not normally beused for members of the public, particularlywhere large numbers are likely to use them.1.8 m1.8 mDefined zone for fire-resistingwalls, doors and windows on anexternal stairwayFigure 37: Protection to an external stairway95

Spiral and helical stairwaysSpiral and helical stairways are usuallyacceptable only in exceptional situations,e.g. for a maximum of 50 people who are notmembers of the public. The stairway shouldnot be more than 9m in total height and notless than 1.5m in diameter with adequateheadroom. A handrail should be continuousthroughout the full length of the stairway.However, spiral and helical stairways maybe used as means of escape by more than50 staff and may be used by the public ifthe stairways have been designed for thatpurpose. Further guidance is given inBS 5395-2 55 , including type E (public)stairs.liftsDue to the danger of the power suppliesto a lift being affected by a fire, lifts notspecifically designed as ‘firefighting’or ‘evacuation’ lifts are not normallyconsidered acceptable as a means ofescape. However, where a lift and stairwayfor a means of escape are incorporated ina fire-resisting shaft which has a final exitfrom it at the access level and the lift hasa separate electrical supply to that of theremainder of the building, then that lift,subject to an agreed fire risk assessment,may be acceptable as a means of escapein case of fire.Lifts are housed in vertical shafts thatinterconnect floors and compartments,therefore precautions have to be takento protect people from the risk of fire andsmoke spreading from floor to floor via thelift shaft. Such precautions may include:• separating the lift from the remainderof the storey using fire-resistingconstruction and access via a fire door;• ensuring the lift shaft is situated in aprotected enclosure which may also be astairway enclosure; and• providing ventilation of at least 0.1m 2 atthe top of each lift-well to exhaust anysmoke.upward escapeOther than from a basement, people shouldnot normally have to ascend more than onelevel to escape (e.g. from the top floor touse a roof exit). The upper level should notbe an area of high fire risk.escalators and travelatorsEscalators and travelators should not beused as part of the escape route unlessthey become stationary immediately onactuation of the alarm. They should thenonly be used as a means of escape if theysatisfy the recommendations given foraccommodation stairways.Escalators not within stairway enclosuresmay need to be separated from theremainder of the building by fire-resistingconstruction and by fire doors.To avoid a situation where persons arecarried towards a fire it is important thatarrangements should be made to stopescalators at the outset of an emergency.96

Portable ladders and throw-out laddersThrow-out ladders are not acceptable as ameans of escape in a place of assembly.Portable ladders are only acceptable inexceptional circumstances where it willbe reasonable for ladders of this kind toprovide escape for one or two able-bodiedpeople (e.g. from a high level plant room).Fixed vertical or raking laddersThese are normally only suitable for use bya limited number of able-bodied staff wherethey form the only means of access to plantspaces, provided they are suitably guardedand the total descent does not exceed 9mwithout an intermediate landing. Wherethey are external they should be protectedfrom the elements in the same way asexternal stairways.lowering lines and other self-rescuedevicesThese are not acceptable as a means ofescape from a place of assembly.Roof exitsIt may be reasonable for the escape routeto cross a roof. Where this is the case,additional precautions will normally benecessary:• The roof should be flat and the routeacross it should be adequately definedand well-illuminated where necessarywith normal electric and emergencyescape lighting. The route should benon-slip and guarded with a protectivebarrier.• The escape route across the roof andits supporting structure should beconstructed as a fire-resisting floor.• Where there are no alternatives otherthan to use a roof exit, any doors,windows, roof lights and ducting within3m of the escape route should be fireresisting.• The exit from the roof should be in, orlead to, a place of reasonable safetywhere people can quickly move to aplace of total safety.• Where an escape route passes throughor across another person’s property,you will need to have a robust legalagreement in place to allow its useat all times where people are on yourpremises.• These routes should not normally beused by members of the public.A typical escape route across a roof isillustrated in Figure 38.External escape routes should receiveroutine inspection and maintenance toensure they remain fit for use.If your premises are part of a multioccupiedbuilding, you will need toliaise with the owner or other personsresponsible for the building. You will needto ensure that any legal agreements inplace cover access for maintenance of theescape route.97

3m3mFigure 38: An escape route across a roofRevolving doors, wicket doors, slidingdoors and roller shutterRevolving doors should not normally beconsidered as escape doors unless theleaves fold outward to form a clear openingupon pressure from within, or standarddoors of the required exit width areprovided next to the revolving door.Ideally wicket doors or gates (a small doorset within a larger door) should have aminimum opening height of 1.5m. Thebottom of the door should not be morethan 250mm above the floor and the widthshould be preferably more than 500mmbut not less than 450mm. Normally wicketdoors will only be suitable for up to 15members of staff; however, in areas of ahigher fire risk, this should be reduced to amaximum of three.Loading and goods delivery doors, shutters(roller, folding or sliding), up-and-over doorsand similar openings are not normallysuitable for use as a final exit. However,they may be suitable for escape from areasof normal risk by small numbers of staff aslong as they are not likely to be obstructedand can be easily and immediately openedmanually, even if normally power-operated,and the staff are familiar with the escaperoutes.98

Sliding doors are not normally suitable onescape routes unless they are for the soleuse of members of staff. Where provided, anotice with the words ‘slide to open’, withan arrow pointing in the direction ofopening, should be permanently displayedat about eye level on the face of doors.Fastenings on doorsYou should ensure that any exit door or gatewhich is required to be kept open whilstthe public are on the premises should beprovided with appropriate fastenings sothat the door or gate is kept open in sucha way that it will not cause an obstruction.Appropriate fastenings for the publicare push bars and push pads; handlesrequiring a turning action, for example,should not be used on doors for the public(see BS EN 1125 56 and BS EN 179 57 ).Doors used for means of escape shouldbe kept unlocked at all times when peopleare in the premises and in no case shoulda door be so fastened that it cannot easilyand immediately be opened from the insidewithout the use of a key. If the door has tobe kept fastened while persons are in thebuilding, the fastening should be by meansof a panic latch or panic bar (or similar)so that the door can be readily opened bypressure applied by persons within.For structural reasons some doors maynot open in the direction of the exit. These,and all collapsible, sliding or roller gates,or shutters, should be locked (with aremovable key) in the fully open position,at all times when the public are present.During such times, you should remove thekey and keep it secure (e.g. in a manager’soffice).If you have doors, gates, or shutters whichneed to be locked open, a notice or noticesclearly visible on both sides of the door,gate or shutter (whether open or closed)should be prominently displayed. The noticeshould bear the words ‘This door (gate,shutter, etc.) to be secured open when thepremises are occupied’.You should ensure that security fasteningssuch as chains, bars, padlocks, etc. areremoved from all doors, gates, shutters,etc. on exit routes at all times when thepublic are in the premises prior to thebuilding being put to use.No removable fastening should be replaceduntil the public have left the premises andsufficient exits should remain available forstaff who may be present.exit doors and gates for events involvingthe publicExit doors and gates should meet thefollowing recommendations:• All doors and gates should be capableof being immediately opened by thoseusing that route in an emergency.• All exit doors (except where there areless than 60 persons) and gates onan exit should open in the direction ofescape so that people can escape safelyin an emergency without obstruction.• Sliding or roller-shutter gates andreversible turnstiles should not form anypart of the emergency exit system.• When open, no door should obstruct anygangway passage, stairway or landing.99

Final exit doors and escape away from thepremisesGood escape routes to a final exit will be oflittle benefit if the occupants are not able toget out of the building and quickly dispersefrom the area to a place of total safety. Itis also important to consider where peoplewill go once they have evacuated from thepremises.The matters that you should consider includethe following:• Final exit doors should be quickly andeasily opened without a key or codein the event of a fire. Where possible,there should be only one fastening. SeeAppendix B3 for more information onsecurity fastenings.• Final exit doors should not lead peopleinto an enclosed area from which there isno further escape.• Where a final exit discharges into anenclosed area, further access to a placeof total safety should be available bymeans of further doors or gates that canbe easily opened in a manner similar tothe final exit.Marquees, tents and temporary structuresMarquees, tents and temporary structuresshould in general be treated in the same wayas a permanent structure of the same sizeand layout. Some specific issues to considerinclude the following;• Exit routes from marquees, tents andtemporary structures may be overuneven ground or temporary flooring,duckboards, ramps, etc. so you shouldensure that there are safe access andegress routes.• Escape routes should be sited away frommarquees to avoid trip hazards fromguy ropes and stakes. Where necessary,barriers should be provided.• Exits should be clearly indicated and ifthey consist of wall flaps they should beof a quick release design, clearly definedat the edges and so arranged as to beeasily and immediately opened from theinside.• There should be at least two exits froma marquee, and all exits should bedistributed evenly around the marqueeso that alternative routes are available.More detailed recommendations are givenin the Event Safety Guide: a guide to health,safety and welfare at music and similarevents 16 .Childcare facilities/crèchesThe location of childcare facilities/crèchesin your premises is important since parentsor guardians will often seek to return tothe facility when the alarm sounds. It istherefore important that the facility islocated so as to avoid parents travellingagainst the normal direction of escape.The childcare facility should be sited at thesame level as the parents or guardians oron the route to the final exit.100

4.2 escape route layoutThe examples listed in Table 3 show typicalescape route solutions for a range ofcommon building layouts. In each case thesolution is for a normal risk building unlessotherwise illustrated.These are not intended to be prescriptiveor exhaustive but merely to help youunderstand how the principles of means ofescape may be applied in practice.They are illustrative of the key features ofescape route layouts and not intended tobe real building layouts or to scale.You do not need to read all of this section,you only need to consider those figuresand the accompanying text which mostclosely resemble your premises. If yourpremises do not resemble these then youshould seek advice from a competentperson. these examples are intended torepresent your existing layout; they arenot to be used as design guidance.In all of these examples the following basicprinciples apply:• The farthest point on any floor to thefinal exit or storey exit to a protectedstairway is within the overall suggestedtravel distance (see Table 2).• The route to and the area near theexit is kept clear of combustibles andobstructions.• The fire-resisting stairway is kept clear ofcombustibles and obstructions.• The escape route leads to a final exit.• Where the stairway is not a protectedstairway, the final exit is visible andaccessible from the discharge point ofthe stairway at ground floor level.• High-risk rooms do not generally opendirectly into a protected stairway.• If your fire risk assessment shows thatpeople using any floor would be unawareof a fire you may require additional fireprotectionmeasures, e.g. an automaticfire-detection and warning system.• There should be more than one escaperoute from all parts of the premises(rooms or storeys) except for areas orstoreys with an occupancy of less than60. The figure of 60 can be varied inproportion to the risk, for a lower riskthere can be a slight increase, for ahigher risk, lower numbers of personsshould be allowed.101

Table 3: Typical examples of escape route layoutsSingle-storey buildings or the ground floor of a larger buildingGround floor with a single exit (including a mezzanine) See Figure 39Ground floor with a single exit (escape via a lobby) See Figure 40Ground floor with more than one exit See Figure 41Multi-storey buildings with more than one stairwayTwo-storey, lower risk premises (e.g. church hall) See Figure 42Two-storey, higher risk premises (e.g. nightclub) See Figure 43Tall building with a firefighting shaft See Figure 44Multi-storey buildings with a single stairwayTwo-storey, ground and one upper floor See Figure 45Two-storey, basement and ground floor See Figure 46Three-storey, small basement, ground and one upper floor See Figure 47Three-storey, basement, ground and one upper floor See Figure 48Four-storey, ground and up to three upper floors– protected by lobbies/corridorsFour-storey, ground and up to three upper floors– protected with automatic fire detectionSee Figure 49See Figure 50102

If you do not have any of the stairwayconfigurations given, and depending onthe outcome of your fire risk assessment itmaybe that you can achieve an equivalentlevel of safety by other means.The green arrows on the Figures 39–50represent the travel distances given inTable 2 (page 81) which should be applied.If your building has more than ground andthree upper storeys, ask advice from acompetent person.Single-storey building (or the ground floorof a larger building)ground floor with a single exit (includinga mezzanine)Part of your premises may have only asingle exit. The example shown in Figure 39will be generally acceptable provided thatthe part of the premises served only by asingle exit (i.e. ground floor and mezzanine)accommodates no more than 60 people intotal.If your fire risk assessment shows thatpeople using the mezzanine would beunaware of a fire, it may require additionalfire-protection measures, e.g. an automaticfire-detection and warning system.note: A mezzanine covering more than halfof the floor area may need to be treated asa separate floor (see two-storey buildings).Ground floorFinal ExitFigure 39: Ground floor with a single exit (including a mezzanine)103

ground floor with a single exit(escape via a lobby)Figure 40 shows an acceptable layout fora premises with one exit, with escape via alobby.Restrict the total capacity to 60 persons.Figure 40: Ground floor with a single exit (escape via a lobby)104

ground floor with more than one exitFigure 41 shows an acceptable exampleof a premises with more than one exit. Thefigure shows acceptable examples of bothcellular and open plan layouts.Final ExitCellular layoutFinal Exit45°+Final ExitOpen-plan layout45°+Final ExitFigure 41: Ground floor with more than one exit105

Multi-storey buildings with more than onestairwaytwo-storeyIf your premises has a ground floor andone upper floor and these are served bymore than one stairway, it is important tounderstand that you may not be able tomeet the suggested travel distance to afinal exit (see Table 2 on page 81). In thiscase, stairways may therefore need to beprotected by a fire-resisting enclosure asshown.The layout shown in Figures 42 and 43will be generally acceptable as long asthe furthest point on each of your floorsto the storey exit (or to a final exit usingan unprotected stair) is within the overallsuggesed travel distance (see Table 2 onpage 81).This principle applies to taller buildings (upto 18m). However, where your building hasmore than three upper storeys ask advicefrom a competent person.First floorSCSC+45º+45ºFinal ExitGround floor+45ºFinal Exit+45ºFinal ExitFinal ExitSCFire doorFire-resisting wallSelf-closingFigure 42: Two-storey, lower risk (e.g. church hall)106

First floorSCSCSC+45º+45ºSCFinal ExitGround floor+45ºFinal Exit+45ºFinal ExitFinal ExitSCFire doorFire-resisting wallSelf-closingFigure 43: Two-storey, higher risk (e.g. nightclub)107

tall building with a firefighting shaftFigure 44 shows a multi-storey buildingmore than 18m high fitted with a firefightingshaft which is required for specific types ofbuildings. If the premises you occupy aresituated in a building like this, you shouldask the advice of a competent person.Further information may be found inBS 9999 11 and Technical Booklet E 8 .Firefighting liftSCSCFloorshigherthan18mSCUpper floorSCMaximum distance 18mSCSCFirefighting liftSCFirefighting stairsSCFire doorFire-resisting wallSelf-closingFigure 44: Tall building with a firefighting shaft108

Multi-storey buildings with a singlestairwaySmaller places of public assembly may beprovided with a single stairway. The singlestairway examples provided in this sectionmay be suitable provided that the qualifyingprovisions are met. If in doubt you shouldseek advice from a competent person.two-storey, ground and one upper floorIn premises with a ground floor andone upper storey with a single stairwayand a simple layout, an open stairwayis acceptable as indicated in Figure 45provided that:• The upper floor should accommodate nomore than 60 people.• The furthest point on each of the floorsto the final exit is within the overallsuggested travel distance for escapein one direction only (see Table 2 onpage 81).First floorGround floorFinal ExitFigure 45: Two-storey, ground and one upper floor with a single stairway109

two-storey, basement and ground floorIn premises with a basement and a simplelayout, an open stairway is acceptable asindicated in Figure 46 provided:• The basement should accommodate nomore than 60 people.• The furthest point on each floor to thefinal exit is within the overall suggestedtravel distance (see Table 2 on page 81).Ground floorFinal ExitBasementFigure 46: Two-storey, basement and ground floor with a single stairway110

three-storey, small basement, ground andone upper floorIn premises with a ground floor and a smallbasement and first floor, each served bya single stairway, the layout in Figure 47will be generally acceptable as long as thefollowing apply:• The basement should accommodate nomore than 60 people.• The first floor should accommodate nomore than 60 people.• The farthest point in the basement tothe door to the nearest stairway is withinthe overall suggested travel distance(see Table 2 on page 81).• The stairways from the basement toground floor level is enclosed by fireresistingconstruction and leads to afinal exit.• The farthest point on the first floor to thefinal exit is within the overall suggestedtravel distance.First floorGround floorSCSCFinal ExitSCBasementSCSCFire doorFire-resisting wallSelf-closingFigure 47: Three-storey, small basement, ground and one upper floor111

three-storey, basement, ground and oneupper floorIn premises with a basement, ground andfirst floor, served by a single stairway, thelayout shown in Figure 48 will be generallyacceptable as long as the following apply:• The basement should accommodate nomore than 60 people.• The first floor should accommodate nomore than 60 people.• To overcome the restriction of traveldistance the stairway has beencompletely enclosed in 30-minute fireresistingconstruction and all doors ontothe stairway are self-closing fire doors.• The furthest point on each floor to thestorey exit is within the overall suggestedtravel distance (see Table 2 on page 81).• Where the building incorporates abasement, any stairway from thebasement is separated by a fire-resistinglobby or corridor between that basementand the protected stairway.First floorSCSCGround floorSCFinal ExitSCBasementSCSCSCSCSCFire doorFire-resisting wallSelf-closingFigure 48: Three-storey, basement, ground and one upper floor112

Four-storey, ground and up to three upperfloorsBecause of the higher risk posed bypremises used as a place of assemblywith a single stairway to parts of thepremises, and to protect the escape routeby preventing smoke from entering thestairway, a protected lobby or corridorapproach between the stairway and allfloors (other than the top floor) should beprovided as shown.Exceptionally for very low risk premises(where densities are low, occupantsare familiar with the premises, there isexcellent visual awareness and very limitedcombustibles) automatic fire detectionon all floors may be used instead ofprotected lobbies or corridors (see Figure50); however, the stairway must still beprotected.If your premises have a ground floor andup to three upper storeys and are servedby a single stairway, it is important tounderstand that you are unlikely to be ableto meet the suggested travel distance to afinal exit (see Table 2 on page 81). In thesecircumstances it is necessary to protectthe stairway by a fire-resisting enclosure asshown.The layout shown in Figure 49 will begenerally acceptable as long as thefollowing apply:• The upper floors should eachaccommodate no more than 60 people.• The furthest point on each floor to thestorey exit is within the overall suggestedtravel distance (see Table 2 on page 81).• When a protected lobby or corridorapproach to the stairway is employed,the travel distance is measured to thestorey exit and not to the door to thelobby or corridor.113

Top floorSCSCFirst andsecond floorsW.C.W.C.SCSCSCSCSCGround floorSCSCSCFinal ExitSCSCSCSCFire doorFire-resisting wallSelf-closingFigure 49: Four-storey, ground and up to three upper floors – protected by lobbies/corridors114

Top floorsSCSCFirst andsecond floorsW.C.W.C.SCSCSCSCGround floorSCSCSCFinal ExitSCSCSCSCFire doorFire-resisting wallSelf-closingAutomatic fire detectionFigure 50: Four-storey, ground and up to three upper floors – protected with automatic fire detection115

Section 5 Further guidance onemergency escape lightingThe primary purpose of emergency escapelighting is to illuminate escape routes, but italso illuminates safety equipment.The size and type of your premises andthe risk to the occupants will determinethe complexity of the emergency escapelighting required. Borrowed lighting maybe suitable in simple premises (e.g. asmall single-storey open-plan hall) wherelight is from a dependable source (e.g.from street lamps) and it will adequatelyilluminate escape routes in areas not usedby the public. Where borrowed lighting isnot suitable (e.g. in a high-risk area suchas a kitchen), then a number of torches instrategic positions for the use of staff only,could be considered.In simple premises where borrowed lightingis not suitable in areas used by the public,single ‘stand-alone’ escape lighting unitsmay be sufficient and these can sometimesbe combined with exit or directional signs.The level of general illumination should notbe significantly reduced by the sign.In more complex premises, e.g. those thatare part of a multi-storey or multi-occupiedbuilding, a more comprehensive emergencyescape lighting system may be appropriate.You will have identified the escape routeswhen carrying out your fire risk assessmentand need to ensure that they are alladequately lit. If there are escape routesthat are not permanently illuminated bynormal lighting, such as external stairs,then a switch, clearly marked ‘Escapelighting’, or some other means of switchingon the lighting should be provided at theentry to that area/stairs.An emergency escape lighting systemshould normally cover the following:• each exit door;• escape routes;• intersections of corridors;• outside each final exit and on externalescape routes;• emergency escape signs;• stairways so that each flight receivesadequate light;• changes in floor level;• windowless rooms and toiletaccommodation exceeding 8m 2 ;• firefighting equipment;• fire alarm call points;• equipment that would need to be shutdown in an emergency;• lifts; and• halls or other areas greater than 60m 2 .It is not necessary to provide individuallights (luminaires) for each item above, butthere should be a sufficient overall level oflight to allow them to be visible and usable.Emergency escape lighting can be both‘maintained’, i.e. on all the time, or ‘nonmaintained’which only operates when thenormal lighting fails. Systems or individuallighting units (luminaires) are designed tooperate for durations of between one andthree hours. In practice, the three-hour116

units are the most popular and can helpwith maintaining limited continued use ofyour premises during a power failure (otherthan in an emergency situation).If you decide that you need to installemergency escape lighting or to modify yourexisting system, any work should be carriedout by a competent person in accordancewith the appropriate standards.Further guidance is given in BS 5266-1 58and BS 5266-8 59 .Figure 51: LuminairesEmergency escape lighting (luminaires)can be stand-alone dedicated units orincorporated into normal light fittings. Thereare highly decorative versions of these forthose areas that demand aestheticallypleasing fixtures. Power supplies can berechargeable batteries integral to each unit,a central battery bank or an automatic startgenerator.To complement emergency escape lighting,people, especially those unfamiliar withthe premises, can be helped to identifyexit routes by the use of way-guidanceequipment. Way-guidance systems usuallycomprise photo-luminescent material, linesof LEDs, or strips of miniature incandescentlamps, forming a continuous markedescape route at lower level (Figure 52).These systems have proved particularlyeffective when people have had to escapethrough smoke, including for partiallysightedpeople. They can be particularlyuseful in premises where they can providemarked routes on floors and in multi-storeypremises they can direct people to escaperoutes which are seldom used.Figure 52: A 'way-guidance' systememergency escape lighting by gas orother means not using electricityIn premises where escape lighting by gas orother means not using electricity is alreadyinstalled, the escape lighting should beequivalent to that powered by electricity.Appropriate safety measures should beprovided, for example with regards tofixing, location of combustible materials,protection from draughts and emergencyshut-off.117

lighting for special effectsLasers, strobes or other forms of highintensity lighting are not suitable foremergency use.lighting conditions for stair treadsWhere lighting conditions render itdesirable the nosings of all stair treadsshould be made conspicuous by paintingor other effective means. Guidance isavailable in BS 8300 40 .Maintenance and testing of emergencyescape lightingAll emergency escape lighting systemsshould be regularly tested and properlymaintained to an appropriate standard.Most existing systems will need to bemanually tested. However, some modernsystems have self-testing facilities thatreduce routine checks to a minimum.Depending on your type of installation youshould be able to carry out most of theroutine tests yourself. The test methodwill vary. If you are not sure how to carryout these tests you should contact yoursupplier or other competent person.Test facilities often take the form of a‘fishtail’ key (see Figure 53) inserted in aspecial switch either near the main fuseboard or adjacent to relevant light switches.Typically, testing would include:Figure 53: A test key• a daily visual check of any centralcontrols;• a monthly function test by operatingthe test facility for a period sufficientto ensure that each emergency lampilluminates; and• an annual full discharge test.Particular care needs to be takenfollowing a full discharge test. Batteriestypically take 24 hours to re-charge andthe premises should not be re-occupieduntil the emergency lighting systemis fully functioning unless alternativearrangements have been made.It is good practice to keep a record of tests.See BS 5266-8 59 for more information.118

Section 6 Further guidance on signsand noticesescape signsIn simple premises, a few signs indicatingthe alternative exit(s) might be all that isneeded. In larger multi-room premises, aseries of signs directing people along theescape routes towards the final exit mightbe needed.Many people with poor vision retain somesight and are able to recognise changingor contrasting colour to provide themwith visual clues when moving around abuilding.* It may be sufficient to paint anycolumns and walls in a contrasting colourand to highlight changes in level by, forexample, making the nosing to step andstair treads a contrasting colour (seeBS 8300 40 for further guidance).For people with no sight, a well-managed‘buddy system’, continuous handrails, asound localisation system (which helpspeople to move towards an alert sound) orthe installation of more tactile aids may beappropriate.People will usually attempt to leavepremises by the same way that theyentered. As these entrances in places ofassembly will then be the exits of choice itfollows that the other exit facilities providedfor the premises may not be fully utilised.For this reason all available exits shouldbe clearly indicated so that the public areaware that there are ways to leave thebuilding other than by the doors which theyused to gain admission. In addition, theprovision of well sign-posted exits in fullview of an audience can give a feeling ofsecurity in an emergency situation.Maintained internally illuminated exit signswill be required where the lighting maybe dimmed or extinguished (e.g. lecturerooms).Exit signs should be clearly visiblewhenever the public are present.Positioning of escape route signsThe presence of other signs in premises(such as advertising) can distract attentionfrom, or obscure the visibility of, escapesigns. This could affect people’s abilityto see and understand escape signs,particularly if there is a fire evacuation.Always ensure that escape signs are notoverwhelmed.Escape signs should meet the followingcriteria:• They should provide clear, unambiguousinformation to enable people to safelyleave a building in an emergency.• Every escape route sign should,where necessary, incorporate, or beaccompanied by, a directional arrow.Arrows should not be used on their own.• If the escape route to the nearest exit isnot obvious then it should be indicatedby a sign(s).• Signs should be positioned so that aperson escaping will always have thenext escape route sign in sight.• Escape signs should be fixed above thedoor in the direction of escape and notbe fixed to doors, as they will not bevisible if the door is open.* The Royal National Institute of the Blind estimates that only about 4% of visually impaired people are totally blind.119

• Signs mounted above doors should beat a height of between 2.0m and 2.5mabove the floor.• Signs on walls should be mountedbetween 1.7m and 2.0m above the floor.• Mounting heights greater than 2.5mmay be used for hanging signs, e.g. inlarge open spaces or for operationalreasons, but care should be takento ensure that such signs are bothconspicuous and legible. In such caselarger signs may be necessary.• Signs should be sited at the same heightthroughout the escape route, so far as isreasonably practicable.In multi-occupied premises, co-operationbetween the respective appropriatepersons should be sought to ensure that,as far as possible, all signs in the buildingconform to a single pattern or scheme.Figure 54: BS-type signescape sign designFor a sign to comply with signs and signalsregulations it must be pictographic (seeFigures 54 and 55). The pictogram can besupplemented by text if this is considerednecessary to make the sign easilyunderstood (BS-type sign), but you must nothave a fire safety sign that uses only text.Either type of sign can be used but differenttypes should not be mixed. Appropriatesigns should take into account the needs ofthose who may need to use them.The legibility of escape signs is determinedby the size of the sign, its level ofillumination and the distance over which itis viewed. The use of signs within the samepremises should follow a consistent designpattern or scheme. You should not rely ona few outsized signs which may encouragepeople to travel to a particular escape routewhen other more appropriate routes shouldbe used.other safety signs and noticesFigure 55: Euro signA number of other mandatory signs such as‘Fire action’ notices may also be necessary.Fire doors that have been fitted with selfclosingdevices should be labelled ‘Firedoor – keep shut’ on both sides (see Figure56). Fire-resisting doors to cupboards,stores and service ducts that are not selfclosingbecause they are routinely keptlocked should be labelled ‘Fire door – keeplocked’ on the outside.120

Where there is a high turnover of staff, amore considered approach for staff noticesand instructions will be necessary. As wellas positioning the fire instructions noticeon escape routes adjacent to fire breakglasscall points (see Figure 57), put themwhere staff frequently assemble in thepremises, e.g. the canteen and lockerrooms.Figure 56: Fire door 'keep shut' noticeIn some premises, such as nightclubs,consider whether it is suitable for fireinstruction notices to be available in publicareas or whether they should only be inareas to which staff have access.Signs should indicate non-automatic firesafety equipment if there is any doubtabout its location, e.g. fire extinguishersthat are kept in cabinets or in recesses.A notice with the words ‘Push bar toopen’ should be permanently displayedimmediately above the push-bar on alldoors fitted with a panic bolt or panic latch.A notice with the words ‘Fire escape – keepclear’ should be permanently displayed atabout eye level on the external face of alldoors which are provided as a means ofescape in case of fire and which, becausethey are not normally used, may becomeobstructed.Staff noticesIn simple premises where there area limited number of escape routes, itmay be reasonable to provide staff withverbal reminders of what they need to doif there is a fire. In some premises, youcould consider providing a short writtenstatement that could, for example, bedelivered with staff pay slips every sixmonths.Figure 57: Fire action noticeIf your premises are routinely expected toaccommodate people whose first languageis not English you may need to considerproviding instruction in more than onelanguage. The interpretation should alwaysconvey an identical message.121

IlluminationAll signs and notices will need illuminationto ensure they are conspicuous and legible.There are a number of options available toachieve this, such as:• external illumination; and• internal illumination.The supplier or other competent personcan give you further advice.All exit and directional signs indicating theexits from any part of the premises to whichthe public are admitted should (unlessthey are self-luminous fire safety signs) beilluminated by means of the normal lightingand the emergency escape lighting at alltimes when the public are on the premises.Signs or notices of the photo-luminescenttype, i.e. where the active material makingup the luminous parts of such signs ornotices needs a period of exposure to lightbefore they become visible in darkness (butget fainter with time), are not a substitutefor appropriate emergency lighting andshould only be used where other forms ofillumination are present.Further guidanceFurther guidance on fire safety signs canbe found in BS 5499-5 60 and BS 5499-4 61 .Published guidance 9, 10 on compliance withhealth and safety legislation on signs isalso available. Guidance about the use ofphoto-luminescent fire safety signs andnotices can be found in BS 5266-6 62 .122

Section 7 Further guidance onrecording, planning, informing,instructing and training7.1 Fire safety recordsKeeping up-to-date records of your firerisk assessment can help you effectivelymanage the fire strategy for your premisesand demonstrate how you are complyingwith fire safety law.Even if you do not have to record the firerisk assessment, it can be helpful to keepa record of any co-operation and exchangeof information made between employersand other appropriate people for futurereference.It is best to keep a dedicated record of allmaintenance of fire-protection equipmentand training. There is no one ‘correct’format specified for this. Suitable recordbooks are available from trade associationsand may also be available from your localenforcing authority.In all cases the quality of these records mayalso be regarded as a good indicator of theoverall quality of the safety managementstructure.Your records should be kept in a specifiedplace on the premises (for example, in themanagement’s office), and should include:• details of any significant findingsfrom the fire risk assessment and anyaction taken (see Part 1, Section 4.1);• testing and checking of escaperoutes, including final exit lockingmechanisms, such as panic devices,emergency exit devices and anyelectromagnetic devices;• testing of fire warning systems,including weekly alarm tests andperiodic maintenance by a competentperson;• recording of false alarms;• testing and maintenance ofemergency lighting systems;• testing and maintenance of fireextinguishers, hose reels and fireblankets, etc.;• if appropriate, testing andmaintenance of other fire safetyequipment;• recording and training of relevantpeople and fire evacuation drills;• planning, organising, policy andimplementation, monitoring, auditand review;• maintenance and audit of anysystems that are provided to help theFire and Rescue Service;• the arrangements in a large multioccupiedbuilding for a co-ordinatedemergency plan or overall control ofthe actions you or your staff shouldtake if there is a fire; and• all alterations, tests, repairs andmaintenance of the fire safetysystems, including passive systemssuch as fire doors.123

Other issues that you may wish to recordinclude:• the competence, qualifications andstatus of the persons responsible forcarrying out inspections and tests;• the results of periodic safety audits,reviews, inspections and tests, and anyremedial action taken;In premises with ‘engineered fire safetystrategies’, a fire policy manual shouldbe provided in addition to any otherrecords. Guidance on the structure offire engineering policy manuals is givenin BS 7974 Section 5: Reporting andpresentation 63 .• all incidents and circumstances whichhad the potential to cause accidentsand monitor subsequent remedialaction; and• a record of the building use, the fireprevention and protection measures inplace and high-risk areas.You should ensure that no othermanagement decisions or policiescompromise safety.Your documentation should be availablefor inspection by representatives of theenforcing authority.More detailed advice is given in BS 9999 11 .Figure 58 is an example of how to recordsome individual stages of the process inmore detail. A blank version of this form isprovided in Appendix A2.124

Risk Assessment - Record of significant findingsRisk assessment forAssessment undertaken byCompany Inspirations Date 02/02/2006AddressThe AvenueOld TownAB12 3CDCompleted bySignatureJ BrownJ BrownSheet number Floor/area UseOne First floor Art GalleryStep 1 - Identify fire hazardsSources of ignition Sources of fuel Sources of oxygenDisplay lightingElectrical heatersStaff tea making equipmentStep 2 - People at riskExhibitionsDisplay materialRecords etc. in officeNo additional sources3 Permanent saff2 Temporary staff50 members of the public(peak times)Step 3 - Evaluate, remove, reduce and protect from risk(3.1) Evaluate the risk of the fireoccuring(3.2) Evaluate the risk to peoplefrom a fire starting in thepremises(3.3) Remove and reduce thehazards that may cause a fire(3.4) Remove and reduce the risksto people from a fire• Display lighting in close proximity to exhibits• Floor mounted heaters – combustible materials in close proximity• Kettle and toaster in tea area in rear office adjacent to substantial quantities ofrecords/unfiled papers• Gallery area predominantly open plan• Fire in rear office/tea area could go undetected and present a hazard to the gallery• Fire in ground floor gift shop could obstruct stairway to the gallery• Reposition display lighting• Wall mount electrical heaters• Remove toaster – replace kettle• Records etc. to be filed in metal filing cabinets in office.The current fire precautions (refer to floor plan) have been assessed with respectto the findings of the risk assessment and are considered adequate with thefollowing exceptions:• Replace office door with a fire door to separate office from gallery• Provide fire exit sign to the external escape staircase from office• Replace self closer to the door protecting front staircase from shop at groundfloor levelAssessment reviewAssessment review date Completed by SignatureReview outcome (where substantial changes have occurred a new record sheet should be used)Notes:(1) The risk assessment record of significant findings should refer to other plans, records or other documents as necessary.(2) The information in this record should assist you to develop an emergency plan; co-ordinate measures with other ‘appropriate persons’ in thebuilding; and to inform and train staff and inform other relevant persons.Figure 58: Example record of significant findings125

Fire safety auditA fire safety audit can be used alongsideyour fire risk assessment to identify whatfire safety provisions exist in your premises.When carrying out a review of your firesafety risk assessment, a pre-planned auditcan quickly identify if there have been anysignificant changes which may affect thefire safety systems and highlight whether afull fire risk assessment is necessary.Plans and specificationsPlans and specifications can be usedto assist understanding of a fire riskassessment or emergency plan. Evenwhere not needed for this purpose theycan help you and your staff keep yourfire risk assessment and emergency planunder review and help the Fire and RescueService in the event of fire. Any symbolsused should be shown on a key. Plans andspecifications could include the following:• essential structural features such as thelayout of function rooms, escape doors,wall partitions, corridors, stairways, etc.(including any fire-resisting structure andself-closing fire doors provided to protectthe escape routes);• location of manually-operated fire alarmcall points and control equipment forfire alarms;• location of any emergency lightingequipment and the exit route signs;• location of any high-risk areas,equipment or process that must beimmediately shut down by staff onhearing the fire alarm;• location of any automatic firefightingsystems, risers and sprinkler controlvalves;• location of the main electrical supplyswitch, the main water shut-off valveand, where appropriate, the main gas oroil shut-off valves; and• plans and specifications relating to allrecent constructions.This information should be passed on toany later users or owners of the premises.• location of refuges and lifts that havebeen designated suitable for use bydisabled people and others who mayneed assistance to escape in case of afire;• methods for fighting fire (details ofthe number, type and location of thefirefighting equipment);126

7.2 emergency plansemergency plan and contingency plansYour emergency plan should be appropriateto your premises and could include:• how people will be warned if there is afire;• what staff should do if they discover afire;• how the evacuation of the premisesshould be carried out;• identification of key escape routes;• arrangements for fighting fire;• arrangements for the safe evacuation ofpeople identified as being especially atrisk, such as those with disabilities andchildren;• contingency plans, e.g. restrictions onthe use of the building, for when lifesafety systems are out of order, e.g.evacuation lifts, fire-detection andwarning systems;• how the Fire and Rescue Service andany other necessary services will becalled and who will be responsible fordoing this; and• what training employees need and thearrangements for ensuring that thistraining is given.As part of your emergency plan it is goodpractice to prepare post-incident plans fordealing with situations that might arisesuch as those involving:• unaccompanied children;• people with personal belongings(especially valuables) still in the building;• people in a state of undress (e.g. indoorsportswear);• people wishing to rejoin friends;• getting people away from the building(e.g. to transport); and• inclement weather.You should also assess the risk of anyincident occurring which might prejudicepublic safety or disrupt normal operations,for example, power cuts, bomb threatsor crowd disorder. Such incidents oftenarise with little or no warning and maynot be capable of being dealt with by themanagement operating under normalcircumstances.You should therefore prepare contingencyplans to determine specific actions and/orthe mobilisation of specialist resources.Guidance on developing health and safetymanagment policy has been published bythe HSE 64 .Responsibilities for short-term hiring orleasing and for shared useIt is crucial that the temporary appropriateperson understands their duties for theduration of the event or function. Figure59 gives an example of the sorts ofrecommendations that could be providedby the owner of the premises to thetemporary appropriate person, who mustbe made aware of their legal duties.127

As the appropriate person for the event/ function,etc. you have legal duties with regards to the safetyof those persons assisting or attending the event.Before the event or function you should be aware of:• what fire protection systems are present;• how a fire will be detected;• how people will be warned if there is a fire;• what staff should do if they discover a fire;• how the evacuation of the premises should becarried out;• where people should assemble after they haveleft the premises and procedures for checkingwhether the premises have been evacuated;• identification of key escape routes and exits, howpeople can gain access to them and escape to aplace of safety;• arrangements for fighting fire;• specific arrangements, if necessary, for high-fireriskareas;• how the Fire and Rescue Service and any othernecessary services will be called;• procedures for meeting the Fire and RescueService on their arrival and notifying them of anyspecial risks, e.g. the location of highly flammablematerials;• what instruction employees or helpers need andthe arrangements for ensuring that this training isgiven;• limitation on numbers of people;• any chains and padlocks which need removingfrom fire exits, etc.;• exit doors which are required to be in the openposition are secure; and• checking that all escape routes are clear ofobstructions and combustibles.Before the event or function you shoulddecide:• the arrangements for fighting fire;• the arrangements for means of escape fordisabled persons;• the arrangements for the safe evacuation ofpeople identified as being especially at risk, suchas contractors, those with disabilities, children,members of the public and visitors;• how you will proceed if life safety systems are outof order, e.g. fire-detection and alarm systems,sprinklers or smoke control systems;• who will be responsible for calling the Fire andRescue Service and any other necessary services;• who will meet the Fire and Rescue Service on theirarrival and notifying them of any special risks, e.g.the location of highly flammable materials; and• your plans to deal with people once they have leftthe premises, especially children.At the start of the event or function you should notifyall those present about:• the smoking policy;• the emergency warning signal;• who is supervising and how to identify them;• location of exits and escape routes;• taking only valuables immediately to hand but notto go to collect other belongings;• the location of muster points; and• what will happen after that (e.g. re-entry to thebuilding).During the event or function you should ensure that:• escape routes and exits do not become blocked;• your smoking policy is adhered to;• no naked flames are started (unless authorisede.g. candles);• where naked flames are present that combustiblematerial is kept clear;• rooms do not become overcrowded;• noise levels cannot drown out the fire alarm; and• if necessary, the number of persons in yourpremises is limited or controlled.the above list is for example only and will need to bespecific to any particular venue or premises.• the duties and identity of staff who have specificresponsibilities if there is a fire;128Figure 59: Emergency plan for the temporary appropriate person

7.3 Information, instruction, cooperationand co-ordinationSupplying informationYou must provide easily understandableinformation to employees, the parents ofchildren you may employ, and to employersof other persons working in your premisesabout the measures in place to ensure asafe escape from the building and how theywill operate, for example:• any significant risks to staff and otherrelevant persons that have beenidentified in your fire risk assessment orany similar assessment carried out byanother user and appropriate person inthe building;• the fire prevention and protectionmeasures and procedures in yourpremises and where they impact on staffand other persons in the building;• the procedures for fighting a fire in thepremises; and• the identity of people who have beennominated with specific responsibilitiesin the building.Even if you do not have to record the firerisk assessment, it would be helpful to keepa record of any co-operation and exchangeof information made between employersand other appropriate people for futurereference.You need to ensure that all staff and, wherenecessary, other relevant persons in thebuilding, receive appropriate information ina way that can be easily understood. Thismight include any special instructions toparticular people who have been allocateda specific task, such as shutting downequipment or guiding people to the nearestexit.Duties of employees to give informationEmployees also have a duty to takereasonable care for their own safety andthat of other people who may be affectedby their activities. This includes the needfor them to inform their employer of anyactivity that they consider would present aserious and immediate danger to their ownsafety and that of others.Dangerous substancesHSE publishes guidance 13 about specificsubstances where appropriate informationmay need to be provided. If any of these,or any other substance that is not includedbut nevertheless presents more than aslight risk, is present in your premises, thenyou must provide such information to staffand others, specifically you must:• name the substance and the risksassociated with it, e.g. how to safely useor store the product to avoid creatinghighly flammable vapours or explosiveatmospheres;• identify any legislative provisions thatmay be associated with the substance;• allow employees access to thehazardous substances safety datasheet; and• inform the Fire and Rescue Servicewhere dangerous substances arepresent on the premises.129

Information to the emergency servicesIn addition to providing information to theFire and Rescue Service when dangeroussubstances are present in sufficientquantities to pose an enhanced risk, it willalso be helpful to inform them of any shortterm changes that might have an impact ontheir firefighting activities; e.g. in the eventof temporary loss of a firefighting facilityand temporary alterations.Procedures should also include meetingand briefing the Fire and Rescue Servicewhen they arrive.InstructionYou will need to carefully considerthe type of instructions to staff andother people working in your premises.Written instructions must be concise,comprehensible and relevantand therefore must be reviewed andupdated as new working practices andhazardous substances are introduced.Inclusive access and employment policiesmean that people with learning difficultiesmay now be present in a range of premisesand your fire risk assessment shouldconsider whether further instruction orguidance is necessary to ensure that yourevacuation strategy is appropriate andunderstood by everyone.Instructions will need to be given to peopledelegated to carry out particular tasks, forexample:• removing additional security, bolts, barsor chains on final exit doors before thestart of business to ensure that escaperoutes are accessible;• daily, weekly, quarterly and yearly checkson the range of fire safety measures(in some premises some of the workmay be contracted out to a specialistcompany);• safety considerations when closing downthe premises at the end of the day, e.g.removing rubbish, ensuring enough exitsare available for people that remain andclosing fire doors and shutters;• leaving hazardous substances in a safecondition when evacuating the building;and• the safe storage of hazardoussubstances at the end of the workingday.Specific instructions may be needed about:• how staff will help members of thepublic/visitors to leave the building;• ‘sweeping’ of the premises floors by staffto guide people to the nearest exit whenthe fire alarm sounds;• designating particular areas of yourpremises to check that no one remainsinside;• calling the emergency services;• carrying out evacuation roll calls;• taking charge at the assembly area;• meeting and directing fire engines; and• cover arrangements when nominatedpeople are on leave.130

Co-operation and co-ordinationWhere you share premises with others (thisincludes people who are self-employed or inpartnership), each appropriate person, i.e.each employer, owner or other person whohas control over any part of the premises,will need to co-operate and co-ordinatethe findings of their separate fire riskassessments to ensure the fire precautionsand protection measures are effectivethroughout the building. This could include:• co-ordinating an emergency plan (seeSection 7.2 for features of an emergencyplan);• identifying the nature of any risks andhow they may affect others in or aboutthe premises;• identifying any fire-prevention andprotection measures;• identifying any measures to mitigate theeffects of a fire; and• arranging any contacts with externalemergency services, and calling the Fireand Rescue Service.7.4 Fire safety trainingStaff trainingThe actions of staff if there is a fire arelikely to be crucial to their safety and thatof other people in the premises. All staffshould receive basic fire safety inductiontraining and attend refresher sessions atpre-determined intervals.You should ensure that all staff andcontractors are told about the emergencyplan and are shown the escape routes.The training should take account of thefindings of the fire risk assessment and beeasily understood by all those attending. Itshould include the role that those membersof staff will be expected to carry out if a fireoccurs.In addition to the guidance given inPart 1, Step 4.4, as a minimum all staffshould receive training about:• the items listed in your emergency plan;• the importance of fire doors and otherbasic fire-prevention measures;• where relevant, the appropriate use offirefighting equipment;• the importance of reporting to theassembly area;• exit routes and the operation of exitdevices, including physically walkingthese routes;• general matters such as permittedsmoking areas or restrictions on cookingother than in designated areas; and• assisting disabled persons wherenecessary.Training is necessary:• when staff start employment or aretransferred into the premises;131

• when changes have been made to theemergency plan and the preventive andprotective measures;• where working practices and processesor people’s responsibilities change;• to take account of any changed risksto the safety of staff or other relevantpersons;• to ensure that staff know what theyhave to do to safeguard themselves andothers on the premises;• where staff are expected to assistdisabled persons; and• if a member of staff may take on therole of duty manager.Training should be repeated as often asnecessary and should take place duringworking hours.Whatever training you decide is necessaryto support your fire safety strategy andemergency plan, it should be verifiable.Enforcing authorities may want to examinerecords as evidence that adequate traininghas been given.Fire marshalsStaff expected to undertake the role of firemarshals (often called fire wardens) wouldrequire more comprehensive training. Theirrole may include:• helping those on the premises to leave;• checking the premises to ensureeveryone has left;• using firefighting equipment if safe to doso;• liaising with the Fire and Rescue Serviceon arrival;• shutting down vital or dangerousequipment; and• performing a supervisory/managing rolein any fire situation.Training for this role may include:• detailed knowledge of the fire safetystrategy of the premises;• awareness of human behaviour in fires;• how to encourage others to use themost appropriate escape route;• how to search safely and recogniseareas that are unsafe to enter;• the difficulties that some people,particularly if disabled, may have inescaping and any special evacuationarrangements that have been preplanned;• additional training in the use offirefighting equipment;• an understanding of the purpose of anyfixed firefighting equipment such assprinklers; and• reporting of faults, incidents and nearmisses.For licensed premises, door supervisorsmay have a fire safety function andappropriate training should be provided.132

Fire drillsOnce the emergency plan has beendeveloped and training given, you will needto evaluate its effectiveness. The best wayto do this is to perform a fire drill. Thisshould be carried out at least annually oras determined by your fire risk assessment.If you have a high staff turnover, you mayneed to carry them out more often.A well-planned and executed fire drill willconfirm understanding of the trainingand provide helpful information for futuretraining. The appropriate person shoulddetermine the possible objectives of thedrill such as to:• identify any weaknesses in theevacuation strategy;• test the procedure following any recentalteration or changes to workingpractices;• familiarise new members of staff withprocedures; and• test the arrangements for disabledpeople.Who should take part?Within each building the evacuationshould be for all occupants except thosewho may need to ensure the security ofthe premises, or people who, on a riskassessedbasis, are required to remain withparticular equipment or processes thatcannot be closed down.Where appropriate, you may find it helpfulto include members of the public in yourfire drill – ensuring that all necessary healthand safety issues are addressed before youdo so.Carrying out the drillFor premises that have more than oneescape route, the escape plan should bedesigned to evacuate all people on theassumption that one exit or stairway isunavailable because of the fire. This couldbe simulated by a designated person beinglocated at a suitable point on an exit route.Applying this scenario to different escaperoutes at each fire drill will encourageindividuals to use alternative escape routeswhich they may not normally use.When carrying out the drill you might find ithelpful to:• circulate details concerning the drilland inform all staff of their duty toparticipate. It may not be beneficial tohave ‘surprise drills’ as the health andsafety risks introduced may outweighthe benefits;• ensure that equipment can be safelyleft;• nominate observers;• inform the alarm receiving centre if thefire-warning system is monitored (if theFire and Rescue Service is normallycalled directly from your premises,ensure that this does not happen);• inform visitors and members of thepublic if they are present; and133

• ask a member of staff at random to setoff the alarm by operating the nearestalarm call point using the test key. Thiswill indicate the level of knowledgeregarding the location of the nearest callpoint.More detailed information on fire drills andtest evacuations are given in BS 9999 11 .the roll call/checking the premises havebeen evacuatedIn some cases it may be appropriate tocarry out a roll call as soon as possible atthe designated assembly point(s), and/orreceive reports from wardens designated to‘sweep’ the premises. You should note anypeople who are unaccounted for. In a realevacuation this information will need to bepassed to the Fire and Rescue Service onarrival.• the roles of specified people, e.g. firewardens;• inappropriate actions, e.g. stopping tocollect personal items, attempting to uselifts, etc.; and• windows and doors not being closed aspeople leave.On-the-spot debriefs are useful to discussthe fire drill, encouraging feedback fromeverybody. Later, reports from fire wardensand observations from people should becollated and reviewed. Any conclusions andremedial actions should be recorded andimplemented.Monitoring and debriefThroughout the drill the appropriate personand nominated observers should payparticular attention to:• communication difficulties with regardto the roll call and establishing thateveryone is accounted for;• the use of the nearest availableescape routes as opposed to commoncirculation routes;• difficulties with the opening of final exitdoors;• difficulties experienced by people withdisabilities;134

Section 8 Quality assurance of fireprotection equipment and installationFire protection products and relatedservices should be fit for their purposeand properly installed and maintainedin accordance with the manufacturer’sinstructions or a relevant standard.Third party certification schemes for fireprotection products and related servicesare an effective means of providing thefullest possible assurances, offering a levelof quality, reliability and safety that noncertificatedproducts may lack. This doesnot mean goods and services that are notthird party approved are less reliable, butthere is no obvious way in which this can bedemonstrated.Third party quality assurance can offercomfort, both as a means of satisfyingyou that goods and services you havepurchased are fit for purpose, and as ameans of demonstrating that you havecomplied with the law.However, to ensure the level of assuranceoffered by third party schemes, you shouldalways check whether the company youemploy sub-contracts work to others. If theydo, you will want to check that the subcontractorsare subject to the same level ofchecks of quality and competence as thecompany you are employing.The Fire and Rescue Service, fire tradeassociations or your own trade associationmay be able to provide further detailsabout third party quality assuranceschemes and the various organisationsthat administer them.135

Appendix AA1 example fire safety maintenancechecklistA fire safety maintenance checklist can beused as a means of supporting your firesafety policy. This list is not intended to becomprehensive and should not be usedas a substitute for carrying out a fire riskassessment.Any ticks in the dark blue boxes shouldresult in further investigation andappropriate action as necessary. In largerand more complex premises you may needto seek the assistance of a competentperson to carry out some of the checks.You can modify the example, wherenecessary, to fit your premises and mayneed to incorporate the recommendationsof manufacturers and installers of the firesafety equipment/systems that you mayhave installed in your premises.Yes No N/A CommentsDaily checks (not normally recorded)Escape routesCan all fire exits to be opened immediately andeasily?Are fire doors clear of obstructions?Are escape routes clear?Fire warning systemsIs the indicator panel showing ‘normal’?Are whistles, gongs, or air horns in place?Escape lightingAre luminaires and exit signs in good conditionand undamagedIs emergency lighting and sign lighting workingcorrectly?Firefighting equipmentAre all fire extinguishers in place?Are fire extinguishers clearly visible?Are vehicles blocking fire hydrants or access tothem?136

Yes No N/A CommentsWeekly checksEscape routesDo all emergency fastening devices to fire exits(push bars and pads, etc.) work correctly?Are external routes clear and safe?Fire warning systemsDoes testing a manual call point send a signal tothe indicator panel? (Disconnect the link to thereceiving centre or tell them you are doing a test.)Did the alarm system work correctly when tested?Did staff and other people hear the fire alarm?Did any linked fire protection systems operatecorrectly? (e.g. magnetic door holder released,smoke curtains drop)Do all visual alarms and/or vibrating alarms andpagers (as applicable work)?Do voice alarm systems work correctly?Was the message understood?Escape lightingAre charging indicators (if fitted) visible?Firefighting equipmentIs all equipment in good condition?Additional items from manufacturer’srecommendationsMonthly checksEscape routesDo all electronic release mechanisms on escapedoors work correctly? Do they ‘fail safe’ in theopen position?Do all automatic opening doors on escape routes‘fail safe’ in the open position?Are fire doors seals and self-closing devices ingood condition?137

Yes No N/A CommentsMonthly checks continuedDo all roller shutters provided for firecompartmentation work correctly?Are external escape stairs safe?Do all external self-closing fire doors workcorrectly?Escape lightingDo all luminaires and exit signs function correctlywhen tested?Have all emergency generators been tested?(Normally run for one hour.)Firefighting equipmentIs the pressure in ‘stored pressure’ fireextinguishers correct?Additional items from manufacturer’srecommendationsThree monthly checksGeneralAre any emergency water tanks/ponds at theirnormal capacity?Are vehicles blocking fire hydrants or access tothem?Additional items from manufacturer’srecommendationsSix monthly checksGeneralHas any firefighting or emergency evacuation liftbeen tested by a competent person?Has any sprinkler system been tested by acompetent person?Have the release and closing mechanisms of anyfire-resisting compartment doors and shuttersbeen tested by a competent person?Fire warning systemHas the system been checked by a competentperson?138

Yes No N/A CommentsSix monthly checks continuedEscape lightingDo all luminaires operate on test for one third oftheir rated value?Additional items from manufacturer’srecommendationsAnnual checksEscape routesDo all self-closing fire doors fit correctly?Is escape route compartmentation in good repair?Escape lightingDo all luminaires operate on test for their full ratedduration?Has the system been checked by a competentperson?Firefighting equipmentHas all firefighting equipment been checked by acompetent person?MiscellaneousHas any dry/wet rising fire main been tested by acompetent person?Has the smoke and heat ventilation system beentested by a competent person?Has external access for the Fire and RescueService been checked for ongoing availability?Have any firefighters’ switches been tested?Has the fire hydrant bypass flow valve control beentested by a competent person?Are any necessary fire engine direction signs inplace?139

A2 example form for recordingsignificant findingsRisk Assessment - Record of significant findingsRisk assessment forCompanyAddressAssessment undertaken byDateCompleted bySignatureSheet number Floor/area UseStep 1 - Identify fire hazardsSources of ignition Sources of fuel Sources of oxygenStep 2 - People at riskStep 3 - Evaluate, remove, reduce and protect from risk(3.1) Evaluate the risk of the fireoccuring(3.2) Evaluate the risk to peoplefrom a fire starting in thepremises(3.3) Remove and reduce thehazards that may cause afire(3.4) Remove and reduce therisks to people from a fireAssessment reviewAssessment review date Completed by SignatureReview outcome (where substantial changes have occurred a new record sheet should be used)Notes:(1) The risk assessment record of significant findings should refer to other plans, records or other documents as necessary.(2) The information in this record should assist you to develop an emergency plan; co-ordinate measures with other ‘appropriate persons’ inthe building; and to inform and train staff and inform other relevant persons.140

Appendix Btechnical information on fire-resistingseparation, fire doors and doorfasteningsB1 Fire-resisting separationgeneralThe materials from which your premisesare constructed may determine the speedwith which a fire may spread, affecting theescape routes that people will use. A firestarting in a building constructed mainlyfrom readily combustible material willspread faster than one where modern fireresistingconstruction materials have beenused. Where non-combustible materials areused and the internal partitions are madefrom fire-resisting materials, the fire willbe contained for a longer period, allowingmore time for the occupants to escape.Because of the requirements of theBuilding Regulations you will probablyalready have some walls and floors that arefire-resisting and limitations on the surfacefinishes to certain walls and ceilings.You will need to consider whetherthe standard of fire resistance andsurface finishing in the escape routes issatisfactory, has been affected by wearand tear or alterations and whether anyimprovements are necessary.The following paragraphs give basicinformation on how fire-resistingconstruction can provide up to 30minutes protection to escape routes. Thisis the standard recommended for mostsituations. If you are still unsure of the levelof fire resistance which is necessary afterreading this information, you should consulta fire safety expert.Fire-resisting constructionThe fire resistance of a wall or floor isdependent on the quality of constructionand materials used. Common examplesof types of construction that provide30-minute fire resistance to escape routesif constructed to the above standards are:• internal framed construction wall, nonloadbearing, consisting of 72mm x37mm timber studs at 600mm centresand faced with 12.5mm of plasterboardwith all joints taped and filled (seeFigure 60);• internal framed construction, non-loadbearing, consisting of channel sectionsteel studs at 600mm centres facedwith 12.5mm of plasterboard with alljoints taped and filled; and• masonry cavity wall consisting ofsolid bricks of clay, brick earth, shale,concrete or calcium silicate, with aminimum thickness of 90mm on eachleaf.There are other methods and productsavailable which will achieve the requiredstandard of fire resistance and maybe more appropriate for the existingconstruction in your premises. If thereis any doubt about how your building isconstructed, then ask for further advicefrom a competent person.141

1st floorFire-resisting floor construction to protect route aboveCavity fire barrierEfficient smoke sealFalse ceilingFire-resisting partition constructedup to underside of floor overheadProtected routeFire-resisting floor constructionBasementFigure 60: Fire-resisting constructionFire-resisting floorsThe fire resistance of floors will depend onthe existing floor construction as well as thetype of ceiling finish beneath. If you need toupgrade the fire resistance of your floor itmay not be desirable to apply additional fireresistance to the underside of an existingornate ceiling. In older buildings there maybe a requirement to provide fire resistancebetween beams and joists.A typical example of a 30-minute fireresistingtimber floor is tongue and groovesoftwood of not less than 15mm finishedthickness on 37mm timber joists, with aceiling below of one layer of plasterboardto a thickness of 12.5mm with joints tapedand filled and backed by supporting timber.There are other, equally valid, methods andproducts available for upgrading floors.If you are in any doubt you should ask theadvice of a competent person and ensurethat the product is installed in accordancewith instructions from the manufacturer orsupplier.Fire-resisting glazingThe most common type of fire-resistingglazing is 6mm Georgian wired glazing,which is easily identifiable. Clear fireresistingglazing is available and canquickly be identified by a mark etchedinto the glass, usually in the corner of theglazed panel, to confirm its fire-resistingstandard. Although this is not compulsory,the marking of glass is supported by theGlass and Glazing Federation; you shouldcheck whether the glazing will be markedaccordingly before purchase. The glazingshould have been installed in accordancewith the manufacturer’s instructions and tothe appropriate standard 65 , to ensure thatits fire-resisting properties are maintained.142

The performance of glazed systems interms of fire resistance and external fireexposure should, wherever possible, beconfirmed by test evidence. Alternatively,where there is a lack of test information,ask for an assessment of the proposedconstruction from suitably qualified people.Fire separation of voidsA common problem encountered with fireseparation is fire-resisting partitions whichdo not extend above false ceilings to trueceiling height. This may result in unseenfire spread and a loss of vital protection tothe escape routes. It is important thereforeto carefully check all such partitions havebeen installed correctly.Total or systematic methods of constructionwere developed to provide consistentbuilding quality, while reducing the needfor traditional skilled labour. They consistof a metal frame upon which structuralpanels are fixed. This results in hiddenvoids through which fire may spread.It is important that cavity barriers thatrestrict the spread of fire are installedappropriately, especially to walls and floorsthat need to be fire-resisting. If you are inany doubt as to whether any remedial workwill be required, then ask for advice from acompetent person.Breaching fire separationTo ensure effective protection against fire,walls and floors providing fire separationmust form a complete barrier, with anequivalent level of fire resistance providedto any openings such as doors, ventilationducts, pipe passages or refuse chutes.The passing of services such as heatingpipes or electrical cables through fireresistingpartitions leaves gaps throughwhich fire and smoke may spread.This should be rectified by suitable firestopping and there are many proprietaryproducts available to suit particular typesof construction. Such products should beinstalled by competent contractors.Décor and surface finishes of walls,ceilings and escape routesThe materials used to line walls andceilings can contribute significantly to thespread of flame across their surface. Mostmaterials that are used as surface liningswill fall into one of three classes of surfacespread of flame. The following are commonexamples of acceptable materials forvarious situations:Class 0: Materials suitable for circulationspaces and escape routes• Such materials include brickwork,blockwork, concrete, ceramic tiles,plaster finishes (including renderingon wood or metal lathes), wood-woolcement slabs and mineral fibre tiles orsheets with cement or resin binding.note: Additional finishes to these surfacesmay be detrimental to the fire performanceof the surface and if there is any doubtabout this then consult the manufacturer ofthe finish.Class 1: Materials suitable for use in allrooms but not on escape routes• Such materials include all the Class 0materials referred to above. Additionally,timber, hardboard, blockboard, particle143

oard, heavy flock wallpapers andthermosetting plastics will be suitableif flame-retardant treated to achieve aClass 1 standard.Class 3: Materials suitable for use inrooms of less than 30m 2• Such materials include all those referredto in Class 1, including those that havenot been flame-retardant treated andcertain dense timber or plywood andstandard glass-reinforced polyesters.The equivalent European classificationstandard will also be acceptable.Further details about internal linings andclassifications are available in TechnicalBooklet E 8 . Appropriate testing proceduresare detailed in BS 476-7 66 and whereappropriate BS EN 13501-1 67 .Further guidance on types of fire-resistingconstruction has been published by theBuilding Research Establishment 68 .B2 Fire-resisting doorsRequirements of a fire-resisting doorEffective fire-resisting doors (see Figure61) are vital to ensure that the occupantscan evacuate to a place of safety. CorrectlyIdeally the frame should be to thesame standard as the door,purchased together as a door set.Door closer, should conform toBS EN 1154 70 or BS EN 1155. 71Securing device –lock, emergencyexit device or panicexit device. SeeBS EN 12209, 69BS EN 179 57or BS EN 1125 56respectively forfurther information.All hinges should comply withBS EN 1935 72 annex B. Tested aspart of door set to BS EN 1634-2. 73Vision panel should be fire-resisting glazing.Door handles should comply withBS EN 1906 74 annex C and locksto BS EN 12209 69 annex A. Testedas part of door set to BS EN 1634-1. 75Intumescent stripand cold smoke seal toresist the passage of smoke and fire.144Figure 61: A fire-resisting and smoke stopping door

specified and well-fitted doors will hold backfire and smoke, preventing escape routesbecoming unusable, as well as preventingthe fire spreading from one area to another.Fire-resisting doors are necessary in anydoorway located in a fire-resisting structure.Most internal doors are constructedof timber. These will give some limitedprotection against fire spread, but only apurpose-built fire-resisting door that hasbeen tested to an approved standard willprovide the necessary protection. Metalfire-resisting doors are also available andspecific guidance for these follows.All fire-resisting doors are rated by theirperformance when tested to an appropriatestandard. The level of protection providedby the door is measured, primarily bydetermining the time taken for a fireto breach the integrity (E), of the doorassembly, together with its resistance tothe passage of hot gases and flame.It may be possible to upgrade the fireresistance of existing doors. Furtherinformation is available from the BuildingResearch Establishment 76 or TimberResearch and Development Association 77 .Timber fire-resisting doors require a gapof 2-4mm between the door leaf andthe frame. However larger gaps may benecessary to ensure that the door closesflush into its frame when smoke seals arefitted. Further information is available inBS 4787-1 78 . For fire-resisting purposesthe gap is normally protected by installingan intumescent seal, in either the door or,preferably, the frame. The intumescent sealexpands in the early stages of a fire andenhances the protection given by the door.Additional smoke seals will restrict thespread of smoke at ambient temperatures.Doors fitted with smoke seals, eitherincorporated in the intumescent seal orfitted separately, have their classificationcode suffixed with a ‘S’.The principal fire-resisting door categoriesare:• E20 fire-resisting door providing 20minutes fire resistance (or equivalentFD 20S). (Note: Many suppliers nolonger provide an E20 type fire-resistingdoor.)• E30 fire-resisting door providing 30minutes fire resistance (or equivalentFD 30S).• E60 fire-resisting door providing 60minutes fire resistance (or equivalentFD 60S).Timber fire-resisting doors are availablethat will provide up to 120 minutes fireresistance but their use is limited to morespecialised conditions that are beyond thescope of this guidance.Metal fire-resisting doorsAlthough the majority of fire-resistingdoors are made from timber, metal fireresistingdoors, which meet the appropriatestandard, can often be used for the samepurpose. However, there are situationswhere they are more appropriate. Themajority of metal fire-resisting doormanufacturers will require the use ofbespoke frames and hardware for theirdoor sets.145

See BS EN 1634-1 75 and BS 476-22 79 formore information.For detailed guidance refer to TechnicalBooklet E 8 .glazing in fire-resisting doorsAlthough glazing provides additional safetyin everyday use and can enhance theappearance of fire-resisting doors, it shouldnever reduce the fire resistance of the door.The opening provided in the door for thefire-resisting glazing unit(s) and the fitting ofthe beading are critical, and should only beentrusted to a competent person. In nearlyall cases the door and glazing should bepurchased from a reputable supplier whocan provide documentary evidence thatthe door continues to achieve the requiredrating.Fire-resisting door furnitureHingesTo ensure compliance with their rated fireperformance, fire-resisting doors need tobe hung with the correct number, size andquality of hinges. Normally a minimum ofthree hinges are needed, however themanufacturer’s instructions should beclosely followed. BS EN 1935 72 includingAnnex B, is the appropriate standard.Alternative door mountingsAlthough the most common method ofhanging a door is to use single axis hinges,alternative methods are employed wherethe door is required to be double swing ormounted on pivots for other reasons.Floor mounted controlled door closingdevices are the most common methodregularly found with timber, glass and steeldoors while transom mounted devices arecommonly used with aluminium sections. Ineach case reference should be made to thefire test report for details as to compliancewith the composition of the door assemblyincluding the door mounting conditions.Self-closing devicesAll fire-resisting doors, other than those tolocked cupboards and service ducts, shouldbe fitted with an appropriately controlledself-closing device that will effectivelyclose the door from any angle. In certaincircumstances, concealed, jamb-mountedclosing devices may be specified and inthese cases should be capable of closingthe door from any angle and against anylatch fitted to the door; spring hinges areunlikely to be suitable. Further informationis available in BS EN 1154 70 .Rising butt hinges are not suitable for useas a self-closing device due to their inabilityto close and latch the door from any angle.Automatic door hold-open/releasedevices for self-closing fire doorsThese devices are designed to hold openself-closing fire doors or allow them toswing free during normal use. In the eventof a fire alarm the device will then releasethe door automatically, allowing the selfclosingmechanism to close the door.Such devices are particularly useful insituations where self-closing doors onescape routes are used regularly bysignificant numbers of people, or by peoplewith impaired mobility who may havedifficulty in opening the doors.146

Typical examples of such devices include:• electro-magnetic devices fitted to thefire-resisting door which release whenthe fire detection and warning systemoperates, allowing a separate self closerto close the door;• electro-magnetic devices within thecontrolled door closing device whichfunction on the operation of the firedetection and warning system; and• ‘free swing’ controlled door closingdevices, which operate by allowing thedoor leaf to work independently of theclosing device in normal conditions.An electro-magnetic device within thespring mechanism linked to the firedetection and warning system ensuresthat the door closes on the operation ofthe system.note: Free swing devices may not besuitable in some situations, such ascorridors, where draughts are a problemand the doors are likely to swinguncontrolled, causing possible difficultyor injury to certain people e.g. those withcertain disabilities, the elderly and frail, oryoung children.Automatic door hold open/release devicesfitted to doors protecting escape routesshould only be installed in conjunction withan automatic fire detection and warningsystem incorporating smoke detectors, thatis designed to protect the escape routes inthe building (see Part 2, Section 2).• the detection of smoke by an automaticdetector;• the actuation of the fire detection andalarm system by manual means, e.g.operation of break glass call point;• any failure of the fire detection andalarm system; or• any electrical power failure.Other devices, including self-containeddevices which perform a similar function,that are not connected directly to a firealarm system and are not therefore able tomeet the above criteria are available andmay be acceptable where a site-specificrisk assessment can show that they areappropriate. Such devices are unlikely to besuitable for use on doors protecting singlestairways or other critical means of escape.In all cases where a door hold open deviceis used it should be possible to close thedoor manually.A site specific risk assessment should beundertaken before any type of automaticdoor hold open/release device is installed.If you are unsure about the suitability ofsuch devices in your premises, you shouldseek the advice of a competent person.Further guidance about automatic doorhold open/release devices is given inBS EN 1155 71 or BS 5839-3 80 andBS 7273-4 81 .In all cases the automatic device shouldrelease the fire-resisting door allowing it toclose effectively within its frame when anyof the following conditions occur:147

Door co-ordinatorsWhere pairs of doors with rebated meetingstiles are installed it is critical that thecorrect closing order is maintained. Doorco-ordinators to BS EN 1158 82 should befitted and fully operational in all caseswhere the doors are self-closing.Installation and workmanshipThe reliability and performance of correctlyspecified fire-resisting doors can beundermined by inadequate installation. It isimportant that installers with the necessarylevel of skill and knowledge are used.Accreditation schemes for installers of fireresistingdoors are available.Fire-resisting doors and shutters willrequire routine maintenance, particularlyto power operation and release and closingmechanisms.Further information is available on fireresistingdoors in BS 8214 83 . If you areunsure about the quality, the effectivenessor the fitting of your fire-resisting doorsconsult a fire safety expert.For further guidance on the selection andmaintenance of door furniture suitable foruse on timber fire resisting and escapedoors refer to the Door and HardwareFederation / Guild of ArchitecturalIronmongers Code of Practice - Hardwarefor Fire and Escape Doors 84 .B3 Door-fastening devicesThe relationship between the securingof doors against unwanted entry and theability to escape through them easily in anemergency has often proved problematic.Careful planning and the use of qualitymaterials remain the most effective meansof satisfying both of these objectives.Any device that impedes people makinggood their escape, either by beingunnecessarily complicated to manipulateor not being readily openable, will not beacceptable.Guidance on fire exits starts from theposition that doors on escape routesshould not be fitted with any lockingdevices (electrically operated or otherwise).However, it is accepted that in many casesthe need for security will require some formof device that prevents unlimited access,but still enables the occupants of a buildingor area to open the door easily if there isa fire. These devices can take many formsbut, in the majority of cases, premiseswhere there are members of the publicpresent or others who are not familiarwith the building should use panic exit bardevices (i.e. push bars or touch bars). SeeBS EN 1125 56 for further information.Premises that have limited numbers ofstaff or others who are familiar with thebuilding and where panic is not likely mayuse alternative devices (i.e. push pads orlever handles). See BS EN 179 57 for furtherinformation.In some larger premises, when only certainstaff are on the premises and there is asecurity issue, it may be acceptable torestrict the number of emergency exitsimmediately available, e.g. when onlysecurity staff are present at night, or priorto opening the premises in the morning.Staff should be made fully aware of anyrestrictions and the number of exits notimmediately available should be limited.148

electrical locking devicesElectrically operated entry control deviceshave been developed for use as lockingdevices on fire exits. They fall into twomain categories, electromechanical andelectromagnetic.• Electromechanical devicesElectromechanical devices compriseelectromechanical lock keeps anddraw bolts, which can be controlled bypeople inside the premises by enteringa code or by using ‘smart cards’, whichhave been adapted to control the exitfrom certain areas. These devices havebeen fitted in many premises and maybe linked to the fire-detection and/orwarning system. Experience has shownthat these devices can fail to open in anumber of ways. They are dependenton a spring mechanism to return thelock keep or draw bolt(s) and are liableto jam when pressure is applied to thedoor. It is also relatively easy to fit themincorrectly. Electromechanical lockingdevices are normally unacceptable onescape doors, unless they are fittedwith a manual means of overriding thelocking mechanism, such as a pushbar, push pad or lever handle or theydo not rely on a spring mechanism,fail-safe open and are not affected bypressure, in which case the criteriafor electromagnetic devices should beapplied.• Electromagnetic devicesThese devices comprise a magnet anda simple fixed retaining plate with nomoving parts and are therefore generallyconsidered to be more reliable dueto their inherent ‘fail-safe unlocked’operation. Electromagnetic lockingdevices go some way to addressingthe particular concerns surroundingelectromechanical locking systems.The release of this type of deviceis controlled by the interruption ofelectrical current to an electromagneteither manually via a switch or othermeans, break-glass point (typicallycoloured green), or by linking to the firewarningand/or detection system of thepremises.time-delay devices on escape routesA further development is the fitting of a timedelaysystem to the electronic door-lockingdevice. This delays the actual opening ofan exit door for a variable period followingoperation of the panic bar or other exitdevice. Periods of between five and 60seconds can be pre-set at the manufacturingstage or can be adjusted when fitted.These are not usually acceptable for useby members of the public. However, theymay be acceptable for use by staff who arefamiliar with their operation and are suitablytrained in their use.Management of electronic door-controldevices including time delaysThe use of such devices may be acceptedby enforcing authorities if the appropriateperson can demonstrate, through asuitable risk assessment for eachindividual door, both the need and theadequate management controls to ensurethat people can escape safely from thepremises. In particular:• Access control should not be confusedwith exit control. Many devices are149

available which control the access tothe premises but retain the immediateescape facility from the premises.• In public areas, when push bars areoperated on escape doors, they shouldrelease the electromagnetic locksimmediately and allow the exit doors toopen.• The requirement for exit control shouldbe carefully assessed and shouldnot be seen as a substitute for goodmanagement of the employees andoccupants.• All other alternatives should have beenexplored/evaluated prior to using thesedevices to ensure they do not affect thesafety of occupants.• The device should be connected to thefire warning and/or detection system.• The device should incorporate abypass circuit for immediate releaseon activation of the fire warning and/ordetection system.• Each door should be fitted with a singlesecuring device.• The emergency exit doors should beclearly labelled about how to operatethem.• Adequate control measures should beput in place to ensure the safety of theoccupants.The use of electronic door-locking devicesshould be considered with particular carein premises with a number of differentoccupancies. The management of acomplicated system of evacuation formany different groups is unlikely to bepracticable.The technical standards in respect ofsourcing, maintaining and testing must beextremely high.When part of the management controlsystem involves trained personnel helpingothers at these doors, it is vital to ensurethese people are available.The use of exit control devices should notbe considered where the number of trainedstaff is low or where members of the publicwould be expected to operate the deviceswithout help.In premises where there may be largenumbers of people, the devices shouldonly be considered when linked to acomprehensive automatic fire-detectionand warning system in accordance withBS 5839-1 41 . There should be an additionalmeans of manually overriding the lockingdevice at each such exit (typically a greenbreak-glass point).The use of time-delay systems that preventthe opening of emergency exits for a pre-settime are primarily used to improve security.These add a further layer of complexityto the fire strategy and should not beconsidered in public areas. They shouldonly be used in non-public areas when allother options such as relocating valuablestock or exterior boundary managementhave been addressed. Their value inpreventing theft is likely to be transient asthe use of the manual override becomesmore widely known.150

BS 8220 85 gives further advice on securityin buildings and while this standard doesrefer to electronic locking devices, it alsoacknowledges that the balance mustremain on the side of emergency escaperather than security.151

Appendix CHistoric buildingsgeneral considerationsThis appendix offers additional informationabout listed and historical buildings.Fire risk assessments conducted for aplace of assembly which is within a listedor historic building will need to endeavourto strike a balance between ensuringsufficient fire safety measures are in placefor the safety of people, yet avoid extensivealterations and helping to maintain thecharacter of the building.As well as the fire risk assessment it isrecommended that a general fire policystatement and manual is compiled.A person must be nominated to takeresponsibility for all aspects of fire safety.Usually the person charged with themanagement and control of the premiseswill be the ‘appropriate person’ under theOrder 1 .The advice and/or consent of a buildingcontrol body or any other relevant bodies(e.g. Northern Ireland Environment Agency)should form part of any fire risk assessmentthat impacts on the character of thebuilding (e.g. replacement of doors, fittings,wooden panelling and decor) or materialchanges to existing escape routes. An idealsolution is one that is reversible, enablingthe historic elements to be reinstated.A fire safety adviser will be able tosuggest alternatives to conventional fireprecautions, such as:• a fire engineering solution;• upgrading existing doors and partitionsin a sympathetic manner to improvetheir fire resistance; and• considering the installation of specialistfire-detection or suppression systems.Should the design and nature of thehistoric building preclude the introductionof conventional fire safety features, it will benecessary to manage the building in sucha way that:• limits the number of occupants, eitherstaff or members of the public, insidethe building;• limits activities in the building; and• provides adequate supervision withinthe building.liaison with the Fire and Rescue ServiceThe appropriate person will need toensure effective liaison with the Fire andRescue Service to enable them to carry outfirefighting operations. These may includeinformation on:• the provision of water supplies, seasonalponds, lakes and underground tanks,and any associated pumps;• difficult access for fire engines;• particular hazards in the constructionfeatures of the building (includingasbestos);• the use of combustible under floorinsulation;• underground vaults ducts and voidswhere fire may spread unchecked;• worn stone slabs in stairwayconstruction; and152

• the presence of cast iron columns andwrought iron beams.emergency planningAn important consideration for the ownersand trustees is the protection of valuableartefacts and paintings from the effects offire. However, the efficient evacuation ofall occupants must take precedence overprocedures for limiting damage to propertyand contents. Salvage work should belimited to those parts of the building notdirectly affected by the fire.Fire wardens and others tasked withcarrying out salvage work should havereceived formal training, adequateprotection and be fully briefed about thehealth and safety risk assessment carriedout to identify the dangers associated withthis activity. Further detailed advice on firesafety in historic buildings can be found inthe following publications:• Fire Protection Measures in ScottishHistoric Buildings: Advice on MeasuresRequired to Minimise the Likelihoodof Fire Starting and to Alleviate theDestructive Consequences of Fire inHistoric Buildings (Historic ScotlandTechnical Advice Note 11), TCREDivision/Scottish Conservation Bureau,Hist. 1997 ISBN 1 900168 41 3.• Fire Risk Management in HeritageBuildings (Historic Scotland TechnicalAdvice Note 22), TCRE Division/ ScottishConservation Bureau, Hist. 2001, ISBN1 900168 71 5.• Timber panelled doors and fire.Published by the English Heritage 1997.• Fire safety in historic town centres,English Heritage and Cheshire Fire andRescue Service.• BS 7913: Guide to the principles of theconservation of historic buildings, BritishStandards Institution• Heritage under fire: A guide to theprotection of historic buildings, FireProtection Association (for the UKWorking Party on Fire Safety in HistoricBuildings) 1995, ISBN 0 902167 901• The Installation of Sprinkler Systemsin Historic Buildings (Historic ScotlandTechnical Advice Note 14), FireProtection Association (TCRE Division/Scottish Conservation Bureau, Hist.)1998, ISBN 1 900168 63 4.153

Appendix DglossaryThese definitions are provided to assist theappropriate person in understanding someof the technical terms used in this guide.They are not exhaustive and more precisedefinitions may be available in otherguidance.termAccess roomAccommodation stairwayAlterations noticeAlternative escape routeDefinitionA room through which the only escape route from an innerroom passes.A stairway, additional to that required for means of escapepurposes provided for the convenience of occupants.If your premises are considered by the enforcing authorityto be high risk, they may issue an alterations notice thatrequires you to inform them before making any materialalterations to your premises.Escape routes sufficiently separated by either directionand space, or by fire-resisting construction to ensure thatone is still available irrespective of the location of a fire.Appropriate person The person with duties as defined in Articles 25 & 26of the Fire and Rescue Services (Nothern Ireland) Order2006 1 .As low as reasonablypracticableAutomatic fire detectionsystemBasementIs a concept where risks should continue to be reduceduntil you reach a point where the cost and effort to reducethe risk further would be grossly disproportionate to thebenefit achieved.A means of automatically detecting the products of a fireand sending a signal to a fire warning system. See ‘Firewarning’.A storey with a floor which at some point is more than1,200mm below the highest level of ground adjacent tothe outside walls, unless, and for escape purposes only,such area has adequate, independent and separatemeans of escape.Child A person who has not attained the age of 16.Class 0, 1 or 3 surfacespreadCombustible materialClasses of surface spread of flame for materials needed toline the walls and ceilings of escape routes. See AppendixB for further information.A substance that can be burned.154

termCompartment wall and/orfloorCompetent personDangerous substanceDead endDirect distanceDomestic premisesEmergency escape lightingEnforcing authorityEscape routeEvacuation liftExternal escape stairFail-safeFalse alarmFinal exitDefinitionA fire-resisting wall or floor that separates one firecompartment from another.A person with enough training and experience orknowledge and other qualities to enable them properlyto assist in undertaking the preventive and protectivemeasures.1. A substance which because of its physico-chemical orchemical properties and the way it is used or is present atthe workplace creates a risk.2. A substance subject to the Dangerous Substancesand Explosive Atmosphere Regulations (Northern Ireland)2003 12 .Area from which escape is possible in one direction only.The shortest distance from any point within the floor areato the nearest storey exit, or fire-resisting route, ignoringwalls, partitions and fixings.Premises occupied as a private dwelling, excluding thoseareas used in common by the occupants of more than onesuch dwelling.Lighting provided to illuminate escape routes that willfunction if the normal lighting fails.Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service or any otherauthority specified in the Fire and Rescue Services(Northern Ireland) Order 2006 1 .Route forming that part of the means of escape from anypoint in the premises to a final exit.A lift that may be used for the evacuation of people withdisabilities, or others, in a fire.Stair providing an escape route, external to the building.Locking an output device with the application of powerand having the device unlock when the power is removed.Also known as fail unlock, reverse action or power locked.A fire signal, usually from a fire warning system, resultingfrom a cause other than fire.An exit from a building where people can continue todisperse in safety and where they are no longer at dangerfrom fire and/or smoke.155

termFire compartmentFire doorFire resistanceFire safety managerFire safety strategyFire stoppingFirefighting liftFirefighting shaftFirefighting stairwayFire-warning systemFlammable materialHazardous substanceDefinitionA building, or part of a building, constructed to prevent thespread of fire to or from another part of the same buildingor an adjoining building.A door or shutter, together with its frame andfurniture, provided for the passage of people, air or goodswhich, when closed is intended to restrict the passage offire and/or smoke to a predictable level of performance.The ability of a component or construction of a buildingto satisfy, for a stated period of time, some or all of theappropriate criteria of relevant standards. (Generallydescribed as 30 minutes fire-resisting or 60 minutes fireresisting.)See BS EN 1363-1 86 , BS 476-7 66 and associatedstandards for further information.A nominated person with responsibility for carrying outday-to-day management of fire safety. (This may or may notbe the same as the ‘appropriate person’.)A number of planned and co-ordinated arrangementsdesigned to reduce the risk of fire and to ensure the safetyof people if there is a fire.A seal provided to close an imperfection of fit or designtolerance between elements or components, to restrict thepassage of fire and smoke.A lift, designed to have additional protection, with controlsthat enable it to be used under the direct control of theFire and Rescue Service when fighting a fire.A fire-resisting enclosure containing a firefighting stair, firemains, firefighting lobbies and if provided, a firefighting lift.See firefighting shaft.A means of alerting people to the existence of a fire. (Seeautomatic fire detection system.)Easily ignited and capable of burning rapidly.1. See Dangerous substance.2. A substance subject to the Control of SubstancesHazardous to Health Regulations (Northern Ireland)2003 87 , as amended 2005 88 .156

termHighly flammableDefinitionGenerally liquids with a flashpoint of below 21°C.The Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging forSupply) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 89 give moredetailed guidance.Inner roomLicensed premisesMaterial changeMeans of escapePhased evacuationPlace of reasonable safetyPlace of total safetyPremisesProtected lobbyProtected routeProtected stairwayA room from which escape is possible only by passingthrough another room (the access room).Any premises that require a licence under any statute toundertake trade or conduct business activities.An alteration to the premises, process or service whichsignificantly affects the level of risk to people from fire inthose premises.Route(s) provided to ensure safe egress from the premisesor other locations to a place of total safety.A system of evacuation in which different parts of thepremises are evacuated in a controlled sequence ofphases, those parts of the premises expected to be atgreatest risk being evacuated first.A place within a building or structure where, for a limitedperiod of time, people will have some protection from theeffects of fire and smoke. This place, usually a corridor orstairway, will normally have a minimum of 30 minutes fireresistance and allow people to continue their escape to aplace of total safety.A place, away from the premises, in which people are atno immediate danger from the effects of a fire.Any place, such as a building and the immediate landbounded by any enclosure of it, any tent, moveable ortemporary structure or any installation or workplace.A fire-resisting enclosure providing access to an escapestairway via two sets of fire doors and into which no roomopens other than toilets and lifts.An escape route which is adequately protected from therest of the building by fire-resisting construction.A stairway which is adequately protected from the rest ofthe building by fire-resisting construction.157

termRefugeRelevant personsSelf-closing deviceSignificant findingDefinitionA place of reasonable safety in which a disabled personand others who may need assistance may rest or waitfor assistance before reaching a place of total safety. Itshould lead directly to a fire-resisting escape route.Any person lawfully on the premises and any person inthe immediate vicinity, but does not include firefighterscarrying out firefighting duties.A device that is capable of closing the door from any angleand against any latch fitted to the door.A feature of the premises, from which the fire hazards andpersons at risk are identified.The actions you have taken or will take to remove orreduce the chance of a fire occuring or the spread of fireand smoke.The actions people need to take in case of fire.The necessary information, instruction and trainingneeded and how it will be given.Smoke alarmStaged fire alarmsStorey exitTechnical Booklet E 8Travel distanceVision panelDevice containing within one housing all the components,except possibly the energy source, for detecting smokeand giving an audible alarm.A fire warning which can be given in two or more stages fordifferent purposes within a given area (i.e. notifying staff,stand by to evacuate, full evacuation).A final exit or a doorway giving direct access into aprotected stairway, firefighting lobby, or external escaperoute.Guidance issued by Government in support of the FireSafety aspects of the building regulations.The actual distance to be travelled by a person from anypoint within the floor area to the nearest storey exit or finalexit, having regard to the layout of walls, partitions andfixings.A transparent panel in a wall or door of an inner roomenabling the occupant to become aware of a fire in theaccess area during the early stages.158

termWay guidanceWhere necessaryDefinitionLow mounted luminous tracks positioned on escaperoutes in combination with exit indicators, exit markingand intermediate direction indicators along the route,provided for use when the supply to the normal lightingfails, which do not rely on an electrical supply for theirluminous output.The Order 1 and regulations 2 require that fire precautions(such as firefighting equipment, fire detection and warning,and emergency routes and exits) should be provided (andmaintained) ‘where necessary’.What this means is that the fire precautions you mustprovide (and maintain) are those which are needed toreasonably protect relevant persons from risks to themin case of fire. This will be determined by the findings ofyour risk assessment including the preventative measuresyou have or will have taken. In practice, it is very unlikely,that a properly conducted fire risk assessment, whichtakes into account all the matters relevant for the safetyof persons in case of fire, will conclude that no fireprecautions (including maintenance) are necessary.Young person Any person who has not attained the age of 18.159

ReferencesThe following documents are referenced in this guide.1 The Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006, SI 2006 No 1254 (N.I. 9).The Stationery Office. ISBN 0110800370.2 The Fire Safety Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010, SR 2010 No 325. The StationeryOffice. ISBN 9780337982187.3 Fire Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1984, No 1821 (N.I. 11). The Stationery Office.ISBN 9780110478210.4 Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001, SR 2001 No 348.The Stationery Office. ISBN 9780337940491.5 Management of Health and Safety at Work and Fire Precautions (Workplace)(Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003, SR 2003 No 454. The StationeryOffice. ISBN 9780337952609.6 The Licensing (Northern Ireland) Order 1996, SI 1996 No 3158 (N.I. 22). TheStationery Office. ISBN 9780110634760.7 The Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Northern Ireland) Order 1985,No 1208 (N.I. 15).8 The Building Regulation (Northern Ireland) 2000: Technical Booklet E – Fire Safety2005. www.dfpni.gov.uk.9 Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996, SR1996 No 119. The Stationery Office, 1996. ISBN 9780337920790.10 Safety signs and signals. The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Guidance onregulations, L64 (second edition) 2009. HSE Books. ISBN 978071766359.11 BS 9999: Code of practice for fire safety in the design management and use ofbuildings. British Standards Institution. ISBN 9780580579202.12 Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations (Northern Ireland)2003, SR 2003 No 152. www.opsi.gov.uk13 Dangerous substances and explosive atmospheres. Dangerous Substances andExplosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002. Approved code of practice and guidance,L138. HSE Books, 2003. ISBN 0 7176 2203 7.14 Storage of full and empty LPG cylinders and cartridges. Code of Practice 7, UKLPG,2004. Available from www.uklpg.org.15 Code of practice for pyrotechnics and smoke effects. Association of British TheatreTechnicians.16 The Event Safety Guide: A guide to health, safety and welfare at music andsimilar events, HSG195, Health and Safety Executive. The Stationery Office. ISBN0717624536.17 Smoke and vapour effects used in entertainment, Entertainment Sheet No. 3. Healthand Safety Executive.18 Maintaining portable electrical equipment in offices and other low-risk environmentsINDG236. HSE Books, 1996. ISBN 0 7176 1272 4.19 The Electricity at Work Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1991, SR 1991 No 13.20 The Offshore Noise and Electricity Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998, SR 1998No 47.160

21 The Health and Safety (Modifications) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999, SR 1999No 150.22 The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994, SI 1994 No 3260.23 The Smoking (Northern Ireland) Order 2006, SI 2006 No 2957 (NI 20).24 The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007,SR 2007 No 291. The Stationery Office. ISBN 9780337970474.25 Managing Health & Safety in Construction – Approved Code of Practice – TheConstruction (Design & Management) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 ISBN978071766223426 Fire prevention on construction sites: The joint code of practice on the protection fromfire of construction sites and buildings undergoing renovation (seventh edition). FireProtection Association 2009.27 BS 7157: Method of test for ignitability of fabrics used in the construction of largetented structures. British Standards Institution.28 BS 7176: Specification for resistance to ignition of upholstered furniture for nondomesticseating by testing composites. British Standards Insitution.29 The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988. SI 1988 No 132430 The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 1993, SI 1993No 207.31 Design, construction, specification and fire management of insulated envelopes fortemperature controlled environments. International Association for Cold StorageContractors.32 BS 5852: Methods of test for assessment of the ignitability of upholstered seating bysmouldering and flaming ignition sources. British Standards Institution.33 BS 5867-2: Fabrics for curtains, drapes and window blinds. Flammability requirements.Specification. British Standards Institution.34 BS EN 1101: Textiles and textile products. Burning behaviour. Curtains and drapes.Detailed procedure to determine the ignitability of vertically orientated specimens(small flame). British Standards Institution.35 BS EN 1102: Textiles and textile products. Burning behaviour. Curtains and drapes.Detailed procedure to determine the flame spread of vertically orientated specimens.British Standards Institution.36 BS 5287: Specification for assessment and labelling of textile floor coverings tested toBS 4790. British Standards Institution.37 BS 1892-2: Gymnasium equipment. Particular requirements. Specification for boxingrings. British Standards Institution. ISBN 0 580 15277 4.38 Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (c 50), The Stationery Office, 1995. ISBN9780105450955.39 Disability Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order 2006, SI 2006 No 312 (NI 1), TheStationery Office, ISBN 9780110800202.40 BS 8300: Design of buildings and their approaches to meet the needs of disabledpeople. Code of practice. British Standards Institution. ISBN 0 580 57419 1.41 BS 5839-1: Fire detection and fire alarm systems for buildings. Code of practice forsystem design, installation, commissioning and maintenance. British StandardsInstitution. ISBN 9780580604386.161

42 BS 5306-8: Fire extinguishing installations and equipment on premises. Selectionand installation of portable fire extinguishers. Code of practice. British StandardsInstitution. ISBN 0 580 33203 9.43 Manual Handling Operations Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1992, SR 1992 No 535.The Stationery Office. ISBN 9780337904356.44 BS EN 3-7: Portable fire extinguishers. Characteristics, performance requirements andtest methods. British Standards Institution.45 BS 5306-3: Fire extinguishing installations and equipment on premises.Commissioning and maintenance of portable fire extinguishers. Code of Practice.British Standards Institution. ISBN 0580572616.46 BS 7863: Recommendations for colour coding to indicate the extinguishingmedia contained in portable fire extinguishers. British Standards Institution. ISBN9780580634796.47 BS EN 671-3: Fixed firefighting systems. Hose systems. Maintenance of hose reels withsemi-rigid hose and hose systems with lay-flat hose. British Standards Institution. ISBN9780580564185.48 LPC rules for automatic sprinkler installations 2009, incorporating BS EN 12845. TheFire Protection Association.49 BS EN 12845: Fixed firefighting systems. Automatic sprinkler systems. Design,installation and maintenance. British Standards Institution. ISBN 9780580687334.50 BS 5306-2: Fire extinguishing installations and equipment on premises. Specificationfor sprinkler systems. British Standards Institution.51 Guide E: Fire engineering. Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers, 2003.52 Design methodologies for smoke and heat exhaust ventilation, Report 368. BuildingResearch Establishment, 1999.53 BS 7671: Requirements for electrical installations. IEE Wiring Regulations. SeventeenthEdition. British Standards Institution.54 The Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000: Technical Booklet R – Access to anduse of buildings, 2006. www.dfpni.gov.uk55 BS 5395-2: Stairs, ladders and walkways. Code of practice for the design of helical andspiral stairs. British Standards Institution. ISBN 9780580675607.56 BS EN 1125: Building hardware. Panic exit devices operated by a horizontal bar for useon escape routes. Requirements and test methods. British Standards Institution.57 BS EN 179: Building hardware. Emergency exit devices operated by a lever handle orpush pad for use on escape routes. Requirements and test methods. British StandardsInstitution. ISBN 9780580624513.58 BS 5266-1: Emergency lighting. Code of practice for the emergency lighting ofpremises. British Standards Institution.59 BS 5266-8: Emergency escape lighting systems. British Standards Institution.60 BS 5499-5: Graphical symbols and signs. Safety signs, including fire safety signs. Signswith specific meanings. British Standards Institution.61 BS 5499-4: Safety signs, including fire safety signs. Code of practice for escape routesigning. British Standards Institution.162

62 BS 5266-6: Emergency lighting. Code of practice for non-electrical low mounted wayguidance systems for emergency use. Photoluminescent systems. British StandardsInstitution.63 BS 7974: Application of fire safety engineering principles to the design of buildings.Code of practice. British Standards Institution. ISBN 0 580 38447 0.64 Successful health and safety management, HSG65 (second edition). HSE Books, 1997.ISBN 0 7176 1276 7.65 A guide to best practice in the specification and use of fire-resistant glazed systems.Glass and Glazing Federation, 2009.66 BS 476-7: Fire tests on building materials and structures. Method of test to determinethe classification of the surface spread of flame of products. British StandardsInstitution.67 BS EN 13501-1: Fire classification of construction products and building elements.Classification using test data from reaction to fire tests. British Standards Institution.68 Guidelines for the construction of fire resisting structural elements, BR128. BuildingResearch Establishment, 1988.69 BS EN 12209: Building hardware. Locks and latches. Mechanically operated locks,latches and locking plates. Requirements and test methods. British StandardsInstitution.70 BS EN 1154: Building hardware. Controlled door closing devices. Requirements andtest methods. British Standards Institution. ISBN 0 580 27476 4.71 BS EN 1155: Building hardware. Electrically powered hold-open devices for swingdoors. Requirements and test methods. British Standards Institution.ISBN 0 580 28341 0.72 BS EN 1935: Building hardware. Single-axis hinges. Requirements and test methods.British Standards Institution. ISBN 0 580 39272 4.73 BS EN 1634-2: Fire resistance and smoke control tests for doors, shutters andopenable window assemblies and elements of building hardware. Fire resistancecharacterisation test for elements of building hardware. British Standards Institution.74 BS EN 1906: Building hardware. Lever handles and knob furniture. Requirements andtest methods. British Standards Institution.75 BS EN 1634-1: Fire resistance and smoke control tests for door, shutter and openablewindow assemblies and elements of building hardware. Fire resistance tests for doors,shutters and openable windows. British Standards Institution. ISBN 9780580606113.76 Increasing the fire resistance of existing timber doors, Information Paper 8/82.Building Research Establishment.77 Fire resisting doorsets by upgrading, Wood Information Sheet 1-32. Timber Researchand Development Association.78 BS 4787-1: Internal and external wood doorsets, door leaves and frames. Specificationfor dimensional requirements. British Standards Institution.79 BS 476-22: Fire tests on building materials and structures. Methods for determinationof the fire resistance of non-loadbearing elements of construction. British StandardsInstitution. ISBN 0 580 15872 1.163

80 BS 5839-3: Fire detection and alarm systems for buildings. Specification for automaticrelease mechanisms for certain fire protection equipment. British StandardsInstitution. ISBN 9780580598852.81 BS 7273-4: Code of practice for the operation of fire protection measures. Actuation ofrelease mechanisms for doors. British Standards Institution. ISBN 9780580503030.82 BS EN 1158: Building hardware. Door coordinator devices. Requirements and testmethods. British Standards Institution. ISBN 0 580 27919 7.83 BS 8214: Code of practice for fire door assemblies. British Standards Institution.ISBN 0 580 530326.84 Code of Practice. Hardware for Fire and Escape Doors. Door and Hardware Federation/Guild of Architectural Ironmongers, 2009.85 BS 8220-1: Guide for security of buildings against crime. Dwellings. British StandardsInstitution. ISBN 0 580 33145 8.BS 8220-2: Guide for security of buildings against crime. Offices and shops. BritishStandards Institution. ISBN 0 580 23692 7.BS 8220-3: Guide for security of buildings against crime. Storage, industrial anddistribution premises. British Standards Institution. ISBN 0 580 43509 1.86 BS EN 1363-1: Fire resistance tests. General requirements. British StandardsInstitution. ISBN 0 580 32419 2.87 Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003,SR 2003 No 34.88 The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (Amendment) Regulations (NorthernIreland) 2005, SR 2005 No 165.89 Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations (NorthernIreland) 2009, SR 2009 No 238.164

Further readingThe latest versions of all documents listedin this section should be used, includingany amendments.Any views expressed in these documentsare not necessarily those of the DHSSPS.Document numberBS 4422BS PD 6512-3BS EN 81BS EN 81-70BS 5041-1BS 5041-2BS 5041-3BS 5041-4BS 5041-5BS 9990BS 7944BS EN 1869titleFire. Vocabulary. British Standards Institution.Use of elements of structural fire protection with particularreference to the recommendations given in BS 5588 Fireprecautions in the design and construction of buildings.Guide to the fire performance of glass. British StandardsInstitution.Safety rules for the construction and installation of lifts.British Standards Institution.Safety rules for the construction and installation oflifts. Particular applications for passenger and goodspassenger lifts. Accessibility to lifts for persons includingpersons with disability. British Standards Institution.Fire hydrant systems equipment. Specification for landingvalves for wet risers. British Standards Institution.Fire hydrant systems equipment. Specification for landingvalves for dry risers. British Standards Institution.Fire hydrant systems equipment. Specification forinlet breechings for dry riser inlets. British StandardsInstitution.Fire hydrant systems equipment. Specification forboxes for landing valves for dry risers. British StandardsInstitution.Fire hydrant systems equipment. Specification for boxesfor foam inlets and dry riser inlets. British StandardsInstitution.Code of practice for non-automatic firefighting systems inbuildings. British Standards Institution.Type 1 heavy duty fire blankets and type 2 heavy duty heatprotective blankets. British Standards Institution.Fire blankets. British Standards Institution.165

BS EN 15004-1BS 5266-2BS EN 60598-1BS 5499-1BS EN 1634-3BS EN 14637BS EN 45020BS EN 1995-1-2BS 9999Fixed firefighting systems. Gas extinguishing systems.Design, installation and maintenance. British StandardsInstitution.Emergency lighting. Code of practice for electrical lowmounted way guidance systems for emergency use. BritishStandards Institution.Luminaires. General requirements and tests. BritishStandards Institution.Graphical symbols and signs. Safety signs, including firesafety signs. Specification for geometric shapes, coloursand layout. British Standards Institution.Fire resistance and smoke control tests for door andshutter assemblies, openable windows and elements ofbuilding hardware. Smoke control test for door and shutterassemblies. British Standards Institution.Building hardware. Electrically controlled hold-opensystems for fire/smoke door assemblies. Requirements,test methods, application and maintenance. BritishStandards Institution.Standardisation and related activities. General vocabulary.British Standards Institution.Eurocode 5. Design of timber structures. Generalstructural fire design. British Standards Institution.Code of practice for fire safety in the design, managementand use of buildings.Technical standards for places of entertainment. District Surveyors Association/ Associationof British Theatre Technicians.Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations (Northern Ireland)2009, SR 2009 No 238. The Stationery Office. ISBN 9780337978081.Supporting guides: The idiot’s guide to CHIP 3: Chemicals (Hazard Information andPackaging for Supply) Regulations, 2002, INDG350. HSE Books, 2002. ISBN 0 7176 2333 5CHIP for everyone, HSG228. HSE Books, 2002. ISBN 0 7176 2370 X.Ensuring best practice for passive fire protection in buildings. Associaton for Specialist FireProtection, 2004. ISBN 1 870409 19 1.166

Smoke shafts protecting fire shafts: their performance and design, BRE Project Report79204. Building Research Establishment, 2002.Fire safety of PTFE-based material used in building, BRE Report 274. Building ResearchEstablishment, 1994. ISBN 0 851256 53 8.Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000, SR 2000No 388 (amended 2006, SR 2006 No 255)Management of health and safety at work. Management of Health and Safety at WorkRegulations 1999. Approved code of practice and guidance, L21 (second edition). HSEBooks, 2000. ISBN 0 7176 2488 9.167

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This guide is for employers, managers, occupiers and owners of small and medium places of assembly. It tellsyou what you have to do to comply with fire safety law, helps you to carry out a fire risk assessment and identifythe general fire precautions you need to have in place.Other guides in the series:GuideMain useOffices and shopsISBN: 978 0 33709 718 8Offices and retail premises (including individual units within larger premises, e.g. shopping centres).Factories and warehousesISBN: 978 0 33709 723 2Factories and warehouse storage premises.Sleeping accommodationISBN: 978 0 33709 717 1Residential care premisesISBN: 978 0 33709 724 9Educational premisesISBN: 978 0 33709 725 6All premises where the main use is to provide sleeping accommodation, e.g. hotels, guest houses, B&Bs,hostels, residential training centres, holiday accommodation and the common areas of flats, maisonettes,HMOs and sheltered housing (other than those providing care – see Residential care premises), but excludinghospitals, residential care premises, places of custody and single private dwellings.Residential care and nursing homes, common areas of sheltered housing (where care is provided) and similarpremises, which are permanently staffed and where the primary use is the provision of care rather thanhealthcare (see Healthcare premises).Teaching establishments ranging from pre-school through to universities, except the residential parts (seeSleeping accommodation).Small and medium places of assemblyISBN: 978 0 33709 722 5Smaller public houses, clubs, restaurants and cafés, village halls, community centres, libraries, marquees,churches and other places of worship or study accommodating up to 300 people.Large places of assemblyISBN: 978 0 33709 726 3Theatres, cinemas and similar premisesISBN: 978 0 33709 720 1Larger premises where more than 300 people could gather, e.g. shopping centres (not the individual shops),large nightclubs and pubs, exhibition and conference centres, sports stadia, marquees, museums, libraries,churches, cathedrals and other places of worship or study.Theatres, cinemas, concert halls and similar premises used primarily for this purpose.Open air events and venuesISBN: 978 0 33709 721 8Open air events, e.g. theme parks, zoos, music concerts, sporting events (not stadia – see Large places ofassembly), fairgrounds and county fairs.Healthcare premisesISBN: 978 0 33709 719 5Premises where the primary use is the provision of healthcare (including private), e.g. hospitals, doctors’surgeries, dentists and other similar healthcare premises.Transport premises and facilitiesISBN: 978 0 33709 727 0Animal premises and stablesISBN: 978 0 33709 728 7Transportation terminals and interchanges, e.g. airports, railway stations, transport tunnels, ports, bus andcoach stations and similar premises but excluding the means of transport (e.g. trains, buses, planes andships).Agricutural premises, stables, livery yards and stables within zoos, large animal sanctuaries or farm parks.Supplementary GuidesFire Safety Law – The evacuation ofdisabled people from buildingsISBN: 978 0 33709 716 4Fire Safety Law – Are you aware of yourresponsibilities?This guide is a supplement to be read alongside other guides in this series. It provides additional informationon accessibility and means of escape.This guide provides an overview to the changes to fire safety law.ISBN: 978 0 33709 715 7Published by TSO (The Stationery Office) and available from:Onlinewww.tsoshop.co.uk£12Mail, Telephone, Fax & E-mailTSOPO Box 29, Norwich, NR3 1GNTelephone orders/General enquiries: 0870 600 5522Fax orders: 0870 600 5533E-mail: customer.services@tso.co.ukTextphone 0870 240 3701TSO@Blackwell and other Accredited Agents