BSR seeks views on proposed changes to statutory fire safety guidance

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has launched a consultation on proposed updates to statutory fire safety guidance in Approved Document B, which applies only to England.

The BSR’s Technical Policy Part B (Fire Safety) team announced the consultation at the end of last month, with 11.59pm on 1 July as the deadline to respond, together with the supporting research reports it published in December.

At the same time, the regulator has launched a dedicated webpage for the Real Fires Investigation Project, as well as a new page for the continuous review of Approved Document B, which replaces and expands on the previous technical review page.

The consultation is seeking views on the following proposals:

• Undertake small but important clarifications and technical changes to the guidance within Approved Document B.
• Consolidate the guidance for designing building work on existing buildings.
• Introduce a threshold whereby the guidance within Approved Document B should not be applied when combustible elements of structure are used.
• Revise and update guidance on external wall systems and balconies and review the scope of the ban on combustible materials in and on external walls.
• Recommend the provision of evacuation lifts in residential buildings above 18m and clarify the guidance for non-residential buildings.
• Update the terminology on “sheltered housing”, introducing the new term “specialised housing” in its place and include provisions for alarm coverage in these building types to be minimum of Category LD1.
• Introduce updated guidance on roofs, including new provisions for incorporating solar photovoltaic (PV) panels.
• Increase the fire resistance rating of open-sided car parks.

The newly launched Real Fires Investigation Project webpage provides a dedicated
resource for building safety professionals allowing them to access the yearly summary reports that are published showing how many incidents fall into each of the three following categories:

• Category 1 fires cause significant damage, involve multiple fatalities or are of national importance and require on-site investigations.
• Category 2 fires cause significant damage and require more information; they’re investigated through correspondence with fire and rescue services.
• Category 3 fires that cause minor damage, do not lead to injuries or loss of life, or fall outside the scope of Approved Document B (such as prisons).

The BSR considers the findings and recommendations from each yearly summary report as part of the evidence it uses when reviewing how effective the fire safety guidance is.

It also continually reviews and updates Approved Document B to ensure that fire guidance stays clear, proportionate and up to date. The new webpage, which replaces the previous technical review website, will document the outputs that are added as a result of each review as they take place.

As the BSR notes on the website: “The continuous review is an ongoing process to keep Approved Document B transparent, current and evidence based. It allows BSR to understand how new materials, technologies and construction methods affect fire safety, and whether guidance needs to change.”