Smoke Vent Regulations
What is required?
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
Under The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and The Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, anyone who has control of premises or who has a degree of control over certain areas or systems may be designated a ‘responsible person’ (e.g. an employer, a managing agent, an owner, an occupier or any other person who has some control over all or part of relevant premises).
The ‘responsible person’ is required to:
- Instruct a competent body to carry out a Fire Risk Assessment identifying the risks and hazards, and create a Fire Log Book.
- Report on who is considered to be especially at risk.
- Put in place plans and actions to eliminate or reduce the risk from fire as far as is reasonably practical, and provide general fire precautions to deal with any residual risk.
- Take additional measures to ensure fire safety where flammable or explosive materials are used or stored.
- Create a detailed plan to deal with any emergency and, in most cases, document the findings.
- Review the findings, as necessary, and update the Fire Log Book.
The legislation applies to virtually all premises and covers nearly every type of building, structure and open space, for example:
- Residential accommodation
- Offices and shops
- Premises that provide care
- Pubs, clubs and restaurants
- Hotels and hostels
- Factories and warehouses
Although organisations are not specifically required to produce a fire safety policy, it is considered to be good practice. A fire safety policy should clearly identify the approach to fire safety within a property, including, for example, providing commitment to train staff and maintain fire fighting equipment.
Approved Document B Volume 2
- B1 – Means of warning and escape
- B2 – Internal fire spread (linings)
- B3 – Internal fire spread (structure)
- B4 – External fire spread
- B5 – Access and facilities for the fire service
BS 7346-1:1990
Title
Components for smoke and heat control systems. Specification for natural smoke and heat exhaust ventilators.
Abstract
Requirements and associated test methods for ventilators installed in buildings to automatically provide openings for the release of the products of combustion in the event of a fire. Covers smoke extraction, fire spread prevention, control systems, smoke control, ventilators, ventilation equipment, fire safety in buildings, performance testing, thermal testing, aerodynamic characteristics, fire tests, maintenance, wind loading, natural ventilation and leak tests.
BS 9999:2008
BSI British Standards published BS 9999:2008: a code of practice for fire safety in the design, management and use of buildings.
Setting the standard. In October 2008, BSI British Standards published its code of practice for fire safety management: BS 9999:2008. According to the BSI, the standard gives recommendations and guidance on the design, management and use of buildings to achieve acceptable levels of fire safety for everyone in and around the building.
The legal position. BS 9999:2008 is not new legislation. It is guidance — albeit over 450 pages of it. If your fire risk assessment, completed to comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, identifies suitable and sufficient control measures to manage the risks of fire, then you don't need to do anything further.
Who is it aimed at? The standard is really aimed at those incorporating fire safety precautions into new-build projects and refurbishments, so it involves designers, architects, surveyors and fire safety engineers. The intention is that if the guidance in the standard is followed, managing fire safety will be far more effective.
BS 5588 – Part 12: Managing fire safety
Executive summary. Recommendations for the management of fire safety over the lifetime of a building, including guidance for designers to ensure that the overall design of a building assists and enhances the management of fire safety. It also provides guidance on fire equipment and fire safety manuals.
This British Standard provides generic guidance on the provision of fire precautions and facilities within a building. It addresses the issues that need to be considered during the design process as well as those that apply whilst the building is in use, or that need to be taken into account when alterations to the building or its use are being considered.
This standard is intended for use mainly by building designers and fire safety managers or their delegated representatives. It is also intended for use by building owners, who are likely to assume the role of fire safety manager in smaller premises.
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