No Major Change In Fire Safety Philosophy
The two-part version of Approved Document B comes into effect on 6 April this year, aiming to improve guidance on fire safety. It will affect all projects where building notices or full plans are submitted after 6 April.
Volume 2 requires building designers to formulate realistic fire safety management philosophies/plans as part of the building control process, to enable the first occupants of a building to meet the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order (RRFSO), which came into effect on 1 October last year.
The necessary fire safety information must be made available to the 'Responsible Person', as laid down in the RRFSO, when the building is first occupied. This requirement applies to all non-domestic buildings, including the common areas of flats and Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs).
A supporting document, 'Building Regulations and Fire Safety - Procedural Guidance' will be published in due course, but it is not as yet available.
The amendments to Part B Volume 2 are summarised on its inside covers. For on-line copies of the amended documents, including the inside covers, click here. However, this is a complex document and the changes summarised in the front covers are in our view rather too light on detail to give useful guidance.
The new Construction Briefing from TRADA concentrates, therefore, on explaining the background to certain changes or providing additional detail on the change itself, without which their full significance is difficult to gauge. The Briefing also references the relevant paragraphs, diagrams or tables relating to the changes.
TRADA will produce further guidance for the timber industry on the possible consequences of the changes to Approved Document B.
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