How does England control fire safety in buildings?

The Grenfell Tower apartment fire in London on June 14, 2017. (Photo: EPA)

Following the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire in London that killed 71 people, the British government tightened fire safety controls after an independent investigation into the fire, published in 2019, recommended that the government amend the law.

In 2022, the UK government enacted the Fire Safety Act, effective from January 2023, which details the legal obligations of all parties involved in ensuring fire safety in office and public buildings and high-rise apartment buildings, and sets out strict penalties for violations.

Under the new law, owners of high-rise apartment buildings in England must provide fire and rescue services with the necessary information to develop fire/emergency response plans, and must also provide fire safety instructions to building residents.

Information that apartment owners must provide to the fire and rescue authorities includes a building floor plan and a fire safety equipment diagram; and the design and materials of the building's exterior wall system. This information must be updated for the authorities whenever changes occur.

For residents, apartment building owners must provide fire safety information, including guidance on fire-resistant doors, how to report a fire, and how to handle a fire based on the building's evacuation plan. They must also train residents on fire safety, especially on the use of emergency doors and escape routes.

Regarding fire safety requirements, apartment buildings must always have two emergency exits, a fire detection and warning system, emergency lights, and fire extinguishing equipment; a safety information box must be installed, providing floor plans and fire safety equipment information, as well as contact information for those responsible for the building; and signage such as apartment numbers, floor numbers, and emergency exit signs must be installed. These signs must be clearly visible in low light or smoke conditions.

The building owner must conduct monthly inspections of the operation of evacuation elevators and other elevators, as well as fire safety equipment that firefighters will use in case of a fire, ensuring that the fire alarm system and fire safety equipment are always functioning properly, and that all emergency exits in the building are clear and easily accessible.

The building owner is responsible for reporting any malfunctioning fire safety equipment that cannot be repaired within 24 hours to the fire department.

For apartment buildings taller than 11 meters, the building owner must conduct annual inspections of apartment doors (which are fire-resistant doors) and quarterly inspections of all fire-resistant doors in common areas of the building.

The building owner also has the responsibility to conduct fire risk assessments of the building and regularly reassess them, informing residents about potential risks; developing a fire safety plan and evacuation plan, ensuring that all escape routes are clear, easily visible, accessible, and sufficient for all residents.

Buildings must ensure that their fire safety equipment is always in good working order. (Source: Croner-i)

Similar fire safety regulations also apply to office buildings and public buildings, with building owners and employers having similar obligations and responsibilities.

In the UK, the monitoring of fire safety regulations is rigorous. Local fire and rescue services regularly and irregularly visit buildings to inspect fire risk assessments and ensure that fire safety measures are adequate, and provide informal recommendations if fire safety measures are not sufficient.

In cases where an inspection reveals a building with high or serious fire safety risks beyond control, the fire department will issue a notice to enforce fire safety measures or even order a ban on the use of the building if a serious fire hazard is perceived.

When advised or notified by the fire department to implement fire safety measures but failing to do so, or committing serious violations of fire safety regulations to the extent that it poses a risk of death or serious injury in the event of a fire, the building owner may be subject to unlimited fines and/or imprisonment for up to two years.

Other violations, such as intentionally falsifying fire safety records, providing false information, obstructing inspectors, or failing to provide information, will also be dealt with severely.

Police said one of the key factors is the strict enforcement of building permit procedures for construction, including apartment buildings – from construction to commercial use – with close coordination between local authorities (in England, local councils), the Fire Service, and the police force.

To grant a building permit for an apartment building, in addition to legally mandated fire safety requirements, the local council carefully considers factors ensuring fire safety, such as whether the construction site has adequate fire-fighting capabilities in case of a fire, whether the existing infrastructure such as electricity and water lines meets fire safety requirements for the construction of a new apartment building in the area, and whether the construction of a new apartment building will affect the fire safety of residents in existing buildings in the area.

Following the local council review, the project must be reviewed by the local fire department and police agency to ensure compliance with fire safety and security requirements.

Developers must strictly comply with the law if they don't want to lose their investment in the project. (Source: BBC)

Before approval, information about the project is posted at the construction site for two weeks to allow residents to provide feedback on the impact of the construction on the security and safety of the area.

After obtaining permits and completing construction, the project must be inspected and approved by these three agencies, ensuring it fully meets the regulations and conforms to the initial approved design, before it can be licensed for use.

According to London Metropolitan Police, commercial use permits require developers to strictly comply with the law if they do not want to lose their investment in the project.

Firefighting forces also have a major responsibility in ensuring fire safety. In addition to firefighting, fire departments must conduct daily inspections of fire safety measures in their assigned areas, thoroughly address violations, and closely monitor the implementation of corrective actions.

More importantly, this force must have a thorough understanding of the area and develop detailed firefighting plans for each building in the region to proactively deploy appropriate personnel and equipment when an incident occurs.

Apartment owners in the UK also place great importance on having rescue and evacuation plans ready to implement in the event of a fire.

Personnel working in the building, such as administrative staff, technicians, security guards, and service staff, must receive regular and periodic fire safety training, and certain positions require fire safety training certificates.

According to figures from the UK Home Office , from April 2022 to the end of March 2023, England firefighters dealt with over 178,700 indoor fires, a 17% increase year-on-year, and 116,690 outdoor fires, a 27% increase year-on-year, a 24% increase five years ago, and a 51% increase ten years ago.

Between April 2022 and March 2023, there were 259 deaths due to fires, a decrease of over 5% compared to last year, a 23% decrease compared to five years ago, and a 9.4% decrease compared to ten years ago.

VNA

Source: http://www.baovanhoa.vn/the-gioi/artmid/425/articleid/69776/nuoc-anh-kiem-soat-an-toan-chay-no-trong-cac-toa-nha-nhu-the-nao