Buildings will be made safer under government proposals set out
today (23 December), including mandating second staircases for
new tower blocks and sprinkler systems for new care homes.
This is the latest step in updating the statutory guidance which
underpins building regulations for new buildings to ensure the
safety of those living and working there. The Department for
Levelling Up, Housing and Communities will consult on its
plans over the next 12 weeks.
They include imposing rules on staircases, which would mean new
tower blocks over 30 metres will need to have more than one
staircase
The department is also looking at mandating sprinklers in all new
care homes, regardless of height, to improve the safety of
vulnerable residents and help firefighters with evacuations.
Minister for Local Government and Building Safety said:
There are undoubtedly lessons still to be learnt from the
Grenfell Tower tragedy and the Department for Housing is
committed to working with the sector and residents to explore
what more needs to be done to make new homes across the country
safe.
This consultation is the next step in the Department’s work to
improve building regulations and make sure they are as clear and
effective as possible.
Other measures being considered as part of the consultation
include removing references to the national classifications (BS
476) from Approved Document B. This means the dual system
currently in place will end and construction product
manufacturers will be required to test their products to the
British standard version of the European Standards.
The government will also be undertaking a call for evidence on
revisions to Approved Document B covering materials and products
used in external walls. In practice, the call for evidence will
seek views from industry on what materials should be covered and
how best to improve the clarity of the guidance provided in these
paragraphs.
Since the Grenfell Tower fire, the department has undertaken the
task of updating and improving fire safety guidance to prevent it
from happening again. The department has already made several
significant changes to the Building Regulations and its guidance.
Since 2017 the department has:
- Implemented a ban of combustible materials for residential
buildings, hospitals and student accommodation above 18m and
provided new guidance for residential buildings between 11m-18m
- Banned the use of Metal Composite Materials of the type used
on Grenfell on all buildings
- Undertook a large programme of work to clarify the guidance
- Lowered the threshold for the provision of sprinklers in new
blocks of flats from 30m+ to 11m+
- Made provisions for wayfinding signage for fire fighters in
new blocks of flats more than 11m
- Made provisions for evacuation alert systems in new
residential buildings over 18 metres in height
