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Approved Document B: Fire Safety
Volume 2: Buildings other than dwellinghouses
This package represents better, more focused regulation that will deliver real benefits for both occupants and fire-fighters
alike. Indeed the review that led to the changes looked at fire safety in all types of premises including dwellings, residential care
homes, public buildings and warehouses. It also considered the important role sprinklers and other types of fire protection measures
may have, particularly in buildings where the occupants are most at risk from fire.
Angela Smith, Fire and Building Regulations Minister
The NBS are the only official publisher of the Approved Documents which provide the most up to date and accurate information and
guidance on the Building Regulations.
The revised Approved Document B: Fire Safety comes into force on 6 April 2007. Incorporating the Regulatory Reform Act, it
includes substantial changes to the previous version including new calculations on fire escape stairs, tighter requirements for
fire-fighting shafts, more stringent demands for smoke control and allowances for sprinklers in lieu of alternative means of escape.
The revisions to Part B of the Building Regulations and supporting guidance in
Approved Document B reflect recent experiences of
actual fires, developments in construction, research findings and comprehensive stakeholder engagement, including a four-month public
consultation exercise.
The changes will affect all future building work in England and Wales.
Approved Document B is now in two volumes:
Approved Document B1: Fire safety - Dwellinghouses (2006)
Domestic buildings: includes amendments to the guidance on domestic loft conversions, the use of door-closing devices in dwellings and
the provision of sprinklers in tall blocks of flats as well as guidance on resolving the conflict between ‘smoke control’ and ‘
ventilation systems’ and information on compartmentation and cavity barriers.
Approved Document B2: Fire Safety – Buildings other than dwellinghouses (2006)
Non-domestic buildings: key changes include the introduction of a maximum unsprinklered compartment size for single storey warehouses,
new guidance on residential care homes (including on the use of sprinklers) and a new requirement to ensure occupiers are made aware
of their building's fire protection measures so as to assist with the preparation of fire risk assessments under the new Regulatory
Reform (Fire Safety) Order regime.
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