Government of Jersey consults on fire safety laws for tall residential buildings

The proposed regulations for the Crown Dependency would directly implement some of the key recommendations that emerged from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and are aimed squarely at maintaining – and, where necessary, improving – safety for the residents of tall residential buildings.

Tall residential buildings in Jersey are defined as those structures which are 11 metres tall and higher. Typically, these are blocks of flats where there are five or more stories (including the ground floor level). In some limited cases, this can include four-storey blocks of flats.

Jersey currently numbers upwards of 125 of these buildings providing homes to thousands of islanders, among them renters and owner-occupiers.

In the regulations, tall residential buildings are defined as developments meeting all of the following criteria: 

*contains a top storey more than 11 metres above ground level 

*contains two or more residential dwellings (typically flats) 

*contains common parts through which residents evacuate in the event of an emergency (typically shared corridors and stairways)

Regulations in England

In England, of course, a similar set of regulations to those being proposed for Jersey was introduced in January 2023. Since the advent of the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, Jersey’s Fire and Rescue Service has been working closely with local property managers and building owner groups to implement the outlined requirements on a voluntary basis in their buildings.

This approach has allowed property managers and building owners alike to become more familiar with the requirements and also provided the Government of Jersey’s team with the opportunity to assess the impact of the regulations in England before proposing its own document.

“Throughout this work, it has been clear that fire safety responsibilities are taken very seriously,” observed Deputy Le Hegarat. “Approximately 19% of Jersey’s tall residential buildings are estimated to be closely meeting the English regulatory requirements, with some others partially achieving them. However, the fact that the requirements are voluntary risks investment and time being de-prioritised in favour of other areas.”

While there has been no significant evidence of excessive fire risk, Jersey’s tall residential buildings as a group are now at risk of falling behind similar buildings in England in three key areas: 

*the frequency of routine checks taking place on essential fire safety features such as self-closing fire doors, Fire and Rescue Service lifts, dry risers and smoke control systems (plus the resolution of any issues) 

*the provision of fire safety instructions to residents 

*the quality of building information passed to the Fire and Rescue Service to help firefighters tackle fires in tall residential buildings where the risk and complexity can be higher

Logical next step

While Jersey’s building byelaws will have ensured tall residential buildings are built to local fire safety standards, there’s currently no dedicated Jersey fire safety law that requires those in charge of these buildings to manage and maintain their fire safety measures on an ongoing basis.

Deputy Le Hegarat added: “Creating regulations to implement some of the key building fire safety recommendations from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry is a logical and sensible step.”

States of Jersey Fire and Rescue Service area commander Jason Masterman commented: “As firefighters, our top priority is keeping Islanders safe, notably so in the places they call home. The proposed fire safety regulations for tall residential buildings are a vital step forward in meeting that goal.”

Masterman added: “The proposed regulations will ensure key safety features including self-closing fire doors, smoke control systems and Fire and Rescue Service lifts are regularly checked and maintained. Residents will also receive clear fire safety information, while our fire crews will have access to simple and accurate building floor plans and signposting to help them respond more effectively in emergency scenarios.”

*The consultation process opened on 4 August and closes on 12 September. Details are available to view on gov.je