Scottish report calls for mandatory sprinklers in care homes

Automatic suppression system should be required in some additional building groups, which according to the report should include “houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) used for 'care' 24/7 and HMOs with 10 or more residents."

The report, which is published by the Scottish Government, says that “in domestic buildings over 18m there should be two stairways and fire service activated evacuation sounders in each flat."

The report continues, "The requirement for automatic fire suppression systems should be extended to some additional building groups. In particular,

Dr Paul Stollard, chair of the panel for the Building Standards Division Directorate for Local Government and Communities, says, "The scale of the tragedy at Grenfell Tower just over a year ago gave urgency to this review of the Building Standards for fire safety in Scotland and the Review Panel was established with commendable speed by Scottish Ministers.

"In undertaking this work we have been very conscious that the Grenfell Inquiry itself was also beginning its painstaking work to establish exactly what happened on the night of the fire and why. As it is only in the last few weeks that the public hearings have begun, it is recognised that the conclusions in this report may need to be revised in due course. However, some of our recommendations are sufficiently important that they should be implemented as soon as possible."

Some of the recommendations include:

• The current structure of mandatory functional standards supported with performance based or prescriptive guidance in the Technical Handbooks works and should be retained,
• Changes are needed to the simple guidance on external cladding, cavities and fire spread on external walls,
• Changes are needed to the simple guidance on Escape,
• In domestic buildings over 18m there should be two stairways and fire service activated evacuation sounders in each flat.