FIA warns fire regulations are too complex

‘We need a simplification of the rules and better enforcement of existing requirements’ is the verdict of the FIA in response to the recent call for evidence for the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety.

The review follows on from the tragic Grenfell Tower Fire, and the Association says its Special Interest Group, which is comprised of industry experts, was given a very short response time by government but has managed to provide ‘rigorous feedback’ to the review.

The FIA also states that there are also a large number of detailed aspects of fire safety regulations that are not well understood. In its response, the FIA said: “There are also a large number of detailed aspects of fire safety regulations which are not well. An example is in relation to fire resistance of walls. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO) places great emphasis on building owners and responsible persons. Feedback seems to suggest that responsible persons often have limited understanding of the fire safety.

“Regulation 38 of the Building Regulations requires that at the end of a project the fire safety information for that project should be handed over to the responsible person. Whilst Approved Document B gives some limited guidance, on this issue, it is not clear on a number of key issues. It is felt therefore, that control of this regulation is clearly lacking rigor.

“When all the different regulations and guidance’s are reviewed the FIA feels that there is already too much complexity within the current system. We need a simplification of the rules and better enforcement of existing requirements.”

You can read the Association’s full submission HERE.