Fire Precautions in Dwellings

Residential accommodation is often situated above, below or within commercial premises, for example, a maisonette flat above a shop or restaurant, or accommodation within a public house. These types of accommodation present a higher risk to their occupants in the event of a fire breaking out within the commercial portion of the building. If the fire occurs when the commercial business is closed the fire may become well established before it is noticed, and the alarm is raised thus increasing the likelihood of harm to any occupants of the residential accommodation.

In addition to the fire safety standards that are applicable for certain dwelling types (as described in the previous sections of this document) the following precautions are required for those private rented dwellings that are associated with mixed use buildings:

• There should be 60-minute imperforate separation between the commercial and residential sections of the building. In buildings where the commercial business is of a significantly low fire risk it may be possible to reduce the separation to 30-minutes where there is an automatic fire detection system that is linked to the residential fire detection system
• In high fire risk premises, even where 60-minute imperforate separation is achieved it may still be necessary to install an automatic fire detection system that is interlinked to the fire detection system in the residential accommodation.
• In some cases, imperforate separation will be impracticable to achieve, for example with some accommodation above public houses. In such cases compensatory measures will be necessary. In these situations, a case-by-case assessment approach is necessary. However, such compensatory measures may include.
• An mains-wired, interlinked fire detection and warning system to be installed providing adequate coverage for all parts of the commercial premises and residential accommodation.
• The use of fire protecting lobbies between the commercial and residential uses.
• A secondary means of escape from the residential accommodation.
• In high-risk situations, the installation of a water suppression system in the commercial premises.

Escape Routes

Internal escape routes

The escape route design should be commensurate with the degree of fire separation required, that is:

• Where 60-minutes imperforate separation between uses is required then a 60-minute fully protected escape route is also necessary. The escape route must be of 60-minute fire and smoke resisting construction and has full FD60S fire door-sets to all risk rooms that lead out on to the escape route.
• Where 30-minute imperforate separation between uses is required then a 30- minute fully protected escape route is also necessary. The escape route must of a 30-minute fire and smoke resisting construction and have full FD30S fire door-sets to all risk rooms that lead out on to the escape route.
• The escape route must be always kept free from obstruction and there should be no free storage on the escape routes.
• The final exit doors from the property must be capable of being unlocked and opened from inside without the use of a key.

Where the means of escape is provided by an external staircase

• All doors that lead out on to, or that are located under, the external staircase should be full FD30S fire doors and frame sets.
• The escape route must be always kept free from obstruction and there should be no free storage on the escape routes.
• All windows that view out on to, or that are located under, the external staircase should be fitted with 6mm Georgian wired glass, and any opening part should be effectively fixed shut as to provide a minimum 30-minutes fire resisting construction. Glazing beads should be hardwood and should provide a maximum 15mm cover to the edge of the glass. Glazing is to be in accordance with BS6206.
• There should be no other unprotected opening leading out on to or underneath the external staircase, for example ventilation outlets/inlets.
• The external means of escape should be adequately lighted at night either by means of borrowed light from street lighting or by means of additional lighting.
• An emergency lighting system compliant with BS 5266: part 1 is required where there is inadequate background light either from natural sources or borrowed from street lighting.
• The external staircase shall provide access to a relative point of safety away from the parent building. If the staircase discharges into an enclosed yard, then further escape from that yard must be possible.

Note: where the means of escape to a point of safety passes through an enclosed yard, alleyway, or passage that is also used by the commercial premises and that has doors and/ or windows belonging to the commercial premises, then these areas will be assessed to the same standards as external staircases.