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Mysteries of fire safety legislation in the spotlight again
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FIRE Correspondent Catherine Levin wades through the latest discussion about fire safety legislation and tries to make sense of it all
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s usual, the government published lots of documents just before the summer recess leaving the civil servants to have a nice holiday while the rest of the public sector (and beyond) puzzle over them. This year it is the turn of the Fire Safety consultation, more than 100 pages covering changes to the Fire Safety Order, dealing with the legal aspects in the Grenfell recommendations and a look at the relationship between fire and rescue services and building control. Alongside the Building Safety Bill that was published just before recess and the ongoing scrutiny of the Fire Safety Bill, there is a lot to understand and it is not an easy task. This article focuses on the Fire Safety Order proposals.
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Fire Safety Bill The government introduced a new Fire Safety Bill into parliament in March 2020. It is a short Bill that expands the definition of domestic premises to include the building’s structure and external walls and any common parts. Kit Malthouse is the Minister for Crime and Policing and provided this explanation during his evidence to the Bill Committee hearing on June 25. “This Fire Safety Bill is also a move towards enhancing safety in all multi-occupied residential buildings by improving the identification, assessment and mitigation
of fire risks in those buildings. It will resolve the differing interpretations of the scope of the Fire Safety Order in such buildings and provide clarity for responsible persons and enforcing authorities under the Order. It will make it clear that the Order applies to the structure, external walls – including cladding – balconies and flat entrance doors in multi-occupied residential buildings.” Shadow Fire Minister Sarah Jones MP said during the first sitting of the Bill Committee: “Let me start by saying that the Opposition support the Bill. We are here to be constructive. Although clearly, we wish that things had gone faster and that we had been able to do more, we support the Bill and want to make it the best that it can be.” Assistant Commissioner Fire Safety Dan Daly, London Fire Brigade, speaking on behalf of the National Fire Chiefs Council, gave evidence to the Bill Committee. “It is important that we get this legislation absolutely right so that during occupation, the duties of whoever is responsible, day to day, for the fire safety in those buildings is very, very clear and it does not allow people to pass the buck – so that it is absolutely clear who is responsible, and they will be held accountable.” The Bill also brings into scope the doors between the domestic premises and the common parts. This latter point might seem trivial, but it has long been contentious.
“This Fire Safety Bill is also a move towards enhancing safety in all multi-occupied residential buildings by improving the identification, assessment and mitigation of fire risks in those buildings” Kit Malthouse, Minister for Crime and Policing
10 | September 2020 | www.fire–magazine.com