H.1 General

A fire safety manual should contain design information and operational records.

NOTE 1 The design information forms the basis of an ongoing history document to which additional material is added when the building is occupied and at regular intervals thereafter. The designer is largely responsible for those parts of the fire safety manual that contain design information; further information is given in H.4.1. The fire safety manager is responsible for those parts of the fire safety manual that contain operational records, the fire safety policy statement and the fire safety documentation; further information is given in H.4.2, H.4.3 and H.4.4.

a) Design Assumptions:

Detail the assumptions and philosophies behind the fire safety design, including management and housekeeping roles.

b) Fire Safety Planning:

Explain the fire safety planning, construction, and systems, and their role in safety and evacuation management.

c) Protection Systems:

Reference design stage documentation to describe the use of protection systems for different incidents.

d) Roles and Responsibilities:

Outline the fire safety responsibilities of management and staff.

e) Continuous Updates:

Maintain an updated record of all aspects affecting fire safety in the building.

NOTE 2 Depending on circumstances, the fire safety manual might need to be separate from the safety plan required by the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 [26], in which case the information from this needs to be duplicated in the fire safety manual. The actual form of the fire safety manual will depend on the type of occupancy involved.

H.2 Actions to be taken by the designer

The fire safety manager and/or designated representatives should be responsible for the upkeep of the manual.

NOTE The initial occupants of the building need to develop the manual provided by the designers at handover.

Record Keeping: Document results of test evacuations, fire safety system tests, and other relevant information.
Accessibility: Ensure the fire safety manual is available for inspection by auditors, regulators, and the fire and rescue service for operational use.

H.4 Contents of the fire safety manual

H.4.1 Design information

The fire safety manual should include or reference the following:

a) Fire Safety Policy & Documentation:

Fire safety policy statement and building documentation.

b) Fire Risks & Hazards:

Identified fire risks and specific hazards for firefighters.

c) Control & Transportation Systems:

Details on control systems and critical transportation routes for building services.

d) Site Plans:

Including fire safety signs, escape routes, and assembly points/muster stations.

e) Access & Fire-Fighting Equipment:

Exterior/interior access for fire services and equipment locations.

f) Communication Systems:

Including alternative formats.

g) Protection Systems:

Descriptions of active and passive fire protection systems.

h) Design Aspects:

Details on design features affecting fire safety management.

i) Operator & Maintenance Manuals:

Manuals for fire safety systems, including inspection, maintenance, and repair schedules.

j) Prevention & Security:

Measures for fire prevention, arson prevention, and interactions with other systems.

k) Building Drawings:

Identifying smoke control zones, detection zones, cameras, voice alarm zones, and key equipment.

l) Basic Fire Precaution Measures:

A description of fundamental safety measures.

m) Contractor & Manufacturer Documentation:

Instructions, guarantees, test certificates, and spare parts.

n) As-Built Drawings & Specifications:

For all active and passive fire protection measures, per BS 1635.

o) Test Results:

Acceptance tests for all safety systems, involving regulatory authorities and insurance representatives.

p) IT Systems:

Details of any IT system used for managing the fire safety manual.

q) Approvals & Certifications:

Information on approvals, certifications, and licensing, with copies of certificates.

r) Salvage Procedures:

Pre-planned salvage procedures.

s) Building Protection:

Information on protecting property, contents, fabric, heritage, and the environment.

t) Additional Information:

Any other necessary details for safe fire safety management and risk assessments.

NOTE Attention is also drawn to the information required by the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 [26], to Regulation 38 of the Building Regulations 2010 [1], and to currently applicable fire safety legislation.

H.4.2 operational records

The fire safety manual should include or reference:

a) Safety Management Structure: Details of the current structure.

b) Management Changes: Documentation of any changes to the management structure.

c) Access Statements: Information on access provisions and statements.

NOTE 1 The 2004 edition of the Building Regulations 2010, Approved Document M [36] refers to the advisability of preparing an access statement and indicates that if kept updated during construction, this might be of value to the end user of the building, who might have ongoing obligations under the Equality Act 2010 [12].

d) Control & Audit Plans:

Continuing control and audit plans, including annual audit findings.

e) Inspection Logs:

Logs for fire prevention measures and escape route inspections.

f) Maintenance Records:

Documentation of maintenance for heat-dissipating and fire safety equipment.

g) Building & Safety Changes:

Records of changes to building systems and safety plans.

h) Fire Routine & System Testing:

Detailed fire routine and testing results for fire safety systems.

i) Test Evacuations:

Results from monitored test evacuations, including response patterns, voice alarm timing, disabled access, and evacuation stages.

j) Staff Training:

Records of staff training sessions, including details on instruction and drills.

k) Planned Maintenance:

Procedures for routine maintenance activities.

l) System Failures:

Recording procedures for system failures and faults.

m) Contingency Plans:

Plans for salvage, damage control, and business continuity.

n) Housekeeping Routines:

Routine housekeeping tasks, including specific setups for certain premises like theaters.

o) Tenant Roles:

Documentation of tenant roles in the management plans.

p) Non-Routine Activities:

Safe work procedures for non-routine activities, including hot work permits.

q) Contractor Logs:

Logs of contractor and workman attendance.

r) Building Structure Changes:

Records of any structural changes to the building.

s) Fire Certificates & Licensing:

Information on fire certificates and licensing.

t) Fire Risk Assessments:

Documentation of fire risk assessments required by legislation.

u) Event Log:

A log book of all fire safety-related events throughout the building's life.

v) Fire Incidents & Lessons:

Records of fire incidents, near misses, and lessons learned.

w) False Alarms & Evacuations:

Documentation of false alarms and evacuations.

x) Feedback & Reviews:

Feedback from staff and occupants, and results from reviews and testing of the manual.

NOTE 2 Attention is also drawn to the need for information relating to regulatory requirements (e.g. building regulations/standards and licensing approvals).

H.4.3 Fire safety policy statement

a) Initial Policy Statement:

Start with a proposed policy statement, to be replaced by a full policy statement as soon as possible.

b) Policy Development:

The building management team should create a policy statement tailored to the building's configuration, location, occupancy, and users.

c) Policy Content:

General safety issues related to building use.
Potential fire scenarios.
Aims, objectives, and methodology of the management system.

d) Endorsement:

The policy should be endorsed by the highest level of management.

H.4.4 Fire safety documentation

The fire safety provisions within the building should include:

a) Risk Assessment & Strategy:

Summary of the risk assessment, fire safety analysis, and strategy, focusing on building performance requirements

b) Design & Analysis:

Description of the design philosophy, calculation methods, software used, assumptions, inputs, and outputs.

c) Plans & Layouts:

Include plans, layout drawings, and service routes.

d) Escape Routes:

Identification of escape routes with recommended flow pathways for safe evacuation.

e) Phased Evacuation:

For complex buildings, details of the escape flow/sequence for phased evacuation.

f) Passive Fire Protection:

Full description of passive fire protection, including structural protection, compartmentation, protected shafts, cavities, fire doors, etc.

g) Active Fire Safety Measures:

Description of active fire safety systems like detection, alarm, suppression, and smoke control systems.

h) Integration of Safety Measures:

Linkage between active and passive fire safety measures.

i) High Fire Load Areas:

Identification of high fire load areas with protection details and safe operation procedures.

j) Performance Ratings:

Concise description and performance ratings of active systems (e.g., fire detection, smoke controls, sprinklers, emergency lighting).

k) Zoned Areas:

Clear identification of zoned areas (e.g., fire detection zones) with supporting plans/drawings.

l) Control Panels & Systems:

Location of control panels and documentation of control systems, including activation/sequencing and fail-safe procedures.

m) Critical Service Routes:

Identification of critical transportation routes for building services on site plans, along with associated fire protection.

n) Fire & Rescue Access:

· Outside the Building:

Plans showing entry/exit points, access routes for emergency vehicles, and external facilities (e.g., fire main inlets, water tanks).

· Inside the Building:

Plans showing fire-fighting shafts, fire mains, and internal access and facilities for fire and rescue services (e.g., control rooms).

o) Computer Models:

Documentation of any computer models or CFD used in the design, including assumptions, input data, output results, and reanalysis findings.

p) Risk & Sensitivity Analyses:

Inclusion of any quantitative or qualitative risk assessments and sensitivity analyses.

H.5 maintenance, review and testing of the fire safety manual

The fire safety manual should:

a) Routine Updates:

Be updated regularly by the fire safety manager or a competent person, including new information within one week of any event and feedback from staff and building users.

b) Unreliable Equipment:

Record problems with unreliable fire safety equipment and, if necessary, report them to the manufacturer.

c) Annual Review:

Be reviewed and tested annually or whenever building alterations occur. The review should include:

· Plant & Equipment Controls:

Ensure all equipment is functional and maintenance procedures are followed.

· Staff Duties & Training:

Review staff duties and training procedures.

· Records & Specifications:

Check records, as-built drawings, and specifications of fire protection measures.

· Incident Responses:

Review responses to false alarms, near misses, and real fires since the last review.

d) Routine Testing:

Ensure testing is part of routine management activities and monitored by senior management.

e) Review Records:

Keep records of reviews and changes, and regularly check IT systems managing the manual.

f) Inspection Routines:

Include all installed fire safety systems, covering both management and unit-specific systems.

g) Major Test Evacuation:

Conduct a major building test evacuation at least once a year to test systems and procedures.

H.6 Location and access

a) On-Premises Copy: Keep the fire safety manual on the premises and make it available for inspection by the fire enforcing authority or other relevant authorities upon request.

b) Duplicate Copy: Maintain at least one identical duplicate copy in a separate location away from the premises.

Annex H (normative) Fire safety manual