COMMENTARY ON ANNEX S

Fire Safety Recommendations for Multi-Occupancy Residential Buildings:

a) Guidance for Owners/Agents:

· Follow recommendations for day-to-day fire safety management in multi-occupancy residential buildings.

b) Owner's Responsibility:

· Focus on the owner's responsibility for fire safety in the building.

c) Resident Cooperation:

· Fire safety effectiveness depends on residents following fire instruction notices.

d) Fire Instruction Notices:

· Residents should adhere to instructions provided in these notices.

· Annex T provides examples of suitable fire instruction notices.

S.1 General

a) Completion of Escape Routes:

Ensure all escape routes from occupied flats are fully finished before occupation.

b) Keep Routes Clear:

Escape routes must remain free of any building materials or equipment.

S.2 Fire doors and escape routes

a) Safe Escape Routes:

· Escape routes (stairs, corridors, balconies, etc.) must remain clear and lead to a recognized safe place outdoors.

b) Fire Doors:

· Fire doors should never be wedged open.

· Maintain self-closing mechanisms to ensure proper function.

· If fire doors have a hold-open system, close them each night.

c) No Storage:

· Do not store anything along escape routes, as it can obstruct use and pose a fire risk.

d) Warning Notices:

· Fire doors that subdivide corridors should display a “Fire door keep closed” notice.

e) Maintenance:

· Fire doors should be maintained according to the manufacturer's recommendations.

S.3 Provision of smoke control

COMMENTARY ON S.3

a) Importance of Smoke Control:

· Smoke control is crucial for safe building evacuation by restricting smoke spread and protecting escape routes.

b) Openable Windows:

· Windows on escape routes are for fire and rescue service use to release smoke, not for evacuees.

c) Ventilation in Ancillary Areas:

· Permanent ventilation can help smoke escape without affecting dwellings or escape routes.

d) Smoke Control Arrangements:

· a) Subdivided corridors or spaces with fire doors to prevent smoke spread.

· b) Openings automatically operated by smoke detectors during a fire.

· c) Smoke extraction systems (natural or mechanical).

· d) Automatic systems creating a pressure differential to keep smoke out of escape routes.

e) Maintenance:

· Mechanical devices for smoke control should be regularly inspected and tested according to a maintenance plan to promptly address any failures.

S.4 Engineering services and fire and rescue service facilities

a) Alterations and Maintenance:

· Only competent persons should carry out any changes or repairs to services and equipment.

b) Escape Assistance Services:

· Includes stairway and corridor lighting with secondary power sources and duplicate lighting systems.

· Regular inspections are needed to ensure effective operation and proper circuit labeling.

c) Fire Detection and Alarm Systems:

· Should be regularly inspected and tested, including any door control mechanisms they operate.

d) Firefighters' Lift:

· Lifts designated for firefighter use should be maintained, receive prompt repairs, and be regularly inspected for unauthorized use.

e) Fire Mains and Inlet/Outlet Boxes:

· Wet or dry rising mains, foam inlets, and associated equipment should be regularly inspected for damage, with repairs made as necessary.

· Check outlet straps on fire mains to ensure they are secure.

NOTE Fire and rescue service access roads and gates leading to the building can become seriously obstructed by the indiscriminate parking of cars and other vehicles using the site. Control and enforcement of parking restrictions can prove difficult, but the provision and maintenance of notices giving clear instructions regarding parking arrangements can go some way to alleviating this problem.

S.5 Portable fire- fighting equipment

a) Maintenance and Testing:

· Small bore hose reels should be maintained and tested per BS 5306-1 or BS EN 671.

· Portable fire extinguishers should be maintained and tested according to BS 5306-3.

b) New Building Services:

· Any new building services that introduce additional fire risks should have suitable additional portable fire equipment provided.

c) Manual Fire-Fighting Equipment:

· In buildings where residents are unlikely to use manual fire-fighting equipment, such equipment should be limited to high-risk areas like communal kitchens.

S.6 Sheltered housing

a) Smoke Seals:

· Dwelling entrance doors should have smoke seals to prevent smoke contamination in adjacent dwellings.

b) Fire Detection and Alarm System:

· Install an automatic fire detection and alarm system to alert the fire and rescue service early.

· Preferably, fire alarms should only sound in the zone where the fire is detected, with alerts at the main control panel, repeater panels, and any central receiving station.

c) Assistance Log:

· Maintain a log of residents needing assistance during evacuation.

· Inform the fire and rescue service about the log and its location.

NOTE The log might form part of the fire safety manual (see Clause 9 and Annex H).

a) If Discovering a Fire:

Do not attempt to tackle the fire.
Activate the nearest manual call point (if not already triggered by a smoke detector).
Proceed to the nearest safe telephone and call the fire and rescue service.
Do not search for or wait for the warden; proceed to the designated place of ultimate safety.

b) If Informed of a Fire:

Remain in your dwelling and await instructions from the warden or fire and rescue service.
Only leave if specifically instructed by the warden or a fire and rescue service member.

S.7 Furniture in communal areas

a) Communal Area Furniture:

Must conform to the medium hazard resistance to ignition classification as per BS 7176.

b) Communal Area Curtains:

Should meet performance requirements for type B or type C classification according to BS 5867-2:2008.

Annex S (normative) Recommendations for owners of multi- occupancy residential buildings