Review of Approved Document B: Fire Safety - 3. General updates and clarifications - Health and Safety Executive - Citizen Space

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3. General updates and clarifications

Approved Document B proposed updates Approved Document B proposed updates

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3. General updates and clarifications

BSR is committed to keeping the statutory guidance for fire safety under continuous review. Through our programme of research, our ongoing engagement with industry, and correspondence received by BSR and MHCLG, we are able to identify areas which require:

correction due to typographical errors;

revisions to the text to ensure clarity of the guidance intent;

improvements in keeping up to date with modern materials, construction practices and changing demographics.

Through the consultation, we are seeking to implement small but important changes to improve the guidance and provide industry with the clarity it needs to support the government’s ambition to deliver 1.5 million homes this Parliament.

In addition, BSR seeks to incorporate aspects from several of Approved Document B’s frequently asked questions into the guidance. This will ensure that the guidance document is clear on the intent of the provisions and scope of the guidance.

The general changes to the guidance include updates to:

Structure – replacing the current listing of structural elements with the term ‘elements of structure’. This ensures items that are not typical are not excluded from the overall fire performance of a building and improves clarity of the document.

Cavities – clarify intention of recommendations and remove any deemed-to-satisfy provisions as part of the wider strategy of making the guidance performance-based and not naming specific materials or products. The wider clarifications are to improve reading of an area where there is some confusion with industry.

Roofs – changes to the guidance on roof coverings and recommendations on when a roof should be considered an element of structure, with the aim to reflect modern roofing developments. The proposed changes amend what were considered confusing diagrams and clarify some paragraphs based on guidance within other parts of Approved Document B.

Balconies – inclusion of fire resistance recommendations and provision of clearer guidance for external balcony approach to flats. This removes the only reference to BS 9991 in ADB, and lowers risk of sudden balcony collapse and associated harm.

Smoke ventilation – improving readability of guidance and ensuring language aligns to other parts of Approved Document B.

Question 3: Do you have any comments on the small but important clarifications and minor technical changes draft guidance text?

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Consultation Stage Impact Assessment

All of the changes considered as part of the general updates and clarifications have been assessed to have negligible impact on industry practices. These changes are to assist clarity.

The economic cost of these changes is limited to the familiarisation cost to designers and engineers in the time they will take to review and understand the updated text.

Question 4: Do you have any further benefits that should be considered?

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