Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service welcomes new fire safety regulations

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service has welcomed the commencement of the Fire Safety Act in England and Wales, and the Regulations in England, as important steps forward in strengthening the law relating to fire safety in non-domestic premises.  

The Act clarifies that those responsible for multi-occupied residential buildings must manage and reduce the risk of fire for the structure and external walls of the building, including cladding, balconies and windows, and entrance doors to individual flats that open into common parts.

The responsible person is usually the building owner, or in residential properties, any other person in control of the premises.

Matt White, the Technical Fire Safety Lead for Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “We welcome the start of the Fire Safety Act and the bringing forward of the new regulations, which are important steps forward in strengthening the Fire Safety Order and improving fire safety in Staffordshire.

“These regulations will impose significant new legal requirements for those responsible for residential buildings. They should now (if they have not already done so) consider when to review their fire risk assessments, to ensure these take account of any risk from the external wall.

“It is important that they familiarise themselves with the full guidance from the Home Office about when and how to go about this, here.

“The regulations also make it a requirement for responsible persons of high-rise blocks of flats to provide information to Fire and Rescue Services in order for them to assist in planning and, if required, provide an effective operational response.”

Reporting forms and further information can be found at our website: Fire Safety England Regulations Information Sharing (staffordshirefire.gov.uk)

The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 (the Regulations) were introduced to meet the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s Phase 1 recommendations. The Inquiry was established following the devastating Grenfell Tower Fire in 2017.