Fire Safety Advice for Owners, Occupiers and Managers
The advice on these webpages is primarily intended to assist owners and occupiers of single private dwellings (SPDs), with links to relevant government guidance provided for 'other buildings' (OBs) where appropriate. SPDs, which make up the majority of listed buildings, are generally outside the scope of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. OBs include premises such as hotels, houses in multiple occupation (HMOs), blocks of flats, care homes and buildings in commercial or other uses, to which fire safety legislation applies in whole or in part.
The legal requirements set out in the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, as amended (referred to here as the Fire Safety Order 2005) tend to apply to other buildings. However, where a SPD is rented, there may be additional fire safety requirements that the landlord will need to comply with.
Read further details on the legal requirements arising from the Fire Safety Order.
Fire detection and alarm systems
Under the Fire Safety Order 2005 there is a legal requirement for the Responsible Person (for example, the landlord) for certain buildings to install fire detection and alarm systems. However, it is recommended that all heritage buildings are fitted with an appropriate fire detection and alarm system to provide early warning of the outbreak of fire.
It is useful to consider installing detection systems into most rooms to assist with the protection of the heritage value of the building. Where the fire alarm system is to be replaced or a new system is to be provided, the following should be noted.
In SPDs, as well as Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and individual apartments within a block of flats, the fire detection and alarm system should be designed and installed in accordance with the current edition of 'BS 5839-6: Fire detection and fire alarm systems for buildings - Code of practice for the design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of fire detection and fire alarm systems in domestic premises.' The appropriate Grade and Category of system will depend on the type, size, layout and use of the premises. Please refer to this standard or the fire safety guidance documents for the recommended fire alarm Grade and Category.
In most OBs, the fire detection and alarm system should be designed and installed in accordance with the current edition of 'BS 5839-1: Fire detection and fire alarm systems for buildings – Code of practice for design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of systems in non-domestic premises.' The appropriate system Category should be determined from the fire risk assessment and the use, occupancy, layout and fire risks of the building.
Works to install or upgrade a fire detection and alarm system may require Listed Building Consent before the works can commence. Check with a Local Planning Authority Conservation Officer.
Historic England's Building Services Engineering pages have further advice on fire alarm systems.
Emergency lighting and exit signage
Under the Fire Safety Order 2005 there is a legal requirement for most OBs to provide some form of emergency lighting where the building is used during the hours of darkness and where sufficient illumination is not available from a reliable source of borrowed light, such as street lighting, which can reasonably be expected to remain available when required.
Emergency lighting should operate on the failure of the local lighting circuit and not rely upon total mains failure.
Exit signs are normally not required to be internally illuminated, providing that they are clearly visible once emergency lighting has come on.
If required, it is possible to obtain emergency lighting versions of most luminaires or to have them converted to emergency lighting units.
In most cases one hour of battery power will be the minimum requirement, although 3-hour units are probably more cost effective.
Most SPDs will not require any form of emergency lighting as the occupiers should be familiar with the layout and any obstacles. Having a torch available in a convenient location will assist with checking fuses and determining the cause of power failure.
The Fire Safety Law guidance produced for small paying guest accommodation includes advice on emergency escape lighting and signage that may also be applicable in a heritage SPD.
Works to install or upgrade emergency lighting and exit signage may require Listed Building Consent before the works can commence. Check with the Local Planning Authority Conservation Officer.
Historic England's Building Services Engineering pages have further advice on emergency lighting.
Electrical fire safety
Under The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 there is a mandatory requirement for the condition of an electrical system to be maintained at a satisfactory and safe level. Regular maintenance and testing should be carried out. For all properties that are rented the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 require that installations are tested and inspected.
Many heritage buildings can have older wiring systems due to the challenge in replacing them, as this can be difficult and costly. To protect buildings from fires caused by electrical faults it is therefore recommended that the fixed wiring installation within heritage buildings should be regularly inspected, tested, and maintained to ensure it remains safe for users and does not create a fire hazard. This is regardless of whether there is a legal obligation to do so.
An electrical installation refers to the fixed wiring system, including items such as the consumer unit (fuse box), lighting and power circuits, switches, and sockets.
As installations age and as environmental conditions change faults can develop, even in systems that were originally well designed. These faults may increase the risk of fire. To identify issues before they become hazardous, it is important to:
- carry out routine checks
- undertake periodic inspection and testing (EICRs)
- perform maintenance where required
- keep up-to-date records
The time between the periodic inspection and testing requires a consideration of the type of installation, its use and operation, its age, any known maintenance, and external influences to which it is subjected. This is not a set time and is risk assessed, taking into account these factors.
For example, a maximum 5-year inspection period may be adequate for newer installations in most buildings. For an installation that is approaching the end of its life, an annual inspection may be more appropriate.
While periodic testing highlights most faults, it is strongly recommended that thermal imaging surveys of distribution equipment are also carried out. Many potential electrical faults that cause fires generate excessive heat, and thermal imaging can detect these hotspots. These can come from defects like loose, over-tightened, or corroded connections, broken or undersized conductors and defective insulation.
As part of the periodic inspection and testing programme, thermal imaging should be undertaken on switchgear, busbars and associated connections, cables and associated connections, transformers and motor control panels to detect these faults early so they can be rectified. Ideally this would be carried out each year as part of routine checks.
In addition to conventional electrical installations many buildings are now incorporating low and zero carbon technologies, like solar panels and their associated battery storage systems. Although solar panels or other electrical energy storage systems are no greater risk than other electrical equipment, it is still important to understand the risks and how to mitigate them.
Historic England's Building Services Engineering pages have further advice and information on assessing the fire risk and mitigation measures for solar panel installations and batteries.
Fires caused by hot works
We advise that hot works such as cutting, welding or soldering should not be carried out in historic buildings unless there is absolutely no alternative. Many serious fires in historic buildings have been caused by contractors using blow lamps or naked flames.
Our advice note explains the Permit to Work systems if hot works have to be carried out. The note includes examples of Method Statements and Authority to Carry Out Hot Work permits.
Fires in thatched roof properties
Since the 1990s the number of fires in thatch-roofed buildings has risen significantly. Evidence suggests there is a connection between this and the increasing popularity of wood-burning and multi-fuel stoves. In fact, recent studies have shown that these types of stoves are more likely to cause fires in thatch roofs than any other form of heating, including traditional open fires.
We have published guidance on measures to reduce the risk of fires in thatched buildings with wood-burning and multi-fuel stoves. The guidance is based on research carried out by the Fire Protection Association on behalf of Historic England and NFU Mutual.
Fires in thatched roofs pose a special challenge to firefighters. Fires tend to spread rapidly and firefighters must work at height removing thatch, dowsing the fire, and carrying out salvage operations. In addition, as many thatched buildings are in rural locations, vehicle access may be difficult, water supplies poor, and operations may be hampered by overhead power lines.
Further advice on fires in thatched roof properties:
- Guide to Fire Fighting in Thatched Buildings (Published by the Institution of Fire Engineers in partnership with Historic England)
- Guide to Fire Safety in Thatched Buildings (Published by the Institution of Fire Engineers in partnership with Historic England)
- Reducing the Risk of Fires in Thatched Properties with Wood-Burning Stoves
Reducing arson risks
Arson can cause more damage than accidental fires due to:
- multiple points of ignition
- fire growth being assisted by flammable liquids or accelerants
- fires being lit at vulnerable points in buildings after dark
- perpetrators deliberately interfering with fire protection measures.
Fires caused by arson can have a lasting negative impact on communities. In the case of historic buildings, the effects of arson are often compounded with the loss of cultural, social and artistic heritage.
Mill buildings contribute enormously to the character and identity of Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Yorkshire and East Cheshire, but they are particularly vulnerable to fire, especially when vacant. In response to the loss of these mills and other historic buildings in the North West of England, we collaborated with the Fire and Rescue Services to publish the following guidance.
Also of interest
