Fire Safety in Houses of Multiple Occupation

1. Fire Safety in Houses of Multiple Occupation Presented by Station Officer Greg Rataj Hertfordshire Fire & Rescue Service 19th March 2008 G Rataj HFRS

2. Aims & Objectives • Legislative Overview • Requirements under the Fire Safety Order • 5 Steps of Fire Risk Assessment • Guide to Fire Protection in Houses of Multiple Occupation 19th March 2008

3. Legislative Overview • Housing Act 2004 A House in Multiple Occupation is a building or part of a building that is: a) occupied by more than one household who share an amenity such as a bathroom, toilet or cooking facilities; or b) converted self contained flats that do not meet the 1991 Building Regulations, where at least one third of the flats are occupied under short tenancies. 19th March 2008

4. Housing Act 2004 (cont) • Section 10 Consultation with fire and rescue authorities in certain cases • (2) Before taking enforcement action, the authority must consult the fire and rescue authority for the area in which the HMO or building is situated. 19th March 2008

5. Housing Act (cont) • Licensed required in all HMOs where • 5 or more households reside and • Premises is 3 storeys and more. 19th March 2008

6. Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 • Applies to all premises (with defined exceptions) • Domestic Premises • “domestic premises” • means premises occupied as a private dwelling (including any garden, yard, garage, outhouse, or other appurtenance of such premises which is not used in common by the occupants of more than one such dwelling); 19th March 2008

7. Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(Cont) • The Fire Service have legislative control over common areas of HMOs • Local Authority have legislative control over the dwelling space 19th March 2008

8. Main requirements of the FSO • Take general fire precautions to ensure that the premises are safe. • Carry out a Fire Risk Assessment to identify the general fire precautions required. • Record the significant findings of the risk assessment, if licensed. 19th March 2008

9. 5 Steps to Risk Assessment 19th March 2008

10. 1. Identify the Fire Hazards • Potential Sources of Ignition • Smoking • Cooking Equipment • Electrical Equipment • Candles 19th March 2008

11. Hazard Identification (Cont) • Potential Sources of Fuel • Furniture • Rubbish • Occupant possessions (Videos, Paper, Clothing) • Wall and Ceiling hangings 19th March 2008

12. 2. Identify the people at Risk • Who? • Occupants • Visitors • Cleaners • Why? • Sleeping • Unfamiliar with premises • Working alone 19th March 2008

13. 3. Evaluate the risk of a Fire Occurring • Preventative Measures • reduce the ignition sources • reduce the fuel load • evaluate how fire and smoke may still affect occupants in a variety of scenarios. • Protective Measures • fire detection and warning • fire fighting equipment • protected escape routes • emergency/escape lighting 19th March 2008

14. 4. Record, Plan, Inform, Instruct, Train • You must record the Significant findings of your risk assessment • fire Hazards • preventative measures • persons at risk • protective measures • emergency Plan • the information/training people require and how that is done 19th March 2008

15. 5.Review • On a regular basis • If you believe your current risk assessment is invalid • Increase in number of occupants • Change to layout of premises • Change in clientelle • Failure of protective or preventative measures 19th March 2008

16. Service Level agreement • Purpose • Set minimum standards for inter-agency working • Ensure a suitable level of co-operation between the two enforcing authorities • Allowed that each local authority could agree specific details in line with their needs • Ensured a consistent approach to fire safety standards and enforcement across the county 19th March 2008

17. Guide to Fire Precautions in Houses in Multiple Occupation • Generic guidance on the protective measures required in typical 2 and 3 storey HMOs • Based on guidance issued to support the Fire Safety order 19th March 2008

18. Guide to Fire Precautions in Houses in Multiple Occupation (Cont) • Consists of 8 sections • Importance of Fire Safety • Fire Prevention • General Principles for Fire Precautions • Example Layouts & Solutions • Maintenance of Fire Precautions • Technical Specifications • Records • Sprinkler systems. 19th March 2008

19. Typical Examples 19th March 2008

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26. Typical two storey house with shared cooking facilities AFD to BS5839 Pt 6 Grade D Protected Escape (30 Min) Emergency Lighting to escape route Fire Blanket in Kitchen 19th March 2008

27. 2 storey HMO with cooking facilities in each let AFD to BS 5839 Pt 6 Grade D + single point hard wired smoke detector to each let Fire Blanket in each room Protected route (30 Min) Emergency Lighting to escape route 19th March 2008

28. Typical 3 storey house, cooking in each room AFD to BS 5839 Pt 6 Grade A + single point hard wired smoke detectors to each let Protected route (30 Min) Fire Blanket in each let Emergency lighting to escape route 19th March 2008

29. Typical 3 storey HMO shared cooking AFD to BS 5839 Pt 6 Grade A Protected route (30 Min) Emergency Lighting to escape route Fire Blanket in kitchen 19th March 2008

30. 2 storey HMO with basement AFD to BS 5839 Pt 6 Grade D Protected route (30 Min) 60 min separation to basement Fire Blanket in Kitchen Emergency lighting to escape route 19th March 2008

31. 2 storey HMO above commercial premises with cooking facilities 60 min separation between HMO and commercial premises AFD to BS 5839 Pt 6 Grade A (heat detection) Smoke detection in each let Fire blanket in each let Emergency lighting to escape route 19th March 2008

32. Questions? 19th March 2008