Introduction to Fire Safety Management

Part B of the regulations is further subdivided into the 
following fi ve sections:
➤
B1 Means of warning and escape
➤
B2 Internal 
fi re spread (linings)
➤
B3 Internal 
fi re spread (structure)
➤
B4 External 
fi re spread
➤
B5 Access and facilities for the fi re service.
Table 9.1 provides a summary of the functional require-
ments of the regulations relating to fi re safety.
In addition to ‘Approved Document B’ the Building 
Regulations also provide direction on ‘access to and use 
of buildings’ in ‘Approved Document M’ for all persons, 
but particularly those with disabilities.
The Workplace (Health Safety and Welfare) Regula-
tions, Disability Discrimination Act and Discrimina 
tion 
(Employment) Regulations all require arrangements to be 
established to ensure all persons can safely gain access 
and use facilities and do not differentiate these require-
ments from those required in the event of an emergency. 
Thus due consideration must be made when accessing 
the requirements for those with disabilities.
9.4
Building construction and design – 
preventive and protective measures
Designing and maintaining a ‘safe’ building is the fi rst 
step to ensuring reasonable levels of fi re safety for the 
building and its occupants in the event of a fi re. Without 
a safe building, all the efforts of management to provide 
systems that prevent fi res occurring or ensure emer-
gency evacuation will be of little or no effect. The fun-
damental features that provide a basis for both building 
and life safety in all buildings are:
➤
Elements of structure
➤
Compartmentation
➤
Internal 
linings.
9.4.1 Elements of structure
An element of structure is defi ned as being part of a 
building, which 
supports
the building, i.e. a 
load-bearing