Introduction to Fire Safety Management

PART B Fire safety
– this part deals with the fi re 
safety of the building from fi re and has fi ve separate 
functional requirements:
B1 Means of warning and escape
– buildings must 
be designed and constructed so that there are appropriate 
provisions for the early warning of fi re, and appropriate 
means of escape in case of fi re from the building to a 
place of safety.
B2 Internal fi re spread (linings)
– buildings must 
be designed and constructed to inhibit the spread of 
fi re via the internal linings. All partitions, walls, ceilings 
or other internal structures must adequately resist 
the spread of fl ame over their surfaces; and if they are 
ignited, have a rate of heat release which is reasonable 
in the circumstances.
B3 Internal fi re spread (structure)
– the building 
shall be designed and constructed so that, in the 
event of fi re, its stability will be maintained for a reason-
able period. In particular, walls common to two or 
more buildings must resist the spread of fi re.
To inhibit the spread of fi re all buildings must be 
subdivided with fi re resisting construction appropriate to 
the size and intended use of the building.
In addition, all buildings must be protected against 
unseen spread of fi re and smoke within concealed 
spaces in its structure and fabric is inhibited.
B4 External fi re spread
– the external walls of 
buildings must adequately resist the spread of fi re over 
the walls and from one building to another, and roofs of 
buildings must adequately resist the spread of fi re over 
the roof and from one building to another.
B5 Access and facilities for the fi re service
– 
buildings must be designed and constructed so as 
to provide reasonable facilities to assist fi re fi ghters 
in the protection of life and to enable fi re appliances 
to gain access to the building. It should be noted that 
the subsequent amendments that came into effect in 
April 2007 split the Approved Documents-B into two 
volumes: one that relates to Dwelling houses (Volume 1) 
and one that relates to Buildings other than Dwelling 
houses (Volume 2).