Rank: New forum user 
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Having been involved in fire safety for a few years when building control what taken serously I cannot see how the upgraded requirements under the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 improve staandards. The regulations mimic the requirements already in place under the RR(FS) Order and add checks to cladding that should not be in place. Checking fire doors to common areas three monthly can only improve the fire safety to the vertical means of escape. The issue of horizonal fire safety is not improved. The design of residental flats involved the 'check and a half' within the flat. Where the doors to the kitchens and living rooms were fire rated and self-closing. The hallway was intended to be kept clear of storage and other risks. This was the ensure the night risk to bedrooms was reduced and provided the required protection to the common areas. Under this new legisation there is no requirement to ensure the fire rated doors within the flats are functioning or still in place. The hallway is not checked to ensure it is not being used for storage or other activities. So the risk of a fire breaching the fire walls to an individual flat are not reduced.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Good morning James. Great observations. The problem with checking the inside of individual flats is you need someone on the inside to open the door and let you in. We always give the RP a heads up we are coming to allow them to advise the residents, doesn't always work though. If no one answers you don't do a proper job. I imagine the internal door to kitchens etc. would be wedged open ??? Hallways will be automatically checked while walking around the building so I don't see that as a problem.
Keep on trucking James.
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Rank: New forum user
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Originally Posted by: firesafety101  Good morning James. Great observations. The problem with checking the inside of individual flats is you need someone on the inside to open the door and let you in. We always give the RP a heads up we are coming to allow them to advise the residents, doesn't always work though. If no one answers you don't do a proper job. I imagine the internal door to kitchens etc. would be wedged open ??? Hallways will be automatically checked while walking around the building so I don't see that as a problem.
Keep on trucking James.
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Rank: New forum user
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The hallway to the individual flats. My point was there is little point of having belt and braces in respect of the vertical means of escape if the the protection provided to the horizontal means of escape is not maintained. The check and half was in the design standards because of the need to protect the horizonal escape routes sufficiently. You can all the red tape to control the common areas but the actual fire risks are in the occupied spaces.
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Rank: Super forum user
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When 72 people die a terrible death and the Public Inquiry examines the circumstances in forensic detail and then publishes numerous recommendations to avoid a repetition, IMHO it is an absolute duty for the Govt of the day to do something.
The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 is part of their response . Ok its taken far too long but if it helps prevent a repeat of Grenfell it’s done it’s job Its not perfect, but with respect, I dont understand how you cant see the improvements over what the RR(FS)O 2005 had in place.
Supplying info to the fire service will greatly improve response and safety as will the new defined inspection regime The info to the fire serve includes on: Building plans
- EWS details
- Results in monthly inspections of lifts (where necessary)
- The provision of PIBs
- The installation of way finder signage
None of this was included in the Fire Safety Order, so it must be an improvement????
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 2 users thanked Messey for this useful post.
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