Posted By Ken Taylor
You need a means of raising the alarm. There is no requirement for interlinking unless specifically required by a fire certificate. Judgement is needed (via fire risk assessment) as to whether there is a need to evacuate the portacabins at the same time as the main building (eg to account for persons or if one building presents a fire risk to the other) and then a suitable fire plan is needed based upon the assessment. In our school premises with out-buildings, we prefer to evacuate all - as the schools will not necessarily know where every person is otherwise. A hand-bell or simply shouting 'Fire!' may be sufficient in a portacabin but this must be stated on the displayed fire instructions. A fire in one building could be announced to persons in another by interlinking, external sounders (if audible throughout) or by a message system. If in any doubt as to the best options for your premises, you should seek guidance from your local fire officer.