Fire Safety: Approved Document B
The fire safety Approved Documents provide direction on how to address fire safety precautions to ensure the safety of occupants, firefighters and any persons involved in the event of a fire. Part B includes fire safety requirements such as, means of escape, fire spread, structural fire protection and fire service access.
Due to the tragic fire at Grenfell Tower, the government committed to review the Approved Document B which was re-released in early 2023. The update included a variation of proposed amends from 2020 and 2022 including:
Sprinklers
Reducing the trigger height of sprinklers from 30m to 11m which is 5 storeys high.
Wayfinding Signage
For the fire service to include floor identification and flat indication signage in blocks of flats with storeys over 11m.
Combustible Materials
Ban of combustible materials in and on external walls.
Clarifications and Corrections
Clarification of further diagrams, text clarifications and corrections.
The Approved Documents are an official set of documents provided by the Secretary of State that give guidance on how to meet building regulations.
Approved Document B – Fire Doors
The Approved Documents give guidance on where fire doors are required based on what type of building and occupancy it has.
Fire Door Requirements in Dwellinghouses
- In a cavity barrier wall
- In loft conversions
- Between house and integral garage
- Habitable rooms, every door leading to stairwell and doors higher than two levels.
- Between mixed-use building doors, e.g., between residential areas and business areas.
Fire Door Requirements for Flats
- Front doors of every individual flat
- Internal doors within flats
- Communal areas such as doors to stairs or between sections of flats.
Fire Door Requirements for Non-Domestic Buildings
In non-domestic buildings fire doors are still very much required, especially in schools, hospitals, nursing homes etc. There are usually more stringent and higher frequency checks for the doors that are used frequently as they suffer more wear and tear. The locations and fire door ratings are individually based and tested using the Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) due to different needs and layouts of these type of buildings.
Fire Resistance Doors
The Approved Document B states that fire doorsets are required be fire resistant for a period of minutes when tested to BS 476-22. A suffix (S) is required where restricted smoke leakage is needed. How long a door is fire resistant for should be clearly visible on the door, the amount of time is measured as such:
FD30 – 30 minutes of resistance
FD60 – 60 minutes of resistance
FD90 – 90 minutes of resistance
FD120 – 120 minutes of resistance
Fire and Smoke Resistant Doors
Not all fire doors are smoke resistant, an additional element is added to some fire doors when smoke resistance is a requirement. You can tell if a fire door is smoke resistant by locating the FD number, when these numbers include an S e.g., FD30S it ensures that the fire door has not only been tested for fire resistance but are also able to stop the spread of cold smoke. These types of fire doors include additional smoke brushes to the intumescent strips, a vital element of a fire door as smoke inhalation is the cause of around 42% of fire-related fatalities. Fire and smoke resistant doors are rated as such:
FD30S – 30 minutes of resistance
FD60S – 60 minutes of resistance
FD90S – 90 minutes of resistance
FD120S – 120 minutes of resistance
FD120 doors are rarer to come by as usually 30 minutes will be able time for a person to escape from a fire or be rescued by the fire service. Your fire inspector will determine what fire resistance requirements are needed for your building(s).
What Does the Approved Document B Mean for Multi-Occupied Residential Building Owners?
As per the review in the Approved Document B and Fire Door Regulations (10) it is a legal requirement that the persons responsible for multi-occupied residential buildings in England with storeys over 11 meters high to carry out the following:
Fire Doors Must be Checked Every 3 Months
- Fire doors including self-closing devices must be checked quarterly in all the communal areas.
Flat Entrance Doors Must be Checked Every 12 Months
- Flat entrance doors must be checked annually, including self-closing devices, that lead onto a common area.
Recommendations for Fire Doors
On the back of the tragic Grenfell Tower incident, it is recommended that all fire doors are inspected at least every 3-6 months, regardless of how many storeys a building has.
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