Ali Perry is chief executive of the British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association (BAFSA)
BAFSA hopes that the requirement for sprinklers in all new care homes in England heralds a new approach by the government towards the protection of the built environment that considers and listens to expert advice.
As a result of the amendment announced to Approved Document B (ADB), sprinklers will be required in all new care homes, irrespective of building height, from 2 March 2025. The announcement coincided with the publication of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase Two report, which includes related comments regarding vulnerability.
“It is clear that fire does discriminate – and it discriminates against the vulnerable in particular”
On 31 January 2004, a fire in the Rosepark care home in Scotland tragically resulted in the deaths of 14 elderly residents. Scotland learned the lessons from this terrible fire and, since May 2005, each new or altered residential care building has been provided with an automatic fire-suppression system to comply with building regulations.
The lessons of Rosepark do not change as we cross the Scotland-England border, and I would argue these changes should have been made sooner. That said, we welcome the amendments announced.
BAFSA, along with others in the fire-safety community, responded to the consultation on these proposed changes, and it is very positive to see that this collective submission by subject-matter experts has been properly considered and the changes implemented.
I have also been involved in a collective response to the proposed changes to Building Bulletin 100, in which the same subject-matter experts are asking for sprinklers to be a requirement in all new schools in England. I hope that this response will also be properly considered, and the necessary changes made.
Focus on use of buildings
Announcing the ADB changes to parliament on 2 September, building-safety minister Rushanara Ali stated: “A compassionate society protects its most vulnerable. Today, I am also publishing an update to Approved Document B that makes provision for sprinklers in all new care homes. Sprinklers enhance fire protection where residents may be reliant on others for help and assistance, especially if a building evacuation is needed.”
These comments regarding vulnerability are relevant when considering the Grenfell Phase Two report, which comments on the protection of vulnerable people. It states that the Building Safety Regulator currently defines a ‘higher-risk building’ “in the sense in which it is used in the Building Safety Act, that is, a building that is at least 18 metres in height”.
However, the report suggests that “the nature of the use of a building is more appropriate, in particular, “the likely presence of vulnerable people, for whom evacuation in the event of a fire or other emergency would be likely to present difficulty”.
It adds: “We therefore recommend that the definition of a higher-risk building for the purposes of the Building Safety Act be reviewed urgently.”
Taken together with the report recommendation that the government bring responsibility for the functions relating to fire safety into one department under a single secretary of state, we hope a coherent and consistent approach to fire safety incorporating expert advice can be finally realised.
After 29 years in the fire service, I am convinced of the value of sprinklers. It is clear that fire does discriminate – and it discriminates against the vulnerable in particular.
We have made great progress in the requirement for smoke detection, which I fully support. But we can go further. Achieving fire safety involves a combination of factors. Vulnerable people may be less able to respond to fire and smoke alarms, and in these cases the presence of sprinklers is essential.
