The Government has published a document listing amendments to Volumes 1 and 2 of Approved Document B which will come into effect in September 2026.
These amendments principally concern:
- Threshold for the provision of a second staircase in blocks of flats with a storey 18m or more in height.
- Evacuation shafts are introduced to support the provision of evacuation lifts.
- Changes to provisions for fire doorsets.
- New terminology including definitions for evacuation shaft, evacuation lift lobby, interlocked stair and storey exit.
- Provisions for horizontal escape and vertical escape separated as per the structure of Volume 2.
The 2019 edition incorporating the 2020 and 2022 amendments will continue to apply where a building notice or an initial notice has been given to, or a building control approval application with full plans made to, the relevant authority before 30 September 2026 and either the building work to which it relates:
- has started and is sufficiently progressed before that day; or
- is started and is sufficiently progressed within the period of 18 months beginning on that day
You can view the amendments at the link below:
Fire safety: Approved Document B
FIS will publish further detailed guidance on these changes in the coming months.
See more news likes this
Overcoming the challenges in urban housing
For 10 years, the Urban Renovation Programme in France has spent €20 billion to demolish 120,000 units and to build 100,000, therefore, it is costing €15 billion to lose 20,000 dwellings. At the same time, 2 million people are looking for social housing. So why are...
IHS Markit/CIPS UK Construction PMI: October
A summary of last month's data from the IHS Markit/CIPS UK Construction PMI® revealed that construction activity rose slightly in October, but optimism fell to its lowest for almost five years. Other key findings include: Marginal upturn in construction output, led by...
Follow the FIS Conference on our Live Blog!
The FIS Conference takes place on Thursday 9 November 2017 from 11 am – 5.30 pm at Hanbury Manor in Hertfordshire. The annual event is attended by around 100 fit-out sector professionals, including FIS members. The morning session – What’s in store for the Sector -...