Consultation: Proposed changes to Approved Document B (Fire Safety Guidance) (closing date – 13 March 2023)

Your views invited.

This consultation seeks to support the continuous improvement of Fire Safety Guidance and covers important proposals, such as:

• Making provisions for all new care homes to include sprinklers;
• Recommending the removal of the national classification system (BS 476) for reaction to fire and fire resistance of construction products, ending the dual system currently in place;
• Consulting on the appropriate height threshold for the provision of a second staircase in new residential buildings, with a proposal to set for the first time in England a threshold for single stair residential buildings at 30m; and
• Calling for evidence on the clarity of guidance, focusing on the use of materials on external walls. 
   

The consultation is available here. The responses from the consultation, alongside evidence from the research for the technical review will help improve and strengthen the guidance to Approved Document B. 

If you would like to contribute to CIAT's response to the consultation, please forward your comments to [email protected] by Monday 13 March 2023.