HMO fire safety guidance - Harlow Council

figure D12: six storey building converted to flats
FD30 doors within flats
Simple multi-purpose fire
extinguisher in common parts
on each floor and fire blanket in
each kitchen (recommended
good practice)
Emergency escape lighting within
escape route
Fire alarm control panel
6
5
4
3
2
1
AFD mixed system Grade A, LD2
and Grade D, LD3 – see 22
30 minute fire resisting
construction throughout escape
route and between flats
Fire resisting door across stairway
between fourth and fifth floors
and first and second floors
30 minute FD30S fire doors to
each flat entrance
Fire exit sign indicates way out
Fire fighting equipment (see paragraph 25)
Simple multi-purpose extinguisher on each floor in the
common parts
Fire blanket to be provided in each kitchen
(recommended good practice)
Fire safety signs (see paragraph 27)
Final exit sign
Directional signage along escape route
Surface finishes & floor coverings
(see paragraphs 28-29)
Management and maintenance of fire safety
(see paragraph 32)
note 12: where the fire risk assessment identifies
higher than normal risk, the BS 5839: part 6, LD2
interpretation of “rooms or areas that present a high
fire risk to occupants” may include living rooms,
bedrooms and kitchens within the flats, thereby
providing automatic detection in these rooms in
addition to the common parts and internal entrance
hall/lobby within flats. Where this is the case, this
additional detection would be an additional grade D
system within the flat (i.e. a mixed system overall) so
as to avoid whole-house false alarms.
38. Flats in multiple occupation
Any self-contained flat which is occupied by three or
more persons who do not form a single household.
Fire safety standards will be enforceable under the
housing health and safety rating system and some
transitional and additional HMO licensing schemes.
Case study D13: Flat in multiple occupation
occupying a single storey
Escape routes (see paragraph 9)
No requirement for full 30-minute protected route within
flat note 13 , but the escape route should have sound,
traditional construction and should not pass through risk
rooms. Travel distance must not be excessive
No requirement for fire doors within flat, but sound,
well constructed and close-fitting conventional doors are
required.
FD30S door to flat entrance door
(note: in converted or purpose-built flats, 30-minute
construction and fire doors are likely to be in place)
Fire detection and alarm system (see paragraph 22)
Grade D, LD3 system:
• interlinked mains wired smoke alarms with integral
battery back-up located in the flat internal hallway;
and
• additional interlinked heat alarm with integral
battery back-up located in the kitchen
housing – fire safety 49