- Fire protection
- Engagement
- Active and passive fire...
Active fire protection measures are systems that react when signs of fire are detected. Their purpose is to detect, alert, contain or aid relevant persons in escaping from the premises in the event of fire.
Passive fire protection measures don't actively fight fire. These measures focus on slowing and containing the spread of fire using fire resistant walls, floors and fire doors. Passive fire protection breaks buildings into compartments that help isolate and contain fires when they happen.
Active fire protection measures can be activated automatically (such as during conventional power failure) or by manual action, and can include:
Sprinkler systems,
Automatic fire alarms or smoke detectors
Emergency lighting system
Fire extinguishers and fire blankets
A sprinkler system works by discharging a spray of water when it detects fire or high temperatures. This suppresses the fire by extinguishing any flames at the source and delivers benefits that far exceed the cost of installation and maintenance.
If businesses in Cheshire fitted sprinklers in their premises it would help prevent damage from needless fires.
It is estimated that commercial fires cost more than £2 billion to the UK's economy every year and the Department for Communities and Local Government estimates the cost of a fire fatality at £1.65m.
In light of this we want business owners, builders, developers, managers and planners to consider installing sprinklers, especially where there is a risk-based case for doing so.
Any fire in a premises that people use should have means of raising the alarm in the event of fire. This means that where a fire is detected, people using the premises should be made alerted of a fire so that they can evacuate quickly, effectively, and safely.
In some small premises with a simple layout and low levels of occupancy, a shout of fire may be sufficient. Where this is the case, this should be documented within your fire evacuation strategy.
However, in most commercial buildings or other non-domestic undertakings, automatic fire detection and warning systems are required. This is to ensure that all persons and particularly those where the premises provides sleeping accommodation detect a fire and provide adequate warning at the earliest opportunity.
Different types and parts of a premises may require varying levels of protection in relation to the fire alarm system. Before installing a system on your premises, you should discuss any proposals with a competent and reputable fire alarm technician/engineer and consider the findings of your fire risk assessment.
In commercial premises and non-domestic undertakings, automatic fire alarm systems must be installed and conform to the requirements of British Standard 5839-1.
Emergency lighting is required to ensure that people can see their escape route in an emergency event such as a fire. It works by automatically providing sufficient illumination during power failures, where conventional lighting no longer operates.
Emergency lighting is typically provided along escape routes, showing occupants the way out and indicating the direction of travel; at each emergency exit point; stairwells; intersections at corridors; toilet areas exceeding 8m2; and outside. This is so that occupants can safely move away from the building and any risk of harm.
There are several types of emergency lighting. Your fire risk assessment, alongside the fire strategy for any new-build, and the recommendations of recognised manufacturers should establish the most appropriate system for your premises.
Many luminaires will be accompanied by a “running” figure or other fire safety signage to provide clear instruction. Any signage accompanying luminaires should not cover or hinder its operation, ensuring that each luminaire provides the required lux, in accordance with British Standard 5266.
Emergency lighting can be “maintained” and “non-maintained”:
This refers to lighting in which the luminaires operate the same as conventional lighting and therefore remains lit at the same time. In the event of power failure, a battery-back up will ensure that the unit remains illuminated.
The luminaire will only come on in the event of a power failure, or during testing and maintenance. This means that the luminaire solely relies on the use of a battery that is charged by the continual mains supply.
Amongst these systems are others that may be more appropriate for your premises, dependent on it’s use, occupancy and risk. If you are unsure which system would be the most appropriate for your premises, you should contact a competent and reputable fire risk assessor and/or electrician who can provide bespoke advice.
More information on the design, commissioning and maintenance of emergency lighting can be found in:
British Standard 5266
British and European Standard 50172
As a minimum, emergency lighting systems should be tested monthly and subject to an annual service/test, for the duration specified in the relevant British Standard.
Fire extinguishers are a form of firefighting equipment that can reduce the risk of a small fire developing. Extinguishers are not appropriate for fighting large fires. Where a fire is well-developed, occupants should evacuate safely and call the Fire and Rescue Service.
Typically, commercial premises are equipped with portable extinguishers appropriate to the size, type, use and risk on any given premises.
For smaller premises, one or two extinguishers may be deemed sufficient. In larger premises, such as those with a complex layout, may require a greater provision with more extinguishers in suitably sited locations that are easily accessible.
On premises with more than one storey, it may be appropriate to consider the number of appropriate extinguishers required per storey.
There are several different extinguishers for different types of fire and risk, as given in British Standard 5306. You can find out more information about extinguisher types and uses by consulting HM Government published guidance.
Irrespective of extinguisher type, all extinguishers should be stored correctly when not in use. This may include placing them on a designated stand or by wall-mounting them. All extinguishers should have correct signage, indicating their type and should provide basic “how to operate” instructions.
It is important that you consider your housekeeping arrangements to ensure that extinguishers are not used to prop doors open. They must be visible and accessible at all times, so that they can be used in an emergency.
Your fire risk assessment should determine the appropriate type and number of extinguishers required for your premises. If you are unsure of this information, you can contact a competent and reputable fire risk assessor, and/or fire extinguisher technician/engineer who can provide bespoke advice.
Fire compartmentation or compartments are designed to contain a fire within one part of a building and to prevent this from spreading to another part of the building. This works on the principle that in turn, all occupants are given more time to evacuate safely, mitigating the risk of exposure to harm.
Defined by current Building Regulations guidance, fire compartments are:
“A building or part of a building comprising one or more rooms, spaces or storeys constructed to prevent the spread of fire to or from another part of the same building or an adjoining building.” - Approved Document B, Volume 2, 2019 edition with 2022 amendments.
Typically, compartmentation is achieved through the construction and installation of fire resisting walls and floors, supported by appropriate fire doors and sometimes fire-resistant glazing. Although all openings in compartment walls and floors will have specific requirements and limitations that must be considered prior to installation.
Compartmentation can also serve to protect occupants when applied in different emergency evacuation strategies. For example, in healthcare buildings occupied by vulnerable occupants may adopt a Progressive Horizontal Evacuation (PHE) strategy.
This relies on the compartmentation being complete and will permit patients or other vulnerable occupants to be moved horizontally away from a fire into an adjoining compartment until they are safe from fire. This reduces the need for vertical evacuation and/or full evacuation, minimising disruption, distress and any other harm to patients and vulnerable occupants.
Principally, effective compartmentation relies on being complete and well-maintained “as installed”. However, it is recognised that buildings will deteriorate over time where cable penetrations, remedial works and other services may compromise compartmentation. Where this is the case, a suitably qualified, competent and reputable fire-stopping professional should remediate any gaps or holes left behind to ensure that the compartmentation remains complete throughout. Compartmentation should be remediated at the earliest opportunity following any construction or installation works.
Compartmentation is also particularly important for separating different occupancies. For example, separating a takeaway on the ground floor from a flat on the first storey. This is because the takeaway poses a greater fire risk than the flat above. Where the flat is occupied by sleeping occupants in the evening, it is important that there is adequate means of raising the alarm, and enough time to safely evacuate the premises. This relies on effective compartmentation.
It is not always easy to see whether compartmentation is complete, particularly in premises with suspended or covered ceilings. You may have incomplete compartmentation if:
You have had work undertaken on the premises involving installation of TV and internet services or other works involving cabling and wiring.
There is a particularly strong smell coming from a neighbouring property or a different premises on another storey; either above or below your property.
You have had a leak in the premises from a storey or premises above yours.
You have had other construction or alterations made to the premises.
Your building has suffered damaged as a result of severe adverse weather.
Fire doors save lives and property.
Fire doors form part of a building’s passive fire protection system and are fundamental to most fire strategies for buildings. They provide critical protection within a building such as escape routes (stairs and corridors) and places of relative safety, and in separating different fire hazards in a building.
About three million new fire doors are bought and installed every year in the UK. But, to save lives, fire doors must work correctly. This means that they must be tested and third-party certificated to BS 476 Part 22 or BS EN 1634 Part 1, or other nationally recognised and approved standard.
There is a five-step check that you need to carry out on all fire doors within your premises.
Leaflet - five step fire door check (new window, PDF 69KB)
Buy fire doors, frames and components from certificated companies.
Check the certificate matches the door.
Install and maintain fire doors using competent personnel.
Make sure that ironmongery components are CE marked.
Fit a fire door like any other door – it’s not, it’s an engineered safety device.
Cut vision panels and other holes on site.
Patch up a fire door.
Take risks by reducing the specification.
Disconnect a fire door closer.
Prop or wedge open a fire door.
Last updated: Thursday, 15 May 2025