Houses in Multiple Occupation fire safety guidance

Category D - hostel and bed and breakfast accommodation (3 or 4 storey)

Ensure that the automatic fire detection and emergency lighting systems are wired into the landlord's electrical circuit and not through any pay or key-operated systems.

The following is for illustration purposes and would only prove suitable in limited circumstances: details of appropriate fire safety measures and detection for hostels must be in line with the mandatory required written fire safety risk assessment for the property and BS5839-6.

Protected escape routes

A 30 minute protected escape route is required, therefore:

Walls, ceilings and floors within the staircase enclosure or hallways that form part of the protected route to be 30 minute fire resistant.
30 minute fire resistant doors and frames required (FD30s) to all rooms leading onto the staircase enclosure or hallways that form part of the protected route (with the exception of bathrooms and W/C's). Doors to be provided with surface mounted self-closing devices, intumescent strips and smoke seals.
30 minute fire resistant doors and frames required (FD30s) to all risk rooms in which detection is provided, i.e. lounge and kitchen. Doors to be provided with surface mounted self-closing devices, intumescent strips and smoke seals.
Where locks or latches are fitted to doors including the final exit doors they must be openable by the occupiers from the inside without the use of a removable key (i.e. thumbturn).
Ceilings to rooms where cooking facilities are provided to be 30 minute fire resistant.
Stairs to be underdrawn to provide 30 minute fire resistance.
Under-stairs cupboards and cupboards located on the escape route to have 30 minute fire resistant walls, ceilings and lining, 30 minute fire resistant doors and frames (FD30s) including intumescent strips and smoke seals. The doors to be fitted with an effective lock and kept locked shut when not in use. Provide and fix to the outside face of the door a suitable notice at eye level stating "THIS DOOR TO BE KEPT LOCKED SHUT WHEN NOT IN USE". (In accordance with the requirements of BS 5499: Part 1).
If detection is provided within the under-stairs cupboard or to cupboards located upon the escape route then a 30 minute fire resistant door and frame (FD30s) Including intumescent strips and smoke seals will be required. Alternatively the cupboard can be permanently sealed shut and taken out of use.
Where walls and ceilings are required to achieve 30 minutes fire resistance, the presence of holes or gaps around any service pipes or wires that pass through will mean the wall or ceiling fails to meet this requirement.

Fire detection and alarm system

Grade A, LD2 system (see appendix B)

suitably located call points and control panel;
interlinked mains wired smoke detectors with integral battery back-up located throughout the protected escape route at each floor level;
interlinked mains wired smoke detectors with integral battery back-up to all rooms that open on to the escape route;
additional interlinked mains wired heat detector with integral battery back-up located in all kitchens;
additional interlinked mains wired smoke detector with integral battery back-up located in all lounges and dining rooms; and
additional interlinked mains wired smoke alarm with integral battery back-up located in any cellar.

Lighting of protected escape routes

Conventional artificial lighting is required.

Details and positioning of emergency escape lighting will be determined by the responsible persons in line with the fire safety risk assessment and the current BS 5266-1 and 5266-8.

Fire-fighting equipment

Fire blanket to be provided in all kitchens
Simple multi-purpose fire extinguisher in the hallways where fire risk assessment shows a requirement. (Where extinguishers are provided they must be regularly checked and training given to all residents for their use).

Fire safety signs

Signage only required if the protected escape route is long or complex.

Details and positioning of fire safety signs will be determined by the responsible persons in line with the fire safety risk assessment and the current BS 5499-5.

Surface finishes and floor coverings

In the early stages of a fire, the safety of a building's occupants can be affected by the properties of surface linings and the finishes of walls, ceilings and soffits.

Floor coverings throughout the protected route (i.e. stairways, hallways, landings and lobbies) of all categories of HMO should conform to low radius of fire spread (up to 35mm) when tested in accordance with the latest edition of BS 4790 or the European equivalent.