The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, which implement the majority of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendations, came into force on 23 January 2023.

These are new requirements for ‘responsible persons’ of mid and high-rise blocks of flats to provide information to fire and rescue services to assist them with operational planning and provide additional safety measures. In all multi-occupied residential buildings, residents should now be provided with fire safety instructions and information on fire doors.

The Regulations form part of a package of sensible, risk-mitigating fire safety measures that the UK Government is delivering following the Grenfell Tower fire to keep the public safe.

For example, in high-rise residential buildings, responsible persons will be required to provide their local fire and rescue service with up-to-date electronic building plans and information on the design and materials of their external wall, as well as undertake monthly checks of firefighting lifts, evacuation lifts and other key pieces of firefighting equipment, and also install a secure information box and wayfinding signage.

In mid-rise residential buildings (over 11 metres), responsible persons will be required to undertake annual checks of flat entrance doors and quarterly checks of all fire doors in the communal areas.