National Fire Chiefs Council calling for sprinkler law changes

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has called for a change in fire sprinkler laws. The NFCC have also said that current legislation needs to change and that England is lagging behind Scotland and Wales in terms of fire sprinkler inclusion. Both Scotland and Wales have introduced changes in legislation, including a reduction in the height restrictions for fitting fire sprinklers. There are also instances in Scotland and Wales where fire sprinklers have become a mandatory requirement. This includes fire sprinklers for flats, as well as a mandatory installation of fire sprinklers in care homes. The NFCC have also commented that fire sprinkler systems should be made mandatory in schools and specialist facilities such as waste management and recycling facilities in order to improve safety and to save lives. As well as schools and other buildings, the NFCC have also called for sprinklers to be made part of fire safety solutions for new and existing buildings. Discussing the need for these changes, Terry McDermott, the NFCC Lead for Automatic Water Suppression Systems commented: “The case for increased use of sprinklers is clear and has the evidence to back these calls up. We know that sprinklers save lives, protect property, keep firefighters safer, while reducing the impact of fire on the environment and protecting businesses. When fitted in homes, sprinklers reduce fire damage by around 75% and people are 50% less likely to be injured. “I look forward to the fitting of sprinklers and their wider benefits being raised in this debate; it is essential this important issue is firmly on the agenda and we see changes made. Standards in England must be enhanced and brought in line with national policy in Scotland and Wales with regard to water suppression systems. “We recently responded to the government consultation on Approved Document B, which supports building regulations for fire safety and is used for large numbers of new and refurbished building designs, with a view to making these changes a reality.” At Applications Engineering, we continue to support the campaign to improve fire safety across the country. We also support the need for fire sprinklers to be added to all buildings in order to reduce fire safety risks and to save lives.

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