United Kingdom

For England and Wales the code relating to fire safety is Approved Document B
(ADB) of the Building Regulations. This document was last issued in two volumes in
2006; volume one for dwellings and volume two for other buildings. A minor update
was made in 2013 to include references to certain CEN standards not available in
2006. Wales published its own version of the document in 2015 to include its new
requirements for sprinklers in all residential buildings. ADB does not go into detail on
schools, shopping centres or healthcare facilities; these are covered by other
documents. Both volumes of ADB are on this web site.

Below is a summary of the requirements for fire sprinklers, taken in the order in
which they appear. In general the original text is lengthy and has been summarised.

Approved Document B 2013 Edition Volumes 1 & 2

Both volumes make reference to the need for good materials and workmanship. The
reader is referred to CE marking, British Standards or other standards of Member
States of the European Union and European Economic Area. Regarding the
competence of installers the text reads, "Since the fire performance of a product,
component or structure is dependent upon satisfactory site installation and
maintenance, independent schemes of certification and accreditation of installers and
maintenance firms of such will provide confidence in the appropriate standard of
workmanship being provided."

Volume 1
Where this document calls for sprinklers it states that they should be designed to BS
9251, the British standard for residential and domestic sprinkler systems.
2.7 In four storey houses a sprinkler system can be fitted as an alternative to a
second, protected staircase.
2.20b Where a loft is converted into an additional storey and the ground floor is
open plan a sprinkler system may be fitted instead of extra fire doors.
9.15 Boundary distances between buildings may be halved if they are fitted with
a sprinkler system.

Volume 1 - Wales
B1 Section 2
2.2 Regulation 37A bring in a mandatory requirement for automatic fire
suppression systems in all new premises of Purpose Groups 1a, 1b, 1c, 2a and
2b constructed in Wales with the exception of hospitals, hotels, prisons, and
short stay hostels used for leisure purposes.

An excerpt from Table D1 clarifies the scope of Regulation 37A.

Excerpt from Table D1
Table D1 Classification of Purpose Groups
Title Group Purpose for which the building or compartment of a building is intended to be used
Residential (dwellings) 1(a)* Flat
1(b)† Dwellinghouse which contains a habitable storey with a floor level which is more than
4.5m above ground level.
1(c)† Dwellinghouse which does not contain a habitable storey with a floor level which is more
than 4.5m above ground level.
Residential 2(a) Hospital, home, school or other similar establishment used as living accommodation for,
(Institutional) or for the treatment, care or maintenance of persons suffering from disabilities due to
illness or old age or other physical or mental incapacity, or under the age of 5 years, or
place of lawful detention, where such persons sleep on the premises.
(Other) 2(b) Hotel, boarding house, residential college, hall of residence, hostel, and any other
residential purpose not described above.

* Includes live/work units that meet the provisions of paragraph 3.52 of Volume 2.

† Includes any surgeries, consulting rooms, offices or other accommodation, not

exceeding 50 m2 in total, forming part of a dwelling and used by an occupant of
the dwelling in a professional or business capacity.

Volume 2
1.25 Automatic sprinkler systems can also be used to operate a fire alarm system.
2.16 In a multi-storey flat without an entrance at ground level and with a floor
more than 4.5m above ground, sprinklers plus a protected stairway can
replace alternative exits on each floor or extra smoke detectors and a heat
detector in the kitchen plus a protected stairway.
3.52 In care homes sprinklers are an alternative to self-closing devices on
bedroom doors. Protected areas (fire compartments) may contain more than
ten beds if the care home is fitted with a sprinkler system.
4.29d Buildings with a floor above 30m and designed to be evacuated in
phases should be protected throughout with a sprinkler system.
5.58 Fully enclosed walk-in store rooms in shops (unless provided with an
automatic fire detection and alarm system or fitted with sprinklers) should be
separated from retail areas with fire-resisting construction (see Appendix A,
Table A1) if they are sited so as to prejudice the means of escape.
8.14 Blocks of flats with a floor more than 30m above ground level should be
fitted with a sprinkler system.
Table 12 Maximum dimensions of building or compartment
(non-residential buildings)
Purpose Group of Height of floor of top storey above Floor area of any one storey in the building or any
building or part ground level (m) one storey in a compartment (m2)

In multi-storey buildings In single-

storey
buildings

Office No limit No limit No limit

Assembly and recreation

Shop and commercial:

a. Shops - not sprinklered No limit 2000 2000

Shops - sprinklered (1) No limit 4000 No limit

b. Elsewhere - not sprinklered No limit 2000 No limit

Elsewhere - sprinklered (1) No limit 4000 No limit

Industrial (2)

Not sprinklered Not more than 18 7000

More than 18 2000 (3)

Sprinklered (1) Not more than 18 14000 No limit

More than 18 4000 (3) N/A

maximum
compartment maximum maximum
Height of floor of top storey above volume m3 floor area (m2) height (m)
ground level (m)
multi-storey
buildings single storey buildings

Storage (2) and other non-residential:

a: Car park for light vehicles No limit No limit No limit No limit

b: Any other building or part:

Not sprinklered Not more than 18 20,000 20,000 18

More than 18 4000 (3) N/A N/A

Sprinklered (1) Not more than 18 40,000 No limit No limit

More than 18 8000 (3)

Notes:
1. 'Sprinklered' means that the building is fitted throughout with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with paragraph 0.16.
2. There may be additional limitations on floor area and/or sprinkler provisions in certain industrial and storage uses under other legislation, for
example in respect of storage of LPG and certain chemical materials.
3. This reduced limit applies only to storeys that are more than 18m above ground level. Below this height the higher limit applies.
4. Compartment height is measured from finished floor level to underside of roof or ceiling.
In Table D1 of Appendix D, shop and commercial is defined as:
Shop or premises used for a retail trade or business (including the sale to members of
the public of food or drink for immediate consumption and retail by auction, self-
selection and over-the-counter wholesale trading, the business of lending books or
periodicals for gain and the business of a barber or hairdresser and the rental of
storage space to the public) and premises to which the public is invited to deliver or
collect goods in connection with their hire repair or other treatment, or (except in the
case or repair of motor vehicles) where they themselves carry out such repairs or other
treatments.
This means that long-term storage warehouses must have sprinklers if they are larger
than 2,000m2.
12.4 Portal Frames Note 1
The recommendations in the SCI publication to resist overturning need not
be followed if the building is fitted with a sprinkler system.
13.17 If a building is fitted throughout with a sprinkler system… the boundary
distance may be half that for an otherwise similar, but unsprinklered,
building, subject to there being a minimum distance of 1m. Alternatively the
amount of unprotected area may be doubled if the boundary distance is
maintained.
17.9 If the building is fitted throughout with an automatic sprinkler system…
sufficient firefighting shafts should be provided such that every part of every
storey, that is more than 18m above fire and rescue service vehicle access
level, is no more than 60m from a fire main outlet in a firefighting shaft,
measured on a route suitable for laying hose.
17.10 If the building is not fitted with sprinklers then every part of every storey
that is more than 18m above fire and rescue service vehicle access level,
should be no more than 45m from a fire main outlet contained in a protected
stairway and 60m from a fire main in a firefighting shaft, measured on a
route suitable for laying hose.
18.13 A system of mechanical extraction may be provided as an alternative to
natural venting to remove smoke and heat from basements, provided that the
basement storeys are fitted with a sprinkler system.
Table A2 Minimum periods of fire resistance
Purpose group of building Minimum periods (minutes) for elements of structure in a:
Basement storey ($) Ground or upper storey
including floor over
Depth (m) of a lowest Height (m) of top floor above ground, in
Basement a building or separated part of a building
More Not more Not more Not more Not more More
than 10 than 10 than 5 than 18 than 30 than 30
1. Residential:
a. Block of flats
- not sprinklered 90 60 30* 60**† 90** Not permitted
- sprinklered 90 60 30* 60**† 90** 120**
b. Institutional 90 60 30* 60 90 120#

c. Other residential 90 60 30* 60 90 120#

2. Office
- not sprinklered 90 60 30* 60 90 Not permitted
- sprinklered (2) 60 60 30* 30* 60 120#
3. Shop and commercial: not
- not sprinklered 90 60 60 60 90 permitted
- sprinklered (2) 60 60 30* 60 60 120#
4. Assembly and recreation: not
- not sprinklered 90 60 60 60 90 permitted
- sprinklered (2) 60 60 30* 60 60 120#
5. Industrial: not
- not sprinklered 120 90 60 90 120 permitted
- sprinklered (2) 90 60 30* 60 90 120#
6. Storage & other non-residential:
a. any building or part not
described elsewhere:
- not sprinklered 120 90 60 90 120 Not permitted
- sprinklered (2) 90 60 30* 60 90 120#
b. car park for light vehicles:
i. open-sided car park (3) Not applicable Not applicable 15*+ 15*+(4) 15*+(4) 60
ii. any other car park 90 60 30* 60 90 120#
Single storey buildings are subject to the periods under the heading "not more than 5". If they have basements, the basement storeys are subject to the period
appropriate to their depth.

Modifications referred to in Table A2:

$ The floor over a basement (or if there is more than one basement, the floor over the topmost basement) should meet the
provisions for the ground and upper storeys if that period is higher.
* Increased to a minimum of 60 minutes for compartment walls separating buildings.
** Reduced to 30 minutes for any floor within a maisonette, but not if the floor contributes to the support of the building.
æ Multi-storey hospitals designed in accordance with the NHS Firecode documents should have a minimum 60 minutes standard.
# Reduced to 90 minutes for elements not forming part of the structural frame.
+ Increased to 30 minutes for elements protecting the means of escape.
† Refer to paragraph 8.10 regarding the acceptability of 30 minutes in flat conversions.
@ 30 minutes in the case of 3 storey dwellinghouses, increased to 60 minutes minimum for compartment walls separating buildings.
Notes:
1. Refer to Table A1 for the specific provisions of test.
2. "Sprinklered" means that the building is fitted throughout with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with paragraph 0.16.
3. The car park should comply with the relevant provisions in the guidance on requirement B3, section 11.
4. For the purposes of meeting the Building Regulations, the following types of steel elements are deemed to have satisfied the minimum period of fire
resistance of 15 minutes when tested to the European test method:
i) Beams supporting concrete floors maximum Hp/A = 230m-1 operating under full design load.
ii) Free-standing columns, maximum Hp/A = 180m-1 operating under full design load.
iii) Wind bracing and struts, maximum Hp/A ~ 210m-1, operating under full design load.
Guidance is also available in BS5950 Structural use of steelwork in building. Part 8 Code of practice for fire resistant design.
Hospitals
As well as Approved Document B, there is guidance from the Department of Health
for hospitals: Health Technical Memorandum 05-02. This document calls for
sprinklers to be fitted in high fire risk areas, such as the boiler room and laundry, and
in lesser fire risk areas, such as medical records, if they are accessible to patients with
a very high dependency.

The fire resistance of compartments is 60 minutes but may be reduced to 30 minutes

on floors up to 12m above ground level if sprinklers are fitted. For buildings with
storeys above 12m up to 30m the compartment fire resistance may be reduced from
90 minutes to 60 minutes and in buildings with floors of 30m of more in height it may
be reduced from 120 minutes to 90 minutes.

“6.94 With the exception of buildings over 30m in height, the guidance in this
document does not require the installation of sprinklers in patient care areas of
healthcare buildings. However, the design team is expected to consider the advantages
that might be gained by installing life-safety sprinklers throughout the building. Any
decision should be considered as an integral part of the fire safety strategy and should
clarify the decision to select low or ordinary hazard. However sprinklers or automatic
fire suppression should be installed in commercial enterprise areas in accordance with
Health Technical Memorandum 05-03: Part D – ‘Commercial enterprises on
healthcare premises’.”

Schools
Scotland requires sprinklers to be fitted in all new schools. In England and Wales the
government has issued guidance through Building Bulletin 100, which strongly
recommends sprinklers in all but a few low risk schools.

Care Homes
Scotland requires sprinklers in all new care homes. The full details of sprinkler
requirements in Scotland are on this web site. In England either sprinklers or self-
closing fire doors on every bedroom must be fitted (see 3.52 above).

High Rise Buildings

Scotland requires sprinklers in all new high-rise residential buildings with a floor
above 18m. In England and Wales the height threshold for residential buildings is
30m. England, Scotland and Wales require sprinklers in offices higher than 30m.
Open-Plan Apartment Buildings
Scotland allows open-plan apartment buildings if sprinklers are fitted. See 2.9.10 of
Scottish Building Standards for domestic fire safety and the table in 2.9.2. In England
and Wales, Approved Document B calls for a corridor from the front door of an
apartment to every room in it. Open-plan apartments are not considered but they are
covered by BS 9991, see below.

BS 9999: Code of practice for fire safety in the design, management and use of
buildings
Aside from statutory guidance, there is a British standard for fire safety. Approved
Document B is prescriptive, statutory guidance. PD 7974 provides guidance for fire
safety engineered designs, while BS 9999 lies in between the two approaches. It is
written as clear guidance but its contents are based on fire safety engineering
analyses. While it does not have the same status as the statutory guidance in
Approved Document B, government representatives attended every meeting in
drafting this standard and did not raise any objections to it.

BS 9999 introduces risk profiles for the different types of occupant and potential fire
growth rates in buildings. If sprinklers are fitted the fire growth rate is assumed to be
one category slower, which allows longer travel distances and narrower escape routes.

BS 9991
To complement BS 9999, a code of practice was published for fire safety in
residential buildings. Like BS 9999, it contains many design freedoms for sprinklers.
The two most important are flexibility in the internal layout of flats, which may be
open-plan, and increased travel distances in corridors. In addition, reduced fire
brigade access is accepted.