Policy screening – Amendments to Part E (Fire safety) of The Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012
Date published:
Policy screening – Amendments to Part E (Fire safety) of The Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012
This equality screening document relates to amendments to legislation (coming into effect from 28 April 2025) to introduce two new regulations that require the provision of:
- Fire safety information on completion of certain building work
- A Suitable Automatic Fire Suppression Systems (Sprinklers) in buildings, containing flats, and Purpose Build Student Accommodation, with a floor over 11m.
At the same time changes will be introduced into Technical Booklet E (Fire safety) to provide guidance to these regulations and other new provisions for:
- Adequate Smoke Ventilation from the common escape routes in buildings containing flats
- Revised requirements for the fire detection and alarm coverage in new dwellings and dwellings created by a material change of use; clarification for existing dwellings undergoing extension and/or alteration work.
- Measure to assist Fire and Rescue Service personnel with operations in firefighting and search and rescue operations.
- Some relevant recommendations from the Grenfell Phase 1 Inquiry for secure Information Boxes, Wayfinding Signage and Evacuation Alert Systems.
The screening assessments identify that no Section 75 groups are adversely affected.