Fire Sprinklers

HC Deb 19 January 2004 vol 416 cc1087-8W

Mr. Dhanda

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what measures he has taken to improve fire safety using fire sprinklers; [148864]

(2) what assessment his Department has made of the merits of compulsory installation of fire sprinklers in (a) commercial properties and (b) leisure facilities. [148865]

Phil Hope

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is keen to improve fire safety by all reasonable means and sprinklers are part of a package of measures that can be used in buildings.

Since 1992, guidance supporting the fire safety aspects of the Building Regulations, which apply to most building work forming new and altered premises in England and Wales, has suggested the provision of sprinkler systems is necessary in commercial and leisure properties over certain area or height thresholds.

This was expanded in 2000 when the guidance was revised to set a limit of 2000m² for the size of any fire compartment in a single storey retail building, beyond which a suitable sprinkler system should be provided. This applies to new and extended retail buildings.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is also nearing the completion of a detailed study into the effectiveness of sprinkler systems in tackling fires in residential properties. The results of this work are being fed into the further development of national standards by the British Standards Institution (BSI) and are forming part of our considerations of the current review of the fire safety aspects of the Building Regulations. The results of that work will shortly be publicly available enabling those involved with fire safety in buildings to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the benefits of residential sprinkler systems. During this review of the Building Regulations we will also be considering the role that sprinklers can play in all buildings and deciding whether the current thresholds in the guidance should be amended or indeed new ones introduced.

In the meantime, our Community Fire Safety programme continues to inform people of the risks associated with fire and the measures which can mitigate against its occurrence and subsequent effect, such as the use of fire detection and alarms and sprinkler systems. This programme has already been effective in reducing fire deaths and injuries from accidental fires.