"Fire Safety Certificate Process"

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• Question 1 Would a detached single-storey building in the rear garden of a dwelling, used as a home office, be considered ancillary to the dwelling? • Answer 1 No, as part of the requirement for an exemption in this regard, the ancillary building should not be used for any trade, business or human habitation. “(d) a single storey building (other than one described in (c)) ancillary to a dwelling (such as a summer house, poultry-house, aviary, conservatory, coal shed, garden tool shed or bicycle shed) which is used exclusively for recreational or storage purposes or the keeping of plants, birds or animals for domestic purposes and is not used for the purposes of any trade or business or for human habitation……...” A home office should theoretically require a Fire Safety Certificate (FSC) application in the eyes of the legislation. Best to talk with the Building Control Authority (BCA) in question for further information. • Question 2 Hello. Does a Part 8 (council built) Social Housing development require a Fire Certificate if duplexes are included? Cheers. • Answer 2 Suggest reaching out to the Building Control Authority in the area - a Duplex flat or maisonette would require a Fire Safety Certificate (FSC) application (building containing a flat). • Question 3 What Dispensations and Relaxations are commonly requested/granted under B1 - B5? • Answer 3 From my perspective, it is rare to get a dispensation or relaxation request under Part B given the life safety risk. Remember the dispensation or relaxation is from the Regulation, not the guidance documents. The regulations are performance-based not prescriptive like the guidance documents… “Regulation B1 - a building shall be so designed and constructed that there are adequate means of escape…...” So, a relaxation/dispensation under this Regulation would mean that the building would not be designed and constructed so that there are adequate means of escape??? The Building Control Authority (BCA) will determine whether the application complies with the Regulations - no matter what guidance is used, or compensatory measures are applied. • Question 4 What happens if there is a disagreement between the FO and DC/AC? • Answer 4 Any decisions made by the Building Control Authority (BCA) can be appealed to An Bord Pleanála if there is a disagreement. • Question 5 Should all deviations from BS 9999 or applicable standard be justified in a FSCR? • Answer 5 Need more clarification on this one - what are the deviations? Management practices or design? At the end of the day, the Building Control Authority (BCA) is assessing the application against Parts B1 - B5 regardless of the guidance document used to demonstrate compliance. If there are deviations from the relevant standards, then they need to be clearly communicated and clarified as to why there are deviations and what compensatory measures are being applied as a result.