New fire safety guidance published

The Scottish Government has published new fire safety guidance for a range of different building types, including high-rise domestic buildings, care homes and specialised housing. Further guidance has also been published for premises with sleeping accommodation and non-residential premises.

The guidance for high-rise domestic buildings provides practical fire safety advice on how to prevent fires and reduce the risks from fires and draws largely on the guidance for England produced by the Local Government Association. The focus is on communal areas and aspects of building design in private accommodation which could have safety implication for others. It also includes examples of a fire action notice, a Fire Safety Risk Assessment Template and a framework to support the storage, removal and enforced prohibition of materials left in common areas.

The guidance for specialised housing was published in January 2020 by the Scottish Government. It offers advice for those responsible for specialised housing and who provide care and support services. It promotes both a ‘person-centred’ and ‘premises-based approach’, and, following a research review, the Fire and Rescue Unit in the Scottish Government is keen to promote awareness of the guidance across the sector.

Full details of the guidance can be found below:

• Existing high-rise domestic buildings
• Existing care homes
• Existing specialised housing and similar premises
• Existing premises with sleeping accommodation
• Existing non-residential premises