BS 9991 is the UK’s most widely used fire safety standard. As the national standard for fire safety in residential buildings, it is a vital code of practice that must be followed, and as trends and products evolve, the standard needs to be amended to reflect those changes.
This was the case in November 2024. Now referred to as BS 9991:2024, the update was the first major evolution of the guidance since 2015, and it influences fire safety in the design, management and use of residential buildings all over the United Kingdom.
In this article, we will go through what the changes mean for fire safety professionals and those working in and around the fire protection industry, what it means for other standards now referenced in the code, such as BS EN 50615 and how you can improve your knowledge of the latest version of the national standard to remain compliant.
What is BS 9991:2024, and who will use it?
The newest version of BS 9991 provides comprehensive guidance for fire safety and risk management, specifically concerning residential buildings.
In the event of a fire, the standard is there to ensure that (if followed correctly) an “adequate degree of life safety is achieved” as well as protecting property and businesses in close proximity to those residential buildings (i.e. cars parked outside or neighbouring businesses situated in adjoining buildings.)
Responsibility for enforcing the standard and ensuring that its criteria are met will fall on anyone involved in fire protection within that particular building.
At the various stages of design, development and use, this could include any or even all of the following:
- Architects and building designers during construction or reconfiguration
- Fire risk assessors and fire safety engineers who can influence and recommend what measures to take to ensure compliance and all-round fire safety
- Contractors installing recommended fire safety products
- Regulators, including building control and fire officers
- Fire and rescue services who may come and advise on any essential modifications that may be required following a serious incident (such as the Grenfell Tower disaster) or an update to the standards (such as BS 9991:2024).
What are the changes to BS 9991:2024?
With such a formal document, there is a lot of technical language that needs breaking down to make it easier for everyone to understand, so we will attempt to break down some of the key changes to the standard here.
One of the most important changes is that the standard now includes residential care homes, whereas the 2015 standard did not. This change is particularly important because of the often-unique nature of care and access required for vulnerable patients, and the new standard takes this into account.
The update also features updated guidance for the use of lifts during evacuation procedures, raising the installation height limits for sprinkler systems and new recommendations for single-stair buildings such as domestic properties.
How does this impact other standards, such as BS EN 50615?
In terms of direct impacts on other standards, there are no consequences or implications as such, but BS EN 50615 is specifically referenced as a recommended method to reduce fire risks.
The standard is mentioned in chapter 5.6 of BS 9991:2024, regarding open plan kitchens. BS EN50615 systems become applicable where recommended escape distances cannot be achieved due to the layout of the accommodation. In these situations, fire engineers are often required to develop fire-engineered solutions to enable residents to escape safely in a fire situation.
BS EN 50615 focuses specifically on safety devices for fire prevention and suppression for hobs. Systems conforming to the standard stop cooking fires from starting and spreading, so they help to keep escape routes clear.
What this means in practice is that a building designer or architect tasked with updating a purpose-built student accommodation building, for example, should consider a BS EN 50615-compliant product (such as the Firechief® Kitchen Stove Guard) as part of their plans as standard to ensure best practice and provide that all-important “adequate degree of life safety is achieved” as laid out in BS 9991:2024.
Where can I find out more about fire safety standards?
The Firechief® Academy offer a fully CPD-accredited course titled “Understanding EN:50615 - Ensuring Kitchen Stove Guard Compliance”, which will help you to improve your knowledge of this particular standard.
Designed for architects, specifiers, fire engineers and consultants, this webinar will explain how the Stove Guard product specifically can help achieve compliant escape routes in residential buildings so designers and architects can maximise usable space while enhancing – and ensuring – fire safety in the process.
You can sign up for this course here.
We also have several other useful articles and guides relating to fire safety standards on our website, including the rules for fire blankets according to BS EN 1869 and DIN SPEC 91489: the pioneering standard for fire protection blankets in electric vehicle fires.
To stay up-to-date with more news and insights from across the fire safety industry, follow Firechief® Global on LinkedIn, or if you have any questions at all about standards or our products, get in touch with the team today.
The Firechief® range includes high-performance fire safety products and equipment such as fire extinguishers, fire blankets, first aid kits, lithium-ion fire extinguishers and the innovative Kitchen Stove Guard. For more information, call us on +44 (0)330 999 0019 or email sales@firechiefglobal.com.
Disclaimer
The information contained within this blog is provided solely for general informational and educational purposes and is not intended as a substitute for professional advice. Before taking any actions based upon this information, we advise the reader to consult any and all relevant statutory or regulatory guidance and where felt necessary to consult a qualified fire or industry regulation professional. The use or reliance on any information contained herein is solely at the reader's risk.