New edition of Approved Document B: Fire Safety - Volumes 1 & 2

This new edition of ADB replaces the 2006 edition and includes the amendments issued in November & December last year.

Approved Document B of the Building Regulations covers fire safety matters within and around buildings. Published in two volumes, Volume 1 deals solely with dwellings, including blocks of flats, while Volume 2 deals with all other types of building covered by the Building Regulations.

They come into effect on 30 August 2019.

The aim of these volumes are to set out guidelines that need to be followed in order to prevent the spread of fire over linings, such as walls or ceilings. Each volume also states what materials can be used and what British Standards each should conform to, to ensure that they provide the required level of protection. 

The new edition of Approved Document B incorporates the following amendments:

• November 2018 which took affect on 21 December 2018
• December 2018 which took affect on 21 January 2019.

Full details on the above amendment booklets can be found here.

 The main changes in the 2019 edition are:

• This volume of this approved document supports requirements B1 to B5 of Schedule 1 to the Building Regulations 2010 as well as regulations 6(3), 7(2) and 38.
• Approved Document B has been redrafted to clarify its language and content in line with the Department’s style guide for approved documents.
• This edition of the approved document replaces the 2006 edition including all amendments. There are no changes from the previous edition to the technical guidance within Approved Document B.
• As well as furthering the use of plain English, the document has been significantly restructured:

-          the design of blocks of flats has moved from volume 2 to volume 1

-          guidance on the design of sprinkler systems has been consolidated to a new Appendix E

-          European fire classifications are provided within the main body of the document with transposition to a national classification provided in Appendix B

-          the guidance on external stairs has been consolidated

-          fire safety information (under regulation 38) has been moved from an appendix into a new section

-          the guidance on insulating core panels has moved from an appendix into the Wall and Ceiling Linings section

-          the guidance on fire dampers and ventilation systems has been consolidated

Copies are available from RIBA Bookshops