The Housing Forum has highlighted its concerns over the government’s requirements for a second staircase in new residential buildings over 18m in height and the unintended negative impact it could potentially have for fire safety.
In a letter sent to the Secretary of State for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) last month, the forum’s Director of Policy and Public Affairs Anna Clarke said the sector was 'struggling with the lack of a clear roadmap' that sets out the how the proposals for a second staircase fit with other building safety changes.
The DLUHC had announced a requirement for a second staircase in new residential buildings over 30m in height in December. However, last month the Secretary of State the Rt Hon Michael Gove MP announced that this would now apply to new residential buildings over 18m in height.
In its letter, the cross-sector body, which represents member organisations that include architects, manufacturers, housing associations and local authorities, welcomed the clarification over the height limit but warned that 'this means that a large number of additional buildings at different stages of development are now falling within scope'.
The Housing Forum has outlined three main concerns. The first is the lack of clarity from government regarding the core purpose of a second staircase.
Even before the government’s decision to change the requirement for a second staircase from buildings over 30m to over 18m, the cross-sector body has argued there had been little progress in providing much-needed technical clarity on the purpose or design requirements for a second staircase.
Because a staircase’s design depends on its intended use, the Housing Forum argues decision makers need to know what the core purpose of a second staircase is so they can design accordingly. It outlines five questions designed to clarify the government’s position on this issue.
For example, the cross-sector body asks whether both staircases are intended to be potentially available for fire-fighting. If this is the case, this will impact on the design of the shafts.
'If the people making decisions over the fire safety are not clear on these questions, they cannot make sensible judgements or design for intended purpose,' Clarke warned in the letter.
The Housing Forum’s second area of concern covers transitional arrangements, particularly in light of the new requirement for a second staircase in buildings over 18m in height. It is calling for clear and urgent clarification on this matter.
Source – IOSH Magazine
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