Following on from Phase 1 of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry in 2021, the government carried out a consultation on proposals to introduce a requirement for owners or managers of high-rise residential buildings to have personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs) in place for residents who would have difficulty self-evacuating in the event of a fire.
While PEEPs are common in education, care settings, and workplaces where there are people who may require assistance to evacuate safely, they are rare in general residential settings.
Second Consultation and Practical Considerations
Due to concerns about the practicality of implementing PEEPs in residential environments, a second consultation in 2022 explored alternative measures. These included:
- Person-centred fire risk assessments
- Information sharing with local Fire and Rescue Services
The consultation proposed a higher level of responsibility for buildings with simultaneous evacuation strategies, compared to those with stay-put policies.
Government Response and Legislative Proposal
The government has now published its response and proposes to introduce legislation that sets out a five-step process:
- Defining the building evacuation strategy
- Identification of those needing support to evacuate
- A Person-Centred Fire Risk Assessment checklist
- Sharing information with the local Fire and Rescue Service
- Access to and use of this information by the Fire and Rescue Service in the event of a fire
Who Will Be Affected?
The regulations will apply to:
- All high-rise residential buildings
- Residential buildings between 11m and 18m that have simultaneous evacuation strategies
In these buildings, a “Residential PEEP” must be created for every resident who self-identifies as needing one.
Additional Requirements
In addition to individual PEEPs, building-level evacuation plans will also be mandatory for the same categories of buildings. The government also intends to produce a toolkit to help responsible persons meet their new duties.
Implementation Timeline
As yet, no dates have been set for introducing the necessary legislation. You can read the full government response to the consultation.
