I am a Building Control Body

On this page you can find information about building regulations, fire engineering guidance and how to submit a building regulations application for consultation.

Consultation

We are a statutory consultee as part of the Building Regulations process.
By having a process of consultation, this provides an opportunity for Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, as the local fire and rescue service and the enforcing authority for the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 to make comments during the design phase of the project.

Building Control Bodies are responsible for ensuring compliance with the building regulations. Building control bodies are:

·       The Building Safety Regulator (BSR)

·       Local authority

·       Registered building control approvers

Building Control Bodies who wish to consult via an electronic copy should submit consultations by completing the forms held within this page.

Building Regulations

If you intend to carry out building work, you may need to ensure the works comply with the Building Regulations 2010. The regulations will probably apply if you want to:

• Erect a new building
• Extend or alter the internal/external layout of an existing building
• Provide services and/or fittings in a building such as washing and sanitary facilities, hot water cylinders, foul water and rainwater drainage, replacement windows and fuel burning appliances of any type
• Alter the fundamental use of the building (for example convert an office to hotel)

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to the premises or will apply following the building work, it is a legal requirement that the building control body must consult with Merseyside Fire and rescue Service.

Unless otherwise stated MFRS will consider the guidance provided in ‘Approved Document B – Fire Safety’ which is available to download free of charge from the UK Government website here.

Some types of premises also have their own specific design guides such as BB100 for schools and the Health Technical Memorandum for hospitals.

Fire engineering principles may be used where typical fire solutions are not appropriate to meet requirements, often because of the uniqueness of a building design. This approach deviates from Approved Document B and other building codes and enables complex buildings to be constructed whilst achieving an equivalent standard of safety.

The benefits that fire engineering alternatives can bring to a design include greater flexibility; reduced costs; and measures more suited to the buildings end use. Early consultation with MFRS will facilitate a better approach to delivering the project. 

Fire Engineering

Fire engineering is the application of science and engineering principles to protect people, property, and their environments from the harmful and destructive effects of fire and smoke. It focuses on human behaviour and maintaining a tenable environment for evacuation from a fire.

There are various guidance documents available that deal with Fire Engineering such as CIBSE Guide E, and BS 7974: 2001: Application of fire safety engineering principles to the design of buildings. Code of practice.

To assist in making the consultation process as efficient and effective as possible, procedural guidance has been prepared for use by Building Control Bodies and the fire and rescue service. It explains the steps involved in approving the fire safety aspects of building works and the interaction between the Building Regulations and other statutory fire safety requirements in England and Wales.

The above guidance provides you with information about the consultation process and by completing the fire and rescue service consultation pro-forma above, ensures we receive all the information we need.