Require evacuation alarm systems in high-rise buildings
All high-rise residential buildings (both those already in existence and those built in the future) be equipped with facilities for use by the fire and rescue services enabling them to send an evacuation signal to the whole or a selected part of the building by means of sounders or similar devices.
- Statutory guidance in Approved Document B has been amended and BS 8629 introduced for evacuation alert systems in new blocks of flats over 18 metres (Quarterly Thematic Update, MHCLG, February 2025).
- The government's annual report stated this recommendation remains in progress as of February 2026 (Annual Report on Progress, MHCLG, February 2026).
How was this evidence gathered?
Response
Accepted in Part
Response
Accepted in PartThe government accepted in principle all Phase 1 recommendations directed at central government. The Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick presented the formal response to Parliament on 21 January 2020, committing to new duties on building owners and managers through the Fire Safety Bill and Building Safety Bill, including requirements for premises information boxes, floor plans, lift inspections, fire door checks, evacuation signage, and fire safety instructions to residents.
Progress Timeline
Completed. Statutory guidance (Approved Document B) has been amended and BS 8629 introduced for evacuation alert systems in all new blocks of flats over 18 metres. The government noted that the limited evidence on the effectiveness of retrofitting is not sufficient to justify mandating it into existing high-rise buildings at this time.