RF-Rebranding Safety – Fire Safety (England) Regulations with Matt Hodges-Long

Overview

Fire safety laws are changing fast. From January 2023, new rules are now in place that affect all buildings with shared areas, especially flats. Whether you manage a tall tower block or a small block of flats, you now have clear responsibilities to keep people safe.

This blog explains what’s happening in the world of fire safety, what you need to do, and why it’s so important, all in simple language that anyone can understand.

Rebranding Safety – Fire Safety (England) Regulations with Matt Hodges-Long

What’s Changing and Why?

After the tragic Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, the government began making big changes to building safety. The biggest changes began rolling out in January 2023, and they’ll affect building owners, managers, and responsible persons across England.

Here’s what’s new:

The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022

From 23 January 2023, the new rules came into force. If you’re in charge of a building with multiple homes and shared areas (like corridors or stairwells), you now have legal duties.

Which Buildings Are Affected?

Not just tall tower blocks! The rules apply to:

• Low-rise (1-3 storeys): Must provide fire safety instructions and evacuation plans to residents.
• Mid-rise (4-6 storeys): All of the above plus fire door checks.
• High-rise (7+ storeys or 18m+): Everything above, plus secure information boxes, monthly system checks, and more.

Key Tasks You Must Do Now

If you’re responsible for a building, you now need to:

1. Share fire safety instructions clearly in the building and give them to all residents.
2. Inspect fire doors regularly, including both flat entrance and communal doors.
3. Install a secure information box (metal box with emergency info) for high-rise buildings.
4. Perform monthly checks on seven key fire systems (alarms, sprinklers, etc.).
5. Keep detailed records and be able to show them if the fire service or regulator asks.
6. Make information available to residents (e.g. monthly check reports).

Tip from Matt Hodges-Long (TrackMyRisks) – Don’t just rely on memory. Have a structured system. That way, it still gets done even if someone is off sick or leaves the team.

Why It Matters

If the fire service or regulator investigates your building (especially after a fire), they’ll expect proof that you followed the rules. If not, you could face:

• Fines
• Court action
• Even jail time (in serious cases)

That’s why it’s vital to start planning now and not wait until it’s too late.

Tools to Help You Stay Compliant

Matt and his team at TrackMyRisks and the Building Safety Register have created free tools and checklists to help you.

Start Here:

buildingSafetyRegister.org

• Choose your building type
• Get a step-by-step checklist
• Download a full compliance guide
• Understand best practices (not just legal minimums)

“It’s the best fire safety checklist I’ve seen, simple, smart, and spot on.” – James McPherson, Risk Fluent

The Spirit vs. The Letter of the Law

James and Matt agree that it’s more than about ticking boxes.  It’s about keeping people alive. You could follow the law on paper, but still put people at risk if you don’t do things properly or keep them up to date.

Important 2023 Dates You Need to Know

What’s Still Confusing?

Yes, some things are still unclear even for experts! The new Building Safety Regulator, part of the HSE, hasn’t released full details yet. Many building managers are still waiting for clear guidance. However, waiting doesn’t protect you from the law.

Final Thoughts

Fire safety is changing fast. The rules are clearer, the penalties are tougher, and the expectations are higher.

You may not receive a visit from the fire service right away, but if there’s a fire, you’ll be expected to show that you did everything right before it happened.

You don’t need to be perfect, but you do need a plan.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)