BS 5588-1:1990

Fire precautions in the design, construction and use of buildings - Part 1: Code of practice for residential buildings

Recommendations for fire precautions in the design, construction and use of residential buildings.

This part of BS 5588 provides recommendations and guidance for designers and building construction teams in their task of incorporating into the following buildings measures that should, in the event of fire, safeguard the lives of people residing in, or visiting, such buildings, and that may help to protect the building against the effects of fire:

a) New houses of any height used as single-family dwellings, or alterations to existing houses similarly used;

b) New buildings of any height containing flats, maisonettes or sheltered housing, or alterations to such existing buildings;

c) Conversions of existing non-residential premises to form dwellings.

Hostels, houses in multiple occupation, caravans and mobile homes are not covered.

This British Standard includes recommendations on the measures and equipment necessary for preventing the rapid spread of fire and for those required to assist firefighting in buildings with upper storeys beyond the reach of mobile fire appliances operating outside the building. It makes specific recommendations in terms of protection, number and position of exits, provides guidance on design principles for preventing the spread of fire and indicates the fire precautions necessary in these buildings.

This code of practice is not intended to apply to buildings during the course of construction or alteration.

This British Standard is a revision of BS 5588-1.1:1984 and CP 3:Chapter IV-1:1971, which are withdrawn.