Regulations
What are the different types of Regulation?
There are two types of regulations that we need to worry about: Statutory Regulations and Non-Statutory Regulations.
Statutory Regulations
In the UK, statutory regulations are laws and requirements created by legislation.
Here are the key statutory regulations that must be followed within the UK that apply to fire safety and fire alarm systems:
- The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO)
- The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022
- The Fire Safety Act 2021
- Approved Document B (Fire Safety)
Non-Statutory Regulations
Non-Statutory Regulations are issued by private entities and serve as a guide on how to comply with statutory regulations and establish best practices within the industry. Many non-statutory regulations commonly used in the fire and security industry are issued by BSI (British Standards Institute). The key regulations that apply to the Fire & Security industry are listed below:
- BS7671 → Requirements for Electrical Installations
- BS5839 → Fire detection & fire alarm systems for buildings
- BSEN54 → Fire detection & alarm systems
- BS5446 → Fire detection & alarm systems in dwellings
- BS7273 → Operation of fire protection measures
- BS5306 → Fire Extinguishing Installations
- BS5266 → Emergency Lighting
Why should we care about BS7671?
BS7671 (also known as the IET Wiring Regulations) applies to any electrical installation up to a maximum of 1000VAC or 1500VDC. This includes both Extra Low Voltage (up to 50VAC or 120VDC) and Low Voltage (50-1000VAC or 120-1500VDC). Fire Protection and Security Systems mostly operate within the Extra Low Voltage range, though some operate within the Low Voltage range (such as loudspeakers in event spaces that run on a 100VAC line).
BS7671 is often overlooked within the fire & security industry, as many assume it only applies to mains electrical installations. However, as explained above, this is incorrect. BS7671 should be applied to Fire & Security installations to the fullest extent.
Statutory & Non-Statutory Simplified
Put simply, the difference is that you can be directly prosecuted in a court of law for breaching a statutory regulation. Non-statutory regulations are not legislation and therefore cannot be used to prosecute you.
However, it's not quite that simple. Non-statutory regulations, such as BSI standards, are considered the gold standard in the industry and are widely recognized by all industry accrediting bodies. While you cannot be prosecuted under non-statutory regulations, they can be used as evidence to prove incompetence or a lack of due care in legal proceedings.