Fire Safety Plans for Places of Assembly

The Code of Practice for the Management of Fire Safety in Places of Assembly and The Fire Safety Guide for Building Owners and Operators, both published by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, provide guidance to managers of premises that are used as places of assembly on the measures necessary to discharge their statutory duties given under Section 18(2) of the Fire Services Acts 1981 & 2003.

There are specific requirements for the provision of the following types of wall-displayed plans for these premises:

• Fire service intervention plans
• Fire evacuation plans
• Fire alarm zone charts

Places of assembly are defined in the Code of Practice for the Management of Fire Safety in Places of Assembly as any premises that is put to any of the following uses:

• Amusement arcade
• Art gallery
• Assembly hall
• Bingo hall
• Casino
• Concert hall
• Conference hall
• Cinema
• Dance hall (including discotheque)
• Ecclesiastical building
• Exhibition hall
• Funfair building
• Grandstand
• Gymnasium
• Indoor bowling alley
• Indoor games court
• Library to which the public are admitted
• Museum
• Non-residential college or school
• Non-residential club
• Premises licensed for the sale of intoxicating liquor other than an off-licence
• Radio or television studio to which the public are admitted
• Restaurant, cafe, canteen
• Riding school
• Skating rink
• Sports pavilion
• Stadium
• Swimming baths (including any swimming pool, changing rooms, or similar facilities)
• Tent or marquee to which the public are admitted
• Theatre

The code of practice also applies to the premises listed above where they are part of premises used primarily for other uses e.g. a restaurant, dance hall or premises licensed for the sale of intoxicating liquor etc. contained within a hotel.

Section 1.6 has the following requirement for wall-displayed fire emergency plans that are intended for use by members of the fire brigade:

A plan of the premises should be displayed permanently inside the main entrance(s) where it will be clearly visible to persons entering the building showing the basement, ground floor, and each upper storey as applicable. This plan should clearly indicate the location of staircases and escape routes, firefighting equipment, gas, electricity and ventilation shut off devices, the control panel for any fire detection and alarm system, installations such as fuel tanks, boiler houses and areas of high fire risk such as kitchens, projection rooms and scenery stores by reference to the point at which the plan is displayed - that point should be clearly identified on the plan and designated by the words "You are here".

A copy of this plan should be kept on the premises for the information of the officer-in-charge of the fire brigade.

A floor plan should be displayed in a prominent position on each floor indicating the escape routes and the location of firefighting equipment by reference to the point at which the plan is displayed - that point should be clearly identified on the plan and designated by the words "You are here".

All plans should be displayed on durable material, be easily legible, and drawn to a suitable scale.

Section 5.5.3 of The Fire Safety Guide for Building Owners and Operators and has the following requirement for the provision and content of a fire service intervention plan:

In larger or more complex premises plans of the building may be made available to the fire brigade upon their arrival. Such plans may indicate the following:

• Staircases and escape routes
• Fire protection facilities including water sources
• First aid fire-fighting equipment
• Gas and electricity supply shut-off points
• Storage of gas cylinders and other hazardous materials
• The control panel for the automatic detection and alarm system and the control device for any ventilation systems

Section 5.3.3 has the following requirement for the provision of fire safety instructions and a diagramatic floor plan for the occupants of a building:

In addition to instructions for staff, written instructions on the action to be taken by building occupants on the discovery of a fire or on hearing the fire alarm should be displayed in prominent positions throughout the building. Instructions should be accompanied by a simple floor plan showing schematically the location of storey exits. Particular attention should be drawn to the general advice that lifts should not be used in the event of fire.

Section 6.2 has the following requirement for the provision of a zone chart for the fire detection and alarm system:

A zone plan drawing should be displayed on a wall next to the fire alarm panel. This should indicate the locations of the fire detection and alarm zones in layout form for all floors throughout the building.