New fire safety guidance, which includes the requirements for fire risk assessments, will come into force on October 1, 2023 in the UK.

The new guidance, called the Building Safety Bill, will replace the current regime established by the Fire Safety Order 2005. The Building Safety Bill is part of the UK government’s reform program in response to the Grenfell Tower fire.

The new legislation aims to strengthen fire safety in high-rise buildings, and to ensure that residents and owners are kept informed about building safety risks. The new guidance also aims to improve the regulation of building safety across the country.

The Building Safety Bill will require the responsible person to appoint a competent person to carry out fire risk assessments in high-rise buildings. The responsible person will also be required to provide information about the building’s construction and maintenance, as well as any safety measures and equipment in place.

The new legislation will also require owners and residents to provide information about their occupancy of the building, and to report any changes that may affect fire safety.

The Building Safety Bill will introduce a new safety assurance regime, which will require building owners and managers to assess and manage the safety risks of their buildings.

The safety assurance regime will also require owners and managers to take appropriate measures to mitigate any risks identified. In addition, the Bill will provide for more stringent requirements for building safety during construction and refurbishment projects, and will strengthen the powers of regulators to enforce safety standards.

The new guidance also includes the introduction of a new Building Safety Regulator, which will be responsible for implementing and enforcing the new safety regime.

The Building Safety Regulator will have powers to impose penalties on building owners and managers who fail to comply with the new safety requirements, and to take enforcement action against those who breach the regulations.