How to Start & Run a B&B BandBED2eBook-1 | Page 47

www.communities.gov.uk/publications/fire/payingguests
or free of charge to members of the Bed & Breakfast Association
(www.BandBassociaton.org).
The Fire Safety Minister stated: "The booklet [“Do You Have Paying Guests?”] has,
through CFOA [Chief Fire Officers' Association] involvement, the support of the Chief
Fire Officers throughout England. It is our belief that this booklet will help embed a
practical, common sense approach to the enforcement of the [RRFSO regulations] by
Fire and Rescue Authorities".
After the involvement of the Bed and Breakfast Association and other industry bodies
in its drafting, "Do You Have Paying Guests?" is much more helpful to B&B owners
than previous official Government guidance. For instance, it specifically states the
following:
"If your premises are similar to a family home, the fire safety precautions you will need
to take are likely to be simpler than those needed for larger premises with more
complicated layouts and staff."
"In many cases, you should be able to buy fire safety products for use in small premises
from local retailers, such as DIY stores. These are likely to be less expensive than fire
safety products which have been designed for larger and more complicated premises."
"What you need will depend on your business and your premises. The law does not
require any particular measures to be in place. What it does say is that you must
adequately manage the overall risk."
"Premises similar to a family home (i.e. two or three storeys) are likely to need an
automatic fire detection system that runs from the mains electricity (with battery back-
up) and consists of interconnected detectors. Detectors will be needed in the staircase,
corridors and bedrooms. This (technically known as a Grade D LD2 system) has been
designed for domestic premises. In the very smallest accommodation (no more than
two storeys) which only has two or three guest bedrooms and short travel distances to a
safe place outside, a connected system of detectors with a 10-year battery, or radio
interlinked detectors may be good enough. (Technically, this is known as a Grade F LD2
system). You may be able to fit a Grade F system yourself."
On 'Emergency Lighting', the booklet states: "If a fire knocks out the normal inside
lighting, you should think about whether any ‘borrowed lighting’, for example from
nearby street lamps, would be enough to allow people on the premises to find their way
out. If not, it may be acceptable, in small premises, to rely on rechargeable torches which
come on automatically if the main supply fails. You should have one in each room with
a sign that says what they are for."
On 'Fire Fighting Equipment', the booklet states: "One extinguisher on each floor near
the stairs and a fire blanket in the kitchen should be enough in most small premises."
On 'Fire Escape Signs', the Government guidance for small B&Bs is "Signs are only
required where they are needed. In small premises the escape route and the front door
are likely to be obvious, so there may not be a need for emergency exit signs."
On doors, the Guidance is: "You should keep all doors which open on to escape routes