Fire Services Act, 1981

Fire safety regulations.

37.—(1) The Minister may make regulations providing for the precautions to be taken in premises to which section 18 applies for the protection of persons and property against risk by fire.

(2) The regulations may apply to any particular use of premises or of any specified class of premises.

(3) The regulations may, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing subsections, specify requirements with regard to any or all of the following matters—

(a) the provision and maintenance of exit signs, emergency lighting and notices as to the procedure to be followed in the event of fire;

(b) the provision, maintenance and keeping free from obstruction of means of escape in case of fire;

(c) the provision and maintenance of means for securing that any means of escape can be safely and effectively used at all material times;

(d) the provision and maintenance of means for the prevention and extinguishing of fires and means for detection and giving warning in case of fire;

(e) the holding of fire safety evacuation drills at specified intervals and the keeping of records of such drills;

(f) the internal construction of premises and the materials used in that construction;

(g) prohibiting altogether the presence or use in the premises of furniture, furnishings or equipment of any specified description, or articles or materials of a flammable nature, or prohibiting their presence or use unless specified standards or conditions are complied with;

(h) the installation, maintenance and use of power supply, lighting, heating and ventilating systems;

(i) securing that persons employed to work in the premises receive appropriate instruction and training in what to do in case of fire;

(j) the maximum number of persons who may be in the premises or any part thereof at any one time;

(k) securing that, in specified circumstances, specified numbers of attendants are stationed in specified parts of the premises;

(l) the keeping of records of instruction or training given, or things done, in pursuance of the regulations, and

(m) the provision of adequate means of access for fire appliances and equipment.

(4) Nothing in regulations under this section shall derogate from the functions of a fire authority under this Act or from a duty imposed on any person under subsection (2) or (3) of section 18 .