Fire safety in buildings receiving the public

Following a series of serious fires that killed several people, one of which particularly struck post-war public opinion (a cinema fire in Rueil-Malmaison), regulations were drawn up to impose safety rules in establishments open to the public (ERP).

This was the decree of August 13, 1954, followed by its implementing order. Prior to this date, apart from a few local regulations covering a small number of activities, there were no national regulations in force.

Since then, in line with developments in technology and the lessons learned from actual disasters, these regulations have been enriched and refined, while retaining the same spirit: safeguarding the public, who must be able to evacuate the premises in the best possible conditions.

The following publications have been released

• decree of March 23, 1965;

• order of June 25, 1980;

  each complementing and replacing the previous one.

The latter, which groups together the general provisions applicable to all establishments, is supplemented by special provisions adapted to each type of operation, which have been published as they have been drawn up. To date, all the special provisions have been published. These are subject to ongoing development.

The development and standardization of automatic fire detection and control equipment, forming a coherent whole known as a fire safety system (FSS), has revolutionized previous concepts in this field.

Making extensive use of electronics and cutting-edge technologies, this equipment constitutes "intelligent" units capable of detecting a fire and then, by means of servo-controls, automatically implementing safety devices (compartmentalization, alarm, smoke extraction, etc.) for all or part of a building.

Today, accessibility and safety for the disabled, especially wheelchair users, are fully integrated into building design.

Finally, the European harmonization of tests relating to the reaction to fire of materials, and the fire resistance of construction elements, introduces "Euroclasses" into regulatory texts concerning the construction and fitting-out of establishments.