Fire safety
in accommodation facilities
Although the majority of fires occur during the day, they are far more dangerous and deadly at night. Therefore, sleeping accommodations must be equipped with a Category A fire safety system (FSS), the highest level of equipment, to ensure the safety of their guests, particularly in the event of smoke and fire.
Any establishment open to the public (ERP) with an accommodation capacity (for the public only) greater than or equal to 15 people is considered an establishment with sleeping quarters.
This designation specifically applies to:
- Hotels
- Hostels
- School boarding houses
- Hospitals
- Care homes for the elderly or disabled
- Etc.
The highest level of fire safety
Also known as type O ERP, hotel-type buildings are classified into five categories based on their accommodation capacity. The standards and regulations are almost identical for all categories, with the highest level of security required (category A):
- General provisions of the decree of June 25, 1980
- Specific provisions of the decree of June 21, 1982
Specificities depending on the categories
The more people a building can accommodate, the more stringent the fire safety requirements, although extreme vigilance is required regardless of the number of people.
Category 5 buildings (fewer than 100 people) have rules adapted to their smaller surface area, which can be found in Chapter IV of the Decree of June 22, 1990.
Les dispositifs obligatoires sur la sécurité incendie
Detect fire early
Detectors appropriate to the risks (include a link to no expertise) must be installed in all high-risk areas (such as storage rooms, kitchens, boiler rooms, laundry rooms, etc.) and in all bedrooms (except for category 5 establishments).
Smoke and combustion gas detectors must also be installed in horizontal circulation areas, such as corridors.
Evacuate fumes and toxic gases
The corridors leading to the rooms must be ventilated to allow guests to evacuate quickly, avoid intoxication, and facilitate the work of emergency responders. This action must be linked to the automatic fire detection system.
Warn residents
All establishments must be equipped with a specific sound alarm system, so it is not confused with any other signals used in the building. It must be audible at all points to ensure proper evacuation of residents in case of fire.
In some establishments, such as hotels, a safety sound system can be used to broadcast the fire alarm as well as ambient music and customized messages.
Assist with evacuation
Emergency exits must be indicated on an evacuation plan posted on each level, near the stairs. This plan is supplemented by safety instructions indicating the behavior to adopt in the event of a fire.
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Contact usGuaranteeing the safety of premises with video surveillance
To preserve the peace and safety of the residents and staff, as well as to guarantee the protection of your property, it may be wise to implement a video surveillance system both outside and inside the buildings. Cameras, indeed, play a deterrent role against malicious acts such as vandalism, theft, or noise disturbances. They also reassure clients and staff.
Maintenance and staff training
Sleeping areas are subject to an annual inspection of their fire safety system. Additionally, the maintenance of the installations is mandatory once or twice a year to ensure the proper functioning of the equipment.
Staff plays a crucial role in the fire safety of these accommodation establishments. This is why they must be trained in executing evacuation procedures. Furthermore, a staff member or manager must be present during the night to ensure better fire safety at all times.
The Specific Case of Parking Areas
Underground parking areas, whether isolated or part of accommodation buildings, must be equipped with fire detectors. If the parking area has electric vehicle charging stations, these must be protected by automatic fire extinguishing systems using water mist.
Réseau DEF, at your side for your fire safety projects
For over 60 years, Réseau DEF has been supporting numerous accommodation buildings in their fire safety projects, whether simple or complex. We intervene from risk analysis to the installation and maintenance of systems. The more than 60 companies in the network are all experts in a specific area of fire safety and work hand in hand to offer you complete solutions tailored to your industry and projects. Discover the experts in your country
