Following the publishing of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1, the report noted how the stairwell landings were not marked clearly with relevant floor numbers, making it difficult for firefighters and rescue services to clearly understand what floor they were on during an emergency. Following this report the government has introduced new guidelines for wayfinding signage used in multi-storey blocks of flats. The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 requires owners of these types of buildings to install wayfinding signage that meets the guidelines laid out below. This became law from January 23, 2023.
Why are there changes to wayfinding signage
After the difficulties faced by the fire and rescue services working at Grenfell came to light, the inquiry recommended that floor numbers should now be clearly marked on every landing in prominent places and stairways in all high-rise buildings. This should make it easier for firefighters and others to navigate their way in normal conditions and in low lighting or smoky conditions.
Installing wayfinding in blocks of flats
For the fire service to be able to identify each floor in a block of flat with a top storey more than 11m above ground level, floor identification signs should now be installed.
The following conditions need be considered around Floor Identification Level Signs, which include:
- Every landing of a protected stairway should have a sign installed, and where a firefighting liff opens into a lobby/corridor or open access balcony.
- The text on the sign should have a letter height of at least 50mm and be in sans serif typeface. The numeral designating the floor number in the block should have a minimum height of 75mm.
- Firefighters should be able to see the sign from the top step of the firefighting stair and, if possible, from inside the firefighting lift one the doors have opened.
- Mounting height should be between 1.7m and 2m above floor level. All signs should have the same mounting height, as far as that is practicable.
- The text should be on a contrasting background and easy to read in low level lighting conditions or when a torch is used to illuminate the text.
In terms of the wording used on each sign, this should take the form of Floor X (where the X designates the storey number), For example, Floor 8 within a 10-storey block of flats.
Floor number designations
The following conditions also have to be met to ensure floor number designations are property displayed:
- Floor 0 or Ground Floor should be used on the floor closest to the mean ground level.
- From there, sequential numbering should be used on each floor above ground level.
- For blocks of flats with lower ground floors, this should be designated as either Lower Ground Floor or Floor -1.
- Any floors below the ground floor should number sequentially with Floor -1 or Basement 1 etc.
Installing Flat Indicator Signs
Each storey should also have flat indicator signs to support the floor identification signs. These will provide more information about the flats that can be accessed on each storey. There are new guidelines to follow with regards to the flat indicator signs, such as:
- Flat indicator signs should be installed immediately below the floor identification signs. This means that the top edge of the sign is no lower than 50mm below the bottom edge of the floor identification sign.
- The wording on the sign should use Flats X-Y(the sequential number of flats on the floor), starting with the lowest number first.
- The sans serif typeface should be used with a letter height that is at least half the height of the floor indicator sign.
- Use of arrows should be included when there are flats located in multiple directions on a floor.
- There should be a contrasting background for the text and arrows, while ensuring it is easy legible and readable in low level lighting conditions, or when a torch is used to illuminate the text.
Multi-storey flats that have two more entrances should only indicate the flat number on the normal access storey.
Are these changes to wayfinding signage a legal requirement?
Owners of high-rise buildings are legally obligated to make these changes to the wayfinding signage. While the Grenfell inquiry did not request that these changes to wayfinding signage become a legal requirement, the government has taken it further to ensure it has become law.
This is not a legal requirement for all existing multi-occupied residential buildings, although owners of these properties may want to consider installing it to improve safety standards further.
All new multi-occupied residential buildings that stand over 11 metres in height are legally obliged to install this type of signage.
All multi-occupied residential buildings with two or more sets of domestic premises must have fire safety instructions and fire door information made available to their residents.
View the full range of Floor Identification, Flat Indicator, Room Number, and Custom Printed Floor Level Signs
