Shared spaces, shared safety
Our founder Paul Riley explains why a multi-occupancy building has to be treated as one fire safety system, with landlords and tenants planning evacuation together.
Our founder, Paul Riley, has 47 years of experience in fire safety. His feature article "Shared spaces, shared safety" was published in the Fire and Risk Management Journal on 7 May 2026. It looks at evacuation planning in large multi-occupancy commercial buildings.
His central point is that a multi-storey or high-rise building has to be seen as a single fire safety ecosystem. Landlords, building managers and tenants all have a part to play, and evacuation only works when they plan it together.
Key points from the article
- Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the Responsible Person must put fire safety arrangements in place and make sure people can evacuate safely.
- Building managers cannot hand legal responsibility for key measures over to tenants. Some areas, such as Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans for people with additional needs, need collaboration, but the duty stays with the landlord.
- Simultaneous and phased evacuation each suit different buildings. Phased evacuation clears the highest risk areas first, and voice alarm systems give clear spoken instructions rather than just a sound.
- Tenants need to assess the areas they lease, including staffing patterns and any special needs. Clear communication between building management, fire wardens and emergency services is essential.
Effective evacuation planning is more than drills and notices on the wall. It has to be legally compliant, coordinated and inclusive.
Read the full article in the FPA Fire and Risk Management Journal
If your building has several occupiers and you are not sure where responsibility sits, get in touch with our team.
Talk to a competent specialist
Tell us about your building and we will explain what you need and what it involves.