In practice, many companies treat the fire safety authorization as a document that, once obtained, permanently resolves the compliance issue. The reality, however, is slightly different.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The ISU authorization confirms that, at the time of issuance, the construction or layout complied with certain fire safety requirements. However, these conditions must be maintained throughout the entire period the space is used.
If modifications subsequently occur, if escape routes are blocked, if protective installations are removed, or if the space ends up being used differently than authorized, the existing authorization no longer automatically protects the economic operator.
What does GD 915/2015 regulate?
GD 915/2015 establishes the situations in which authorities can order the suspension of operations or use of constructions or layouts when fire safety requirements are seriously violated.
In short, the legislative act refers not only to the lack of the ISU authorization, but also to situations where an authorized space no longer meets the essential safety conditions.
The measure of suspending operations is serious because it can lead to the suspension of activity until the identified problems are remedied.
What types of spaces are targeted?
The regulation specifically targets spaces where public access or the number of people can generate significant risks in case of fire, such as:
• restaurants, bars, clubs, discos;
• shops, supermarkets, shopping centers;
• hotels, guesthouses, hostels, and other tourist accommodations;
• theaters, cinemas, performance halls, or other cultural spaces;
• other constructions or layouts where the rapid and safe evacuation of people must be ensured.
In these situations, any problem related to evacuation, fire detection, extinguishing, smoke removal, or emergency lighting can have significant effects.
Examples of situations that can lead to the suspension of activity
The suspension of operations can be ordered when essential fire safety elements are affected.
For example, major problems can be created by:
• exceeding the number of people for which the space was authorized;
• dismantling or blocking an escape route;
• reducing the width of escape routes;
• removing or disabling extinguishing systems;
• removing fire detection, signaling, and warning systems;
• the lack of smoke removal systems, where they are required;
• the lack of emergency evacuation lighting;
• using the space for an activity other than the one for which it was authorized.
These aspects are not simple administrative non-compliances. They can directly influence the evacuation time, the possibility of intervention, and the safety of the people inside the building.
What happens if the space required authorization, but does not have one?
The situation is even more sensitive when a construction or layout falls into the category of those that must hold a fire safety authorization but operates without this document.
In such cases, if major deficiencies regarding evacuation, extinguishing, fire detection, or other essential measures are found, authorities can order the suspension of operations until the deficiencies are remedied.
For the economic operator, the effect can be significant: activity can be blocked, financial losses may occur, and resuming operations may depend on additional works, documentation, and verifications.
Why must ISU authorized spaces be checked periodically?
A space can change significantly over time. Furniture, workflows, the number of people, partitioning, the purpose of certain rooms, or the way access routes are used can change.
Often, problems arise not because the space was initially poorly designed, but because apparently small changes are made during operation:
• materials are stored in hallways;
• escape doors are blocked;
• furniture is moved onto traffic routes;
• installations that “get in the way” of the activity are decommissioned;
• the capacity of the space is increased without verifying evacuation conditions;
• repartitioning is done without technical analysis.
This is precisely why fire safety must be checked periodically, not just at the time the authorization is obtained.
What should administrators and economic operators do?
To avoid the risk of harsh measures, it is recommended that each economic operator periodically verify whether the space used still complies with fire safety conditions.
In practice, it is important to monitor a few simple things:
• escape routes must be clear and marked;
• escape doors must be usable;
• extinguishers and hydrants must be accessible;
• detection, alarm, smoke removal, or emergency lighting installations must be functional;
• the number of people must not exceed the limits for which the space was authorized;
• changes made to the space must be analyzed before implementation;
• fire safety documents must be updated.