Securing your hosting+ more than 15 people

Procedure for securing accommodation for more than 15 people

Do you have accommodation for more than 15 people, or a number of accommodation units in close proximity to each other? As an ERP (Etablissement Recevant du Public), you have to comply with specific safety regulations. We’ll explain.

Conditions for accommodation to be considered as ERP

An accommodation is classified ERP (Etablissement Recevant du Public) of 5th category with sleeping quarters as soon as it meets one of the following criteria:

It accommodates more than 15 people in total
It accommodates at least 7 unaccompanied minors (unaccompanied by their families, in the context of holiday camps for example)
It is made up of several buildings separated by:
- less than 5 metres if there are no bedrooms above the 1st floor
- less than 8 metres if there are bedroom(s) above the 1st floor

The procedure is governed by ERP regulations and the law on fire safety. Its aim is to protect the occupants and the public being welcomed.
The first and main person responsible for compliance with safety rules in an ERP is the operator. </In the event of an accident, the operator is liable under civil and even criminal law. The operator must ensure that the safety equipment is maintained and serviced in compliance with the regulations on protection against the risks of fire and panic. Failure to comply with these obligations may result in administrative or even criminal penalties.

Stages of the procedure

Control office: the owner must contact a COFRAC-approved control office (private practice, paid services, in Haute-Vienne: Apave, Dekra, Qualiconsult, Veritas…) to be guided through the steps and actions to be taken. It is this inspection body that will issue the certificate of conformity referred to in stage 2.
Dossier: The owner must submit a dossier to the town hall. This file must include the following documents:
– plans of the project (facades and levels)
– the safety notice (see model in annex)
– the certificate of compliance from the inspection office
– the application for works authorisation (issued by the town hall) OR the application for planning permission (issued by the town hall or the community of communes depending on the location of the instructing department)
Sub-prefecture : upon receipt of the application for permission to work or the building permit, the town hall consults the sub-prefecture
SDIS: the sub-prefecture forwards the file to the SDIS (Service Départemental d’Incendie et de Secours): the SDIS consults the file and has 3 months to make a visit and draw up its opinion. The SDIS then sends its opinion to the mayor so that he can decide whether or not to authorise the work or grant planning permission.
Opening visit: There may be an opening visit by the SDIS and the Mayor or his representative, following which the Mayor draws up an opening order
Control: A control visit by the SDIS takes place every 5 years, with the aim of checking the continued compliance of the premises.

Precautions

It is essential that the owner consult the Commission d’accessibilité via the Direction Départementale des Territoires (DDT) so that it too can give its opinion on making the project accessible.
It is formally advisable to start the work before obtaining all the regulatory opinions (SDIS, DDT, Mairie). Otherwise, you could find yourself having to demolish non-compliant fittings.
It is strongly inadvisable to carry out the work yourself: certain materials and technical implementations (e.g. 1h degree fire walls, smoke extraction, evacuation standards…) require the intervention of qualified professionals.

Once the premises have been opened, you will need to keep an up-to-date fire safety register, which must contain: