How to Improve Fire Safety

In France, the central legislation is the Arrêté du 25 juin 1980, which establishes the French fire and panic-safety regulations for ERP. It contains general provisions as well as specific rules for different types of establishments. The CTS regulations are particularly important for festivals, concerts, fairs, temporary hospitality areas and similar events. The rules apply to structures designed to be partially or completely enclosed, itinerant and covered by flexible material, including those used for circuses, shows, meetings, dances, banquets and sporting activities. They apply where the total public capacity is 50 people or more. Structures accommodating more than 19 but fewer than 50 people are subject to a more limited provision.

In the UK, however, employers, as well as building owners or occupiers, are legally required to carry out and regularly review a fire safety risk assessment. This requirement is set out in the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which applies in England and Wales, and in the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, as amended, together with the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006. A fire safety risk assessment may be completed as a standalone exercise or incorporated into a wider risk assessment covering other health and safety hazards. The findings of the assessment must be used to identify and implement adequate and appropriate fire safety measures, helping to minimise the risk of injury or loss of life should a fire occur.

Every year, near the French city of Le Mans, one of the world’s oldest endurance races occurs, drawing in massive crowds from all over the world. Unlike fixed-distance races whose winner is determined by minimum time, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is won by the car that covers the greatest distance in 24 hours. Therefore, the event is mostly made up of temporary structures, from accommodation to working paddocks.

Traditionally, temporary event organisers have relied on fire watch personnel and routine manual inspections to manage fire risks during the build-up and operation of large-scale events. Seeking a more robust and proactive solution, the organisers selected Ramtech’s WES system to deliver continuous fire monitoring and rapid incident detection throughout the event lifecycle.

Benjamin Rigaud, Head of the Design Office at iEvents, commented: “We needed something that could be deployed quickly because we only have two weeks to deliver the projects. We also didn’t know the final interior layouts of the team areas on the ground floor, so we needed a highly flexible system that could be adjusted at any time without cabling.”

Due to the nature of these structures, which are often installed for a limited period and frequently reconfigured as events progress, a traditional fire alarm system is often impractical and cost-prohibitive. Wireless fire detection can provide an alternative where installing a conventional wired system is impractical, particularly where structures are temporary or layouts are expected to change.

Ramtech’s devices can be deployed rapidly with minimal disruption, while their wireless, modular design allows the system to adapt easily to changing site layouts and a wide variety of environments. Whether protecting festival grounds, temporary grandstands, hospitality areas or backstage facilities, WES provides a flexible, scalable solution that can evolve alongside the event, making it an ideal choice for organisers seeking both safety and operational efficiency.