The Premises Information Box™ (PIB)® / Secure Information Box (SIB)

The Premises Information Box™ (PIB)® systems are secure information boxes, designed to provide fast access for the Fire & Rescue Service to building plans and information. For operational use, The Premises Information Box™ (PIB)® was developed by Gerda with firefighters to an exacting specification and is a recognised focal point in the event of an incident. The Premises Information Box® is not reliant on power, persons nor Wi-Fi.

The Premises Information Box™ (PIB)® is suitable for applications across a wide range of sectors including health, education, transport, and infrastructure, listed premises, places of assembly, offices and shops, factories and warehouses, heritage buildings. We offer a range of secure information boxes for different applications.

01638 711028

firesafety@gerdasecurity.co.uk

Enquire below to find out about our secure Premises Information Box™ (PIB®) systems

Enquiry - GerdaPIBs

Buy the Premises Information Box™ (PIB)® and Plans directly for competitive pricing

Where are the new fire safety regulations applied?

Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 & Approved Document B make it a legal requirement for all high-rise residential buildings to have secure information boxes (Premises Information Box™ (PIB)®), with specified documents intended for use by the Fire and Rescue Service during a fire, as per the FIA / NFCC Code of Practice. Types of premises include:

Existing blocks of flats whose top storey floor height is 18m or more, or over six storeys (ground plus five upper storeys), whichever is the lower.
Existing blocks of flats whose top storey floor height is below 18m or under six storeys which have additional complexity i.e. layout, access, facilities etc.
Student accommodation designed like a block of flats, e.g. those adopting a stay put approach whose top storey floor height is 11m or more.
New build blocks of flats whose top storey floor height is 11m or more.

PIB® the original SIB

Developed with firefighters to an exacting specification and a recognised focal point in the event of an incident, our Premises Information Box™ (PIB)®, the original SIB, provides essential fire safety and security information.

We offer a highly regarded Emergency Response Plans (ERP) service delivering clear and relevant information for the FRS.

As referenced in the FIA/NFCC code of practice.

Click here to view the PIBS Guide

Get started in just three simple steps:

1. Complete your enquiry online

Submit your property details above and we’ll get back to you with details of the Premises Information Box™ (PIB)® and ERP options.

2. Confirm property requirements

Complete the PIB® registration form for location & keyholder, then select your ERP service provision.

3. Submission of install to FRS

Product installation completed and FRS advised, along with registration.

Make sure your building abides by the Code of Practice

PIB Installation & ERP Plan Service

What the regulatory bodies have to say

As a minimum, the regulations require a responsible person to inspect the secure information box annually and ensure that its contents are up to date.

Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022

It is a legal requirement from 23 January 2023 for existing high-rise residential buildings in England to have a secure information box installed on the premises.

Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022

Blocks of flats (purpose group 1(a)) with a top storey more than 11m above ground level should be provided with a secure information box.
NOTE: Consideration should also be given to other buildings with large, complex or uncommon layouts where the provision of a secure information box may be beneficial.

June 2022 Amendments to Approved Document B: Fire safety section 15.19

The need to ensure that information is available to the fire and rescue service in a consistent format to assist with the emergency response, especially taking into account those with mobility, cognitive or sensory impairments is crucial.

Ian Moore, CEO, Fire Industry Association on the code of practice

Ensuring that up to date vital information is readily available to firefighters in an emergency, ensures that those most in need of support are fully considered in the decisions and plan for managing an incident.

Mark Hardingham, Chair National Fire Chiefs Council on the code of practice

We have introduced the biggest improvements to building safety in a generation with the passing into law of the Building Safety Act 2022. These changes will support our tough new regulatory regime, duly ensuring that fire safety measures are incorporated into new high-rise homes and that all new residential buildings meet the same safety standards.

Fire Safety Minister Lord Greenhalgh on the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022

We also support the inclusion of Secure Information Boxes in buildings over 11m, which will give fire and rescue services access to important details about a building and its residents in the event of a fire.

The NFCC Protection & Business Safety Committee Chair, Gavin Tomlinson on the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022

The authors of this Code of Practice are grateful to Gerda Security Products Ltd for their contribution of plans and drawings given as examples in the appendices of this document many of which have been taken or adapted from Gerda’s own Emergency Response Pack guidance.

FIA NFCC Code of Practice for the Provision of Premises Information Boxes in Residential Buildings

Recommendation 33.12b: That the owner and manager of every high-rise residential building be required by law to ensure that the building contains a premises information box, the contents of which must include a copy of the up-to-date floor plans and information about the nature of any lift intended for use by the fire and rescue services.

Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 Recommendations, September 2021

I’d like to make sure I’m following the legal requirements

Our Sectors

Social Housing

Commercial

Education

Student Accommodation

Healthcare

Simple & Effective

Installing your secure information box, Premises Information Box™ (PIB)®, quickly ensures that the FRS have immediate access to on-site plans during a fire.

The new Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 ‘seek to improve the fire safety of blocks of flats in ways which are practical, cost effective for individual leaseholders and proportionate to the risk of fire.’

Click here to view the PIBS Guide

Some of our Emergency Access Systems

PIB® (SIB)

HSS PIB®C (SIB)

ERP

GFS™

ACB

Uniting Fire Safety & Security™

Just a handful of our accreditations and memberships that make Gerda No.1 for fire safety and security.

KM-Keyline-Enhanced-Security-Lock-Cylinders

FAQs

Got a query? Browse our most commonly asked Premises Information Box™ (PIB)® questions. Though if there’s anything you want to ask, simply email our team here and we’ll get back to you.

What defines high-rise?

Any existing block of flats whose top story is over 18m, or 6 storeys whichever is the lower (i.e. ground plus 5 alternatively ‘7 or more’), along with 11m or more for student accommodation designed like a block of flats. Plus, any new build blocks of flats with a top story more than 11m above ground level from 1 December 2022 in England.

What is Best Practice Guidance?

FIA / NFCC Code of Practice for the Provision of Premises Information Boxes in Residential Buildings

Can I get a secure box directly from Gerda Security Products?

Yes... We have stock available now, simply get in touch and we'll help ensure your PIB and ERP are ready.

Do I need new plans every year?

As a minimum, the regulations require the RP to inspect annually and ensure contents are up to date, which Gerda Security can do as part of a 5-year ERP Plans Service and Maintenance Package. Although your plans will only need renewing if any of the required elements have changed.

How can I provide the required floor plans and building plan, or Emergency Response Pack?

Having worked with the FIA/NFCC on the ERP guidelines (as acknowledged in the Code of Practice listed on Gov.uk regulation 6), Gerda provides a complete ERP Plan Service with annual audit & maintenance option for total piece-of-mind.

https://www.nationalfirechiefs.org.uk/write/MediaUploads/NFCC%20Guidance%20publications/Protection/PIBS_Guide_06-21_V2.pdf

What is the difference between a PIB and SIB?

They’re the same, a Premises Information Box™ (PIB®) is the original Gerda name for a secure facility to store information about a building for use by the fire service during an incident, which is now also know by the generic term secure information box (SIB). PIB®s are referred to in the initial Grenfell Tower Inquiry and FIA / NFCC Code of Practice (for the provision of Premises Information Boxes in Residential Buildings) with the regulations simply referring to secure information boxes (now termed SIB). With a Gerda PIB® you’re installing the SIB originally developed with the fire and rescue service.

Who is the ‘responsible person’?

The Gov.uk guidance states ‘the responsible person is the person who is responsible for the safety of themselves and others who use a regulated premises. This is normally a building owner, or in residential properties, any other person in control of the premises. The responsible person is the person on whom most of the duties set out in the Fire Safety Order are imposed.’

The person having control of the building, or a degree of control.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/responsible-person-and-duty-holder-fire-safety-responsibilities/responsible-person-identification-supplementary

Where can I check the Gov.uk new fire safety regulations?

Gov.uk Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 coming into force on 23 January 2023

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-england-regulations-2022

Gov.uk Regulation 4 for secure premises information boxes as a legal requirement from 23.01.23

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-england-regulations-2022/fact-sheet-secure-information-box-regulation-4

Gov.uk Regulation 6 for floor plans and building plan as a legal requirement from 23.01.23

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-england-regulations-2022/fact-sheet-floor-plans-and-building-plan-regulation-6

Gov.uk building regulations amendments June 2022 for new build high-rise fire safety from 01.12.22

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1080214/ADB_amendment_booklet_June_2022.pdf

Gov.uk Fire safety: Approved Document B covering fire safety matters with June 22 amendments

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-approved-document-b

Is there any official guidance on the specification of a Secure Premises Information Box?

FIA & NFCC Code of Practice for the Provision of Premises Information Boxes in Residential Buildings

https://www.nationalfirechiefs.org.uk/write/MediaUploads/NFCC%20Guidance%20publications/Protection/PIBS_Guide_06-21_V2.pdf