Fire-prevention procedures and activities subject to Fire Brigade controls
Summary
TAV. 00Regulation that simplifies and governs fire-prevention procedures: in Annex I it identifies the activities subject to Fire Brigade controls and splits them into three categories (A, B, C) of increasing risk, grading the obligations — from the fire SCIA to the Fire Prevention Certificate (CPI).
Scope of application
TAV. 01It applies to the activities listed in Annex I (workplaces, stores, car parks, public-entertainment premises, plants, etc.). Activities not listed are not subject to the Fire Brigade procedures, but remain bound by general safety rules. It operates together with the Fire Prevention Code (D.M. 03/08/2015).
In depth
TAV. AA procedure, not a technical rule
D.P.R. 151/2011 answers a different question from the Fire Prevention Code: not 'how is fire safety designed', but 'who must ask what, when and from whom'. It is the procedural backbone: it identifies the activities subject to Fire Brigade controls and grades the obligations according to risk.
The three categories: A, B, C
Annex I lists the subject activities and distributes them into three categories of increasing risk. The category determines the procedure: the higher the risk, the more thorough the Fire Brigade's preventive control.
| Category | Procedure in brief |
|---|---|
| A | fire SCIA to start; possible VVF check, on a sample basis |
| B | project assessment + fire SCIA |
| C | project assessment + SCIA + technical visit with issue of the CPI |
The fire SCIA and its renewal
To start the activity a fire SCIA is filed, sworn by a fire professional listed in the Ministry of the Interior's registers: it allows operation, subject to a later check. Compliance is not 'forever': it must be renewed periodically — as a rule every five years — with a new sworn statement.
Derogations and legal frame
When the technical rules cannot be met, D.P.R. 151/2011 provides the derogation procedure, assessed by the Regional Technical Committee. The regulation sits within the historical frame of Law 818/1984 and operates together with the Fire Prevention Code and the vertical technical rules for individual activities.
Why it matters
Getting the procedure wrong costs as much as getting the design wrong: without the required SCIA or CPI, an activity cannot lawfully operate. D.P.R. 151/2011 is the map that tells each activity which doors to knock on, and how often to knock again.
Key points
TAV. K- It is the procedure of fire prevention: it identifies the activities subject to Fire Brigade controls.
- Three categories of increasing risk — A, B, C — that grade the obligations.
- Cat. A: fire SCIA; Cat. B: project assessment + SCIA; Cat. C: + technical visit and CPI.
- Compliance is renewed periodically (as a rule every five years) with the fire professional's sworn statement.
- It is the procedure; the technical rule for design is the Fire Prevention Code (D.M. 03/08/2015).
Frequently asked questions
TAV. QWhat is the difference between D.P.R. 151/2011 and the Fire Prevention Code?
D.P.R. 151/2011 is the procedure (which activities are subject, which documents to file, to whom); the Code (D.M. 03/08/2015) is the technical rule for designing safety. Procedure and technical rule work together.
What are categories A, B and C?
Three levels of increasing risk in Annex I: A (low, SCIA), B (medium, project assessment + SCIA), C (high, + technical visit and CPI). The category determines the procedure.
What is the fire SCIA?
The fire Certified Notice of Start of Activity: the act, sworn by a fire professional, that starts the activity by declaring compliance; the Fire Brigade check may follow.
How often is fire compliance renewed?
As a rule every five years, with a new sworn statement of compliance by the fire professional, save for different periodicities set for specific activities or changes requiring a new procedure.
What is the CPI?
The Fire Prevention Certificate: the act issued by the Fire Brigade after the technical visit for category C activities, certifying compliance with fire-safety rules.
Glossary
TAV. G- SCIA antincendio
- Certified Notice of Start of Activity by which a subject activity is started, declaring its fire compliance.
- CPI
- Fire Prevention Certificate: act issued by the Fire Brigade, after the technical visit, certifying fire compliance (category C activities).
- Attività soggetta
- Activity included in Annex I of D.P.R. 151/2011, subject to fire-prevention controls.
- Professionista antincendio
- Technician listed in the Ministry of the Interior's registers, qualified to swear fire compliance.
- Deroga
- Procedure by which, when a technical rule cannot be met, an alternative solution is requested and assessed by the Regional Technical Committee.