Martyn's Law

Martyn’s Law, formally known as the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) act, introduced in response to the Manchester Arena attack in 2017, represents a significant shift in how public and commercial property is expected to manage safety and security risks. Here, we will outline the key principles of Martyn’s Law and explore what it means in practice for building management, emergency procedures and evacuation planning.

What does Martyn’s Law do?
The aim of this law is to ensure that people responsible for certain buildings can manage the movement and safety of anyone inside if there is a terrorist incident or any other serious situation, such as civil unrest or violence. It recognises that in these cases, a typical fire evacuation might not be the right response. The person – or organisation – in control of a building must be able to direct people clearly and safely, whether that means getting them out (evacuation), moving them to a safer area inside (invacuation), or keeping them in place (lockdown). What a site needs will depend entirely on its type and use, as schools, colleges, entertainment venues, political offices and other venues will all have different requirements.

Which premises fall within the scope of Martyn’s Law?

Not every building will need an electronic system, but every building must have a plan for how people will be moved in an emergency. Premises that satisfy the following four criteria fall within scope of the Act.

How do we plan for success?

1. Access the building and people in it

The assessment of the building and the people in it is vital for success. This must consider numbers of occupants, disabilities and the specific safety issues on the site. Systems must work together where needed.

2. IMPORTANT: Staff training

The starting point for any proposal should be understanding what staff need to do and how they will be trained to respond. Training should be at the centre of everything.

3. Use of technology

Technology can help control and manage incidents, but instructions must be clear and easy to understand. Voice sounders can deliver spoken guidance, but consideration should be given to premises where language barriers exist or where loud or sudden noises are difficult to tolerate, in which case coded messages or simple tone patterns may be more suitable.

4. Accessibility and inclusivity

Disability considerations will be a major part of planning. Some disabilities may not be immediately obvious, and some conditions, such as autism or PTSD, can be affected by noise or confusion. The plan must consider all special needs provisions for anyone using the building. This is why using a third-party certified risk assessor is recommended – their expertise is in identifying what might be missing rather than just the obvious issues.

5. Infrastructure improvements

In some cases, improvements to fire doors or compartmentation may be needed to create a “safe area”. For example, upgrading from FD30 to FD60 doors may offer better physical protection, not just improved fire resistance. Access control, movement through the building, and both internal and external CCTV should also be considered.

6. A related point

Linked to fire risk assessments – is to ensure that any outside storage doesn’t increase the risk of arson or allow someone to create a fire that distracts the emergency services and increases the danger to first responders.

What needs to be implemented?

Who is in charge?
There needs to be agreement with the emergency services about who is in charge during an incident. Whether it be a senior fire officer or senior police officer taking command, they will expect to see a clear plan in place.

How will emergency procedures be activated?
What a site needs to do to activate its emergency procedures will vary. Factors that influence the plan include:
• The size of the building
• How many buildings are on the site
• How many people use the building

This should be assessed alongside the existing Fire Risk Assessment (FRA), which should help shape a workable and practical strategy.

In Summary

Using existing protection systems is usually the best and most cost‑effective option. A thorough review involving all stakeholders – looking at fire and security arrangements together – is essential. Above all, staff training is the most important element. Training must remain flexible, reviewed regularly, and updated whenever anything changes, such as building layout, occupancy, or fire safety requirements. Martyn’s Law places a clear responsibility on those in control of premises to manage risk and plan effective responses to emergencies. By strengthening expectations around building control and evacuation, the legislation aims to improve preparedness and protect occupants should an incident occur.