Fire Risk Assessment Made Easy: 2nd Step
• Why Must We Have a Fire Risk Assessment.
• When Must We Have a Fire Risk Assessment.
• Objectives of a Fire Risk Assessment.
• Types of Fire Risk Assessment.
• Compartmentation: Fire Doors.
• Fire Detection and Fire Alarm Systems.
• Emergency Lighting.
• Fire Evacuation Strategy.
• Use of Fire Extinguishing Equipment.
Why Must We Have a Fire Risk Assessment?
Legal Requirement:
• The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO).
• The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999: Communal Areas
Regulations 1999: & Landlords’ Common Parts.
• The Housing Act 2004: Section 9 - Housing Health & Safety.
Scotland and Northern Ireland have Broadly Similar ….Legislation, to make Premises as Safe, as is Reasonably…… ….Practicable.
Plus Approved Codes of Practice: British Standards BS 9999:2017
BS 9991:2015
Fire Safety Order (FSO) 2005
Applies to Communal Areas + Landlords’ Common Parts
• Places Duty to Carry Out Risk Assessment.
• Commercial Properties.
• Homes of Multiple Occupancy.
• Purpose-Built Blocks of Flats.
• Controls Depend Upon Risk:
- Premises Above a Chippy?
- Premises Above an Estate Agent?
The Housing Act 2004
In a Nutshell:
Any Premises Shall provide a
Safe and Healthy Environment
for Any Potential Occupier.
Customer or Visitor.
The Building Regulations 2010
• Relevant British Fire Safety Standards + Building Regulations (Codes of Practice) Ensure Adequate Fire Safety Provisions are Incorporated into the Design and Construction or Refurbishment of Premises.
• It is Essential to Maintain the Integrity of Compartmentation, particularly when Building Work and Alterations take place. This Must Include Tenants, When Any Changes Affect Means of Escape.
• Building Regulations Approved Document B 2010• Volume 1 Dwelling Houses.
• Volume 2 Buildings Other Than Dwelling Houses.
• BS 9999: 2017• Fire Compartmentation.
• Segregation of High Risk Areas.
• Planning and Protection of Escape Routes.
• Fire Alarms and Smoke Control.
• BS 9991: 2015• Fire Safety in the Design, Management and Use of
Residential Buildings.
Design Standards
When Must We Have a Fire Risk Assessment?
• Shortly After Refurbishment of the Premises.
• Shortly After Occupancy of the Premises (in a month or so).
• If Significant Changes to Occupancy of the Premises:
• Following Significant Ch Use of the Premises.
• Following Significant C Management of the Premises.
• Following Significant C Fabric of the Premises.
• Following Significant Premises Fire Safety Procedures.
• Following Significant Ch Fire Safety Legislation.
• At a Reasonable Frequency Proportionate to Risk Identified:
- High Risk: Re-Assessment After 6 months From Report.
- Medium Risk: Re-Assessment Annually (Assists Review).
- Low Risk: Bi-Annually, No Significant Risk Outstanding.
Objectives of a Fire Risk Assessment?
• To Identify Fire Hazards and those Persons put at Risk from, Normal Business or by Inattentive Fire Safety Management: e.g. Ignition Sources & Combustible Items < 1m Distant.
• To Remove or Reduce Hazardous Risk to .as Low as is RReasonably Practicable and to Control Higher Risk(s).
• To Check Fire Safety Arrangements Against Building Regulations, at the Time of Construction or Refurbishment.
• To Protect the Safety of People on the Premises by:
- Reducing the Likelihood of a Fire Occurring.
- Limiting the Spread and Probable Severity of a Fire.
- Checking an Adequate Fire Detection & Alarm System in Place.
- Assuring a Suitable and Sufficient Clear Means of Escape.
Types of Fire Risk Assessment
• Type 1: Assessment of Common Parts Only: (Non-Destructive).
- Only Covers Communal Areas & Common Parts: ............ …….(Cupboards, Intakes etc.)
Assumption: That No Works Undertaken Since Last FRA:
….- so No Breaches Compartmentation?
- so No Alterations to Fire Doors?
• Type 2: Assessment of Common Parts Only: (Destructive).
- Some Destructive Inspection carried out: (Small Sample Basis).
- Requires Presence of a Contractor: to Open-up Building Fabric …… and Make-Good, After.
- Includes Physical Check on Compartmentation & Sample Voids.
Types of Fire Risk Assessment
• Type 3: Assessment of Common Parts and Dwellings (Non-Destructive).
- Inspection of Communal Areas & Common Parts of a 10% ……….. …..sample or more of Flats or Bedrooms (where and as relevant).
- Considers Means of Escape.
- Considers Compartmentation in Plant Rooms & Roof Voids.
• Type 4: Assessment of Common Parts and Dwellings (Destructive).
- Sample Destructive Inspection is Carried Out: (on 10%).
- Requires Presence of a Contractor To Open-up Building Fabric and ……. …….Make-Good, After.
…… …….
Compartmentation: Fire Doors
• 3 Hinges, Smoke Seals
+/or Intumescent Strips + Adequate Door Closer
Fire Doors: Specification
FD60s: 1 Hour Fire Protection• Steel or Solid Hard Wood.
• 54mm Depth of Door.
• Robust Construction: No Cracks or Holes.
• Must Fit Firmly Into Sound Door Frame.
• Doors on Escape Route Need Vision Panel.
• Glazing Must be Fire-Rated & Fit Correctly.
• Glass to Have Pyro or CE Mark.
• Installed & Maintained to BS 8124:2008.
Fire Doors: Specification
FD30s: Half-Hour Fire Protection• Solid Wood or Composite Fire Boards.
• 45mm Depth of Door.
• Robust Construction: No Cracks or Holes.
• Must Fit Firmly Into Sound Door Frame.
• Installed & Maintained to BS 8124:2008.
• Type of Fire Alarm System depends on the Age, Structure, Intended Purpose and Actual Use of the Building and on Interpretation of Current Legislation and Guidance.
• Some Commercial Buildings and Many Purpose Built Blocks of Flats will Not Have Communal Fire Alarms Installed.
• Specialised Housing will have a Fire Alarm System based on the Building Design and Fire Risk Assessment, at Time of Conversion.
• The Main Standard for Fire Alarm Systems are:
• - BS5839 Part 1:2017: Generally a Fire Panel + Detectors + MCPs. - BS5839 Part 6:2017: Domestic, Hard-Wired Detectors + Battery Back-Up.
Types of Fire Alarm
Fire Detection & Alarm Systems: Fire Panelsanalog addressable
. 1 - 8 Zones > 8 to 60 + Zones
Standard: BS 5839-1:2002 & 2013 & BS 5839-6.
Fire Detection and Alarm Systems: Zones
6 Zones on Fire Alarm Panel: (Typically Analog)
Fire Detection and Alarm Systems
No Automatic Fire Detection (AFDS) or Alarm
Safety Relies on Occupant’s Vigilence, Only
- Alarm is Raised by Someone Shouting: “Fire!” or Ringing a Bell etc.
- Clear View of Exits …. But Relies on Staff being Awake and Aware.
Fire Detection and Alarm Systems
Category M Life Protection Meeting BS5839-Part 1.
Basic System: Manual Call Points (MCPs) Only
- MCPs at Final Exits and Key Changes of Direction or Floor Levels.
- MCPs Raise the Alarm Through Sounders (Throughout Building).
Fire Detection and Alarm Systems
Category L5/M Life Protection Meeting BS5839-Part 1.
Limited Automatic Fire Detection System (AFDS) & MCPs
• For Specific Risks: e.g. Plant Rooms (Boiler Room etc.)
- Note: AFDS Heat (H) Detector, Example Shown in One Location, Only.
H
Fire Detection and Alarm Systems
Category L4 Life Protection Meeting BS5839-Part 1
• Means of Escape (MoE) Routes Only + MCPs
- AFDS (Smoke) Set at < 15m Intervals in Corridors < 2m Wide
S S
- Note: AFDS Smoke (S) Detector, Examples Shown in One Corridor, Only.
Fire Detection and Alarm Systems
Category L3 Life Protection Meeting BS5839-Part 1
• MoE & Rooms Onto & On MoE + MCPs
- AFDS (Smoke) 7.5m Radius = 10.6m or 112m2, When Overlapping.
- Note: AFDS Smoke (S) Detectors, Examples Shown in One Room, Only.
SS
S S
Fire Detection and Alarm SystemsCategory L2 Life Protection Meeting BS5839-Part 1
• MoE & Rooms Giving Onto MoE + MCPs
- Covers All L3 Categories, Plus High Risk Areas e.g. Boiler Room.
H
- Note: AFDS Heat (H) Detector, Example Shown in One Location, Only.
Fire Detection and Alarm SystemsCategory P1 Property Protection
Meeting BS5839-Part 1
• Providing Protection Throughout the Property: in Every Room.
- Note: AFDS Can be Heat (H), Smoke (S) or Particle Detectors, (Not Shown).
Automatic Fire Detection System: AFDS
Communal Areas and Landlords’ Common Parts
L1 - L5 Hard-Wired to Fire Panel
smoke heat
Automatic Fire Detection System: AFDS
Communal Areas and Landlords’ Common PartsSimple LD3 ‘Domestic’: Hard-Wired + Battery Back-Up
smoke heat
Automatic Fire Detection Systems: AFDS
Vesda: Particle Detection Optical Detection
(Evidenced in High Risk or High Asset Protection e.g. iT Comms)
Fire Alarm System: Servicing & Maintenance
• Legal Requirement that Fire Panel Serviced in accordance with BS5839-Part1 at least annually and thatEvery Device is Fully Maintained.
• Typically, Contractors Undertake 6 Monthly Service Visits and Fully Certify the System Annually.
• Manual Call Points are Not Required to be Numbered:
But it is Good Practice, to Show that ….they are Tested in Rotation.
Lighting
ordinary light borrowed light
.
Emergency Lighting
maintained emergency maintained emergency
.
internal (power source) external (power source)
“Maintained” Means Light is On All The Time - With Battery Back-Up, if Power Fails.
Emergency Lighting
non-maintained
non-maintained
“Non-Maintained” Means Light is Off - With Battery Back-Up, if Power Fails.
Fire Evacuation Strategy
Full Evacuation
Should This Apply to High Rise: > 6 Stories? …(Still Pending Outcome of Grenfell Final Report)
- If No Fire Detection in Communal Areas?
- If Only FD30s Fire Doors On or Onto MoE?
- Requires Designated Fire Assembly Point?
Delayed (Stay-Put) Evacuation
- Requires Adequate Fire Alarm System: All Flats?
- Ideally Linked to an Addressable Fire Panel?
- All Flats Entrances to be Confirmed as FD60s?
- Ideally With a Secondary Emergency Escape?
Means of Escape
• Escape Routes Must Offer a Minimum Width of 800mm, so far as is Reasonably Practicable. Note: Old Buildings Can Have 750mm Doors. Modern Inclusive Access requires 800mm.
• Escape Routes are to provide Unhindered Access and Egress, but also Safe Evacuation of Occupants, in the event of a fire.
• They shall Remain Free from Obstruction.
• They should be Protected, by Sound Fire Compartmentation, Appropriate Fire Doors and Non-Flammable Materials. Walls and Ceilings should be Zero-Rated for Spread of Fire.
• Stairs, Lobbies, Landings, Corridors, Designated as Escape Routes to be kept Clear of Combustible Material, at All Times.
Portable Fire Extinguishers
Class A Class B Class C Electrical Fire Blanket
Class A: Water - Solids (Wood, Paper)
Class B: Foam - Flammable Liquids
Class C: Dry Powder - Flammable Gas
CO2 - Flammable Liquids + Electrical
CO2 + Fire Blanket: Best for an Office Environment.
Portable Fire ExtinguisherCommercial Kitchen: Wet Chemical Class F Fires - Hot Oil or Fat
Wet Chemical - Specialised Training Essential.
Fixed Fire Extinguisher System
Commercial Kitchen Ansul Fire Suppression
Fire Suppression System - Emergency Procedure Essential.
Fire Risk Assessment Made Easy: 2nd Step
Alan Shaw CMIOSH GIFireE MIFSM MIRM
T: 01858 433 623 M: 07555 451 212
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