Fire Safety Flashcards
What is required to start a fire?
- Source of ignition
- Fuel
- Oxygen
What steps could you take to reduce the risk of fire?
Remove one of the three elements from the fire triangle e.g. practical steps could include securely storing documents away from potential ignition sources.
What is passive fire protection?
Inherent parts of the building structure which slow or inhibit the spread of smoke or flame i.e. built in elements.
Can you provide some examples of passive fire protection?
- Compartment floors
- Compartment walls
- Intumescent coatings e.g. to steel
What is active fire protection?
Items or systems which require a certain amount of motion or response to work.
Can you provide some examples of active fire protection?
- Fire alarms
- Sprinkler systems
- Fire extinguishers
Where would you find guidance on fire within buildings?
Section 2 of the Technical Handbooks.
What requirements are there for fire alarms in domestic properties?
- Must be interlinked as of February 2022
- Smoke alarms located in principal habitable room and circulation spaces (1 per storey)
- Heat detector in kitchen
Are you aware of any legislation relating to fire safety in Scotland?
Yes, the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006.
Can you tell me about the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations?
Yes, they are a piece of legislation which impose responsibilities on the Duty Holders (employers, premises managers etc.) in relation to fire safety.
What are the responsibilities placed on Duty Holders under the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006?
- Carry out Fire Risk Assessments of the workplace.
- Where appropriate equipping the building with fire fighting equipment.
- Provide clear emergency exit signage and lighting.
- Ensuring any systems in place are suitably maintained and in good working order.
What is an EWS1 form?
It is a mortgage lending tool, not a certificate of fire safety.
Can you explain the EWS1 process?
Yes, my involvement was in assisting on identifying wall makes up through site visits, intrusive investigations and review of Building Warrant information. This would be then be fed back to the wider team and a decision was made on the suitability of the property for EWS1 issue by a suitably qualified and competent chartered surveyor.
What are the EWS1 form options?
Option A - External wall materials unlikely to support combustion
Option B - Where combustible materials are present in external wall make up
What is the “Golden Thread” principle?
This is the principle that all information about a building needs to be easily traced and fully understood to protect residents / users now and in the future.
How would you identify ACM cladding?
Personally, I am not sufficiently qualified nor does my firm have the appropriate PI insurance in place to comment on cladding issues. However, ACM is generally identified by:
- two no. sheets of aluminium bonded to a insulated core.
- anywhere between 3mm to 7mm
Under BS EN 13501 what are the combustibility ratings?
- A1 Non-combustible No contribution to fire
- A2 Limited combustibility - Very limited contribution to fire
- B Combustible - Limited contribution to fire
- C to F - increasingly combustible in ascending order
What is travel distance in relation to fire?
The furthest distance in a building, or storey, to a place of relative safety.
What are the categories of fire alarm systems?
- Type M - Manual, with call points at exits
- Type P - Property, property protection (P1 or P2)
- Type L - Life protection, (L1 to L5)
What dictates the type of fire alarm you should use?
- Type of premises
- Occupancy characteristics
- Occupancy load
- Time needed to evacuate
