Fire Safety Flashcards
What is required for a fire to start?
An ignition point
Fuel
Oxygen
What are the consequences of fire?
Loss of life
Injury
Property Damage
Loss of Data
Loss of Business
Reputational Damage
What is the difference between active and passive fire controls?
A passive fire control is something that contains the spread of fire.
An active fire control is something that detects, stops and assists escape from fire.
What are some examples of passive fire controls?
Fire Doors
Duct Fire Dampeners
Flame Retardant Materials
Electrical Fault Protection
How do fire doors prevent the spread of fire?
Fire doors are specially designed and tested to withstand the passage of fire.
They are graded based upon their level of resistance, which is measured by the length of time that the door can withstand fire.
They will be fitted with automatic closers to keep them shut, and intumescent strips which expand to plug the gaps around the doors when a fire occurs.
What are some examples of active fire controls?
Fire detection systems
Sprinklers
Why is fire alarm zoning important?
Fire alarm zoning is important as it more easily helps fire-fighters in locating the source of a fire within a building.
Each building should have a fire alarm zone plan, showing the floorplate, where each ‘zone’ is, fire exits, common escape routes and stairs. There must also be a ‘you are here’ point.
What are the fire alarm categories?
Categories are split into L and P for Life and Property protecting alarms?
L5 - Localised to specific areas.
L4 - Protectors along escape routes and circulation areas.
L3 - Protections along all escape routes.
L2 - Advanced warning of a fire in another room with alarms in high risk rooms.
L1 - Detectors in all parts of a building that are at risk of fire.
What are the key legislative/regulatory mechanisms for fire safety?
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
Fire Safety Act 2021
Part B of the Building Regulations
To what does the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
apply?
Commercial premises, structures and open spaces.
What does the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 require?
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 creates the role of the ‘responsible person’ who must perform regular fire risk assessments to identify risks and hazards. They must work with other stakeholders to formulate an emergency fire plan.
The ‘responsible person’ must also identify people who would be at risk.
The ‘responsible person’ must then eliminate or reduce the risks ‘as far as is reasonably practicable’.
Who is considered a ‘responsible person’?
Anyone who has control over the premises or a degree of control over certain areas or systems.
In practice, this is typically an employer or a building manager or managing agent.
What did the Fire Safety Act 2021 introduce?
The Fire Safety Act 2021, clarified the scope of the Fire Safety Order, and made it clearly applicable to the structure, external walls, cladding, balconies and individual flat entrance doors.
How does Fire Safety legislation impact building design?
Designers may choose to adhere to prescriptive requirements, as detailed in Part B, or may work with building control to establish a ‘fire-engineered’ solution.
What are the maximum travel distances to a fire exit?
No greater than 60 metres in a building with multiple exits, and no greater than 25 metres in a building with a single exit.
