Fire Safety Flashcards
What are some different types of passive fire protection?
Containing fire. Fire stopping, fire collars, fire doors, cavity barriers, non combustible external wall.
What are some different types of active fire protection?
Detecting, stopping and escaping fire. Sprinklers, fire detectors, AOV, fire exit signage, firefighter lift.
What is the biggest difference between passive and active fire protection?
Passive contains and active detects, stops and allows escape of fire.
Name the different types of fire detection?
- Smoke detectors
- Heat detectors
- Flame detectors
- Carbon monoxide detectors
Different Categories:
- Cat M manual
- Cat P property
- Cat L life
- Cat LD life domestic
Explain the different types of riser? At what heights are they required?
Risers are a system of pipes enabling water to a building. Dry riser 11m+ dry valves and pipework enabling fire service to pump water. Wet riser 50m+ wet valves and pipework permanently charged with water generally utilising pumps and tanks.
Explain the different types of smoke extraction?
Natural works without additional ventilation drivers such as windows, skylights, AOVs, they automatically open and help remove smoke.
Mechanical includes powered fans which extract smoke and can have a smaller shaft.
Smoke reservoirs include areas which aim to contain smoke by utilising automatic drop smoke barriers.
What is the purpose of a fire strategy? What is included and which person is responsible for?
Means of warning, means of escape, passive fire protection, protection against external fire spread, fire service access and facilities, fire safety management measures.
Responsible person who is owner or manages the building should review fire strategy yearly or if the building changes.
A fire strategy plan defines the fire safety objectives and performance requirements for a building and the methods by which these will be achieved.
Who is the responsible person and what is their role?
The client or the person who is responsible for managing the property.
Responsible for ensuring the fire strategy is up to date and it is implemented accordingly. Ensures the safety of the building in terms of fire.
What are the categories included in Approved Doc B?
Part B contains guidance on fire safety, including means of escape, fire spread, structural fire protection and fire service access.
Provide an example of passive and active fire safety measures that have been implemented on projects that you have been involved in
Sheffield fire door survey passive
Sprinklers Acorn House active
What are the most recent changes to Approved Document B?
- The ban on combustible materials in and on the external walls of buildings, introduced in 2018, will now apply to hotels, hostels and boarding houses
- Restricting the use of ACM cladding.
- Recommendation for buildings over 18m to have an evacuation alert system
- Restrictions in use of combustible materials in buildings over 11m
- Sprinklers in all new blocks of flats over 11m
Who is defined as the responsible person?
The Fire Safety Order defines the Responsible Person as anyone who has control or anyone who has a degree of control over certain areas within the premises. This could be the owner, employer or occupier.
When should a wet riser be implemented and when should a dry riser be implemented?
Dry riser is 11m+
Wet riser is 50m+
What are key differences between the main two types of smoke extraction?
Natural incorporates smoke naturally rising whereas mechanical uses powered fans.
Mechanical can usually have a narrower smoke shaft.
Mechanical can draw out smoke quicker.
Natural is normally more cost effective but it depends on the building.
What materials are used for fire stopping?
- Ablative batts
- Graphite fire stopping
- Acrylic fire stopping
- Fire collars
- Fire rated plasterboard
- Fire wraps
- Fire doors
What would you expect an ablative batt to look like?
Fire batt is usually made of fibreglass or mineral wool and coated.
Name the key headings within approved document B?
Requirement B1: Means of warning and escape Requirement B2: Internal fire spread (linings) Requirement B3: Internal fire spread (structure) Requirement B4: External fire spread
Requirement B5: Access and facilities for the fire service Regulations: 6(3), 7(2) and 38
What key documents relating to fire safety should be provided at handover?
- Fire strategy
- Fire doors
- Sprinkler certs
- Fire stopping records
- AOV certs
- Firefighter lift certs
- Appliance parking plan
- Riser cert
What key documents relating to fire safety should the client provide with the PCI?
FRA and any previous H&S file produced
What is the difference between a fire strategy and fire risk assessment? When are they required?
Both required for multi storey and multi occupancy buildings.
Fire risk assessment provided by employer and fire strategy provided by contractor. Fire strategy forms essential basis on which to conduct the fire risk assessment.
What is regulation 38?
Applies to multi storey multi occupancy buildings. Ensures fire related information is handed over to the responsible person prior to occupation, including fire strategy, EWS1, door certificates, AOV, detectors, risers, emergency lighting, hose length calculation dwgs and appliance parking dwgs.
How does the Fire Safety Act 2021 differ from the Fire Safety Order 2005?
Clarifies that the responsible persons responsibilities are also for the external wall fire spread and fire doors to common parts.
Who is the responsible person and what duties do they have?
A responsible person is anyone who has control or anyone who has a degree of control over certain areas within the premises.
They must do their best to make sure that everyone on the premises, or nearby, can escape safely if there is a fire.
Give an example of rooms that should have detection in an LD1 detection system but not an LD2 detection system?
Bedroom, cupboards
When are sprinklers required?
Blocks of flats - 11m+ whereas commercial and other are 30m+
What elements are required to start a fire?
- Oxygen
- Heat
- Fuel source
What actions should the responsible person undertake as per the Regulatory Reform Order?
- carry out a fire risk assessment of the premises and review it regularly
- tell staff or their representatives about the risks you’ve identified
- put in place, and maintain, appropriate fire safety measures
- plan for an emergency
- provide staff information, fire safety instruction and training
Name some legislation that governs fire safety in the UK?
Building Regulations, Building Safety Act, Fire Safety Act
What is a high risk building under the building safety act?
Higher-risk buildings are: at least 18m or 7 storeys high, with 2 or more residential units. There are discussions for this to be revised to 11m.
How can a fire start?
- Electrical
- Misuse
- Arson
- Candle or cigarette
- Poor storage of flammable materials
What are the travel distances under approved document B?
Residential - maximum distance from an FED to a common staircase is 7.5m where there is only one direction of escape whereas if there are two it increases to 30m.
Commercial - maximum distance from a room to a common staircase is 18m where there is only one direction of escape whereas if there are two it increases to 45m.
What is a fire strategy? What is a Fire Risk Assessment?
- A fire strategy looks at the building as a whole, taking into account how the building is constructed, the compartmentation strategy and means of escape.
- A fire risk assessment (FRA) is a review of a building to assess its fire risks and recommendations to make the building safer.
