Fire Safety Flashcards
Who is the responsible person in charge of fire safety?
The building owner or organisation who manage the building on behalf of the owner.
Duties of a responsible person (RP)?
Undertake an FRA, eliminate/reduce risks, provide fire precautions, plan for emergencies.
Requirements of a competent person?
Person with sufficient experience, training or knowledge, appointed by the RP.
What is an FRA?
Review of a premises to look at hazards and risks associated with fire and produce recommendations to mitigate the risks.
How would you undertake an FRA?
Desktop study
Identify hazards
Identify fire protection measures
Prioritise hazards
Conform information to PAS79 report
Update database and allocate tasks.
FRA action prioritisation ratings?
P1 - High risk leading to multiple injuries or death
P2 - Medium risk leading to serious injury or 1 death
P3 - Low risk. Best practice activities with minimal impact.
A - 1 month
B - 6 months
C - 12 months
D - 2 years
What does a Type 1 FRA cover?
The common areas of a block of flats up to and including the FED.
What does a Type 4 FRA cover?
Intrusive survey to assess compartmentation, includes the individual dwellings.
How frequently must FRAs be carried out?
Dependent on building risk
Low rise - Full FRA every 9 years with reviews every 3
HRBs - Every year
Or when there is a material change or use of the building.
What measures can be taken to minimise the risk and spread of fire?
Improve compartmentation
Educate residents
Zero tolerance
Signage.
What do you need to start a fire?
Oxygen, heat, fuel.
Sources of fire in a block of flats?
Arson
Cigarettes
Battery fires
Kitchen fires
Hot works.
What can cause a fire to spread?
Convection
Radiation
Conduction
Combustible materials internally and externally
Compartmentation examples within a building structure?
Fire resistant cells
Fire walls
Fire doors
Cavity barriers
Insulated steels
What is compartmentation?
Division of a building into cells separated by fire resistant materials to slow down the spread of fire.
What FRAEW rating should be met for a HRB?
Euro class A2.
What are passive fire safety measures and some examples?
Used to contain and slow the spread of fire
Compartmentation within a building such as FD30s and appropriate fire stopping.
What are active fire safety measures and some examples?
Systems that react to the presence of fire to limit its spread
Sprinkler systems
Fire alarms
AOVs
What are the minimum travel distances?
Flat: 9m max from door to any habitable room within a property;
Communal areas with one means of escape: 7.5m from FED to protected lobby or external air;
Communal area with multiple means of escape: 30m from FED to protected lobby or external air
How would you identify a fire door?
Manufacturers sticker
Documents of install
Self-closers
Intumescent strips and seals
Door thickness
Gaps
How many minutes compartmentation should be present between flats?
Low rise: 30 mins
High rise: 60 minutes
What is the Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order 2005?
Legislation on fire safety in common part of a building with 2 or more dwellings.
Takes a risk based approach to fire safety for pre-existing buildings.
What is the Fire Safety Act 2021?
Post Grenfell
Clarification on the scope of the fire safety order
FSO applies to the structure and external walls (FRAEW) and FEDs
RP responsible for ensuring these parts are covered in an FRA
What is Approved Document B?
Guidance on fire safety for new builds that can be applied to existing builds when undertaking renovations.
