Fire Safety (Level 1 Portfolio)

Question 1

What building regulation document applies to fire safety?

Answer 1

Approved Document B

Question 2

What are main requirements of FSO 2005?

Answer 2

Eliminate or reduce risk of fire

Provide general fire precautions to deal with any risk, such as minimising combustibles & good housekeeping

Risk assessments

Fire fighting/detection

Emergency routes/exits

Question 3

When did the fire safety order come into force?

Answer 3

1st October 2006

Question 4

Who is a responsible person?

Answer 4

A person who owns or in control of premises

Question 5

Who is a competent person?

Answer 5

Someone with sufficient training and knowledge to undertake FRAs

Question 6

What is the difference between passive and active fire protection?

Answer 6

Passive - attempts to contain & slow spread (compartmentation, fire doors)

Active - aims to stop fire or detect early (fire extinguishers, sprinklers, detectors)

Question 7

What is a PEEP and what is it for?

Answer 7

Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan - people identified to not be able to get out of a building un-aided

Question 8

What legislation are our FRAs done under?

Answer 8

Fire Safety Order 2005

Question 9

What are the different levels of priorities for actions on FRAs?

Answer 9

1 - immediate, day to day repairs
2- within 12 months, repai quotes/planned scheme
3 - usually within 3 years, planned scheme

Question 10

Examples of different actions on different priorities?

Answer 10

1 - Fire stopping, signage, waste removal
2 - similar to three depending on times
3 - Planned scheme, new property doors, class 0 linings, emergency lighting

Question 11

What are you looking for when inspecting a roof space?

Answer 11

Loft hatch details, fire rated, strips and seals, hinges, secure

Fire break walls aligned will flats and if they have been breached, service penetrations or missing bricks

Any rubbish

Overall roof structure any defects/learning points

Question 12

What are you looking for when inspecting a fire door?

Answer 12

Door as a whole, condition/any holes

Material & thickness

Hinges & self-closer device

Gapping to frame within 3-4mm

Letter box or glazing if present

Key type

Stickers/manufacturer/brand

In line with BS8214

Question 13

How does the Housing Act 2004 apply to FRAs?

Answer 13

The Housing Act requires local housing authorities to keep housing conditions under review and require an assessment that looks at 29 hazards (The HHSRS, Housing Health and Safety Rating System), Fire is one of the hazards to look at. The Housing Act primarily focussed on the risk to residents from fire in individual dwellings and their associated escape routes together with the reduction of risk in the building as a whole. (Inner rooms)

Question 14

What is a notional fire door?

Answer 14

A fire door that meets the standard at time of construction, in PCC stock it is often a 44mm timber door without strips and seals.

Question 15

What is an upgraded fire door?

Answer 15

A fire door that has atleast 30mins if fire resistance, 44mm timber, intumescent strips and cold smoke seals, self closer, 3-4mm gaps to the frame, georgian wire glazing, 1 1/2 pairs of hinges

Question 16

What is an FD30 & FD30S?

Answer 16

FD30 are doors fire resistant for 30 mins

FD30S resist fire and smoke for 30 mins

Question 17

What should the travel distance be within a habitable room, within a flat, to the door or protected corridor?

Answer 17

9m, a protected corridor should also be 9m maximum

Question 18

Flats with a single escape stairway should have a macimum corrider distance of…

Answer 18

7.5m

Same as corridors with dead ends

Question 19

Flats with two escape stairs have a maximum travel distance of corridors of…

Answer 19

30m

Question 20

What are main points of the Fire Safety Order 2005?

Answer 20

To eliminate or reduce the risk of fire

To provide general fire precautions (good housekeeping and maintenance)

Have risk assessments in place

Emergency escape routes

Fire fighting or detection

Question 21

How are three ways a fire can spread?

Answer 21

Convection, movement of differing heat heat waves (hot rises)

conduction, molecular movement of energy

radiation, energy transferred through electro magnetic waves

Question 22

What is the british standard for single axis hinges?

Answer 22

BS1935

Question 23

What is the british standard for timber fire door assemblies?

Answer 23

BS8214

Question 24

What british standard relates to fire safety design, management and use of buildings?

Answer 24

BS9999

Question 25

What is the british standard for emergency lighting?

Answer 25

BS5266

Question 26

What classification of fire alarms are there?

Answer 26

Under BS5839 it’s start with basic category M for manual. L1 - maximum life protection to L5 - localised life protection automated and all in between get lower risk, L3 being standard. Category P1 and P2 are maximum and minimum protection for property. Then for domestic properties there is LD1 with is maximum for life then ranges to LD3 which is standard for life protection and is generally detectors on escape routes like in many houses where they are in the hall ways. LD1 & LD2 have detectors also in high risk Ignition rooms like kitchens.