Matthew RyanThe Fire Surgery Ltd

Fire Safety Engineering: Firefighting provisions

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Overview

• Fire strategies and the importance of firefighting provisions

• The fire service as a stakeholder

• Key firefighting provisions

• CIBSE Guide E approaches (Chapter 13)

• Operational building management

(Will try to keep in the context of building services, and not too ‘London-centric’)

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Fire strategies and importance of firefighting provisions• Definition; BS7974: 2019

• Formal fire strategy document; historically performance based design, now expected for most buildings (apart from the simplest)

• PAS911: 2007 – how to write

• B1 to B5 (including Regulation 7) of the Building Regulations 2010

• B5 Access and facilities for the fire service

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Fire strategies and importance of firefighting provisions• Functional requirement B5

• Primarily life safety related; increasing property protection and business continuity objectives for some sectors.

• Four key areas:- External fire service vehicle access- Access into and within the building to:

search for and rescue peoplefight fire

- Provision of internal firefighting facilities for firefighters to complete their tasks

- Ventilation of heat and smoke from a fire in a basement

Excerpts from Approved Document B Volume 2 (2019); https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/832633/Approved_Document_B__fire_safety__volume_2_-_2019_edition.pdf

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The fire service as a stakeholder• Fire safety design process (the fire strategy)

• Design objectives, specific to each project

• Various stakeholders; fire service should always be considered as one of these. M&E also a key stakeholder

• Fire service needs/ views/ opinions? Geographical differences?

• Not just an ‘approver’; they interact with the building and its systems when there is a fire

• Need for early consultation with the local fire and rescue service?

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Key firefighting provisions (not exhaustive!)

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CIBSE Guide E approaches• Collation of ‘code compliant’ benchmark design guidance

references for key firefighting provisions and related building services items

• References to relevant related ‘progressive’ guidance (e.g. BS8899: 2016 for lifts for use in the event of fire)

• Consideration of emerging technologies/ equipment

• Consideration of new fire strategy concepts (e.g. refuge floors for super high rise buildings)

• Environmental considerations (firefighting related)

Bronto Skylift F295HLA

Burj Khalifa, Dubai

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CIBSE Guide E approaches – fire engineering• Acknowledgement of firefighter PPE limitations (for design

purposes)

• Potential enhancements to fire service access (intelligent fire detection/ alarm/ notification, twin landing valves for fire mains, etc)

• Appreciation of typical fire service operational procedures

• Typical firefighting shaft design variations

• Firefighting timelines

• Building services play a central role to all

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CIBSE Guide E approaches – an example• Engagement with local fire and

rescue service

• Fire service vehicle access

• Firefighting water supplies

• Dry horizontal fire main

• Automatic suppression systems

• Fire detection and alarms

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Operational building management• All fire safety systems: knowing what you have, how it works, and when/ how to

test and maintain it

• Firefighting facilities sometimes overlooked

• Complex buildings/ systems – ‘in house’ expertise

• CIBSE Guide E Chapter 14 – management and maintenance

• Importance of fire strategy, Regulation 38 information, etc

• Specialist building services support where appropriate

• Planning for a fire incident

• Contingency planning for systems (spares, etc)

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Thank you for listening