Fire safety within buildings

In order to ensure the safe evacuation of people in the event of fire it is not possible merely to rely on building design, adequate means of escape, fire alarms, emergency lighting, etc. In all but the smallest workplaces it will be necessary to have staff that have been trained to assist with emergency evacuation. Specifically those people responsible for fire safety within buildings and outside venues will need to consider the provision of fire wardens/marshals, crowd safety stewards, fire alarm verifiers and fire incident controllers. 

Once fire doors are installed within a building it is necessary to manage their continued effectiveness. The inspection of fire doors is a key component of all fire safety management systems. Those who find themselves responsible for managing fire safety in buildings will need to be aware of the common requirements for fire doors which are summarised below. 

Acrylics are combustible plastics, and the fire precautions normally used with other combustibles must be observed in handling, storing, and using them. The fire hazards of acrylic installations can be kept within acceptable levels by complying with building codes, applicable Underwriters Laboratories standards, and the established principles of Fire safety. 

In the European Union, the current code that relates to fire safety in the design and construction of buildings is Eurocode 1 - actions on stractures part 1.2 actions on structures exposed to fire [23]. This code was first released in 1990. Two forms of design fires are considered within the code normative and parametric. The normative design fire is used in the prescriptive portion of the code and refers to the time-temperature curves provided by the ISO 834 standard. The parametric portion of the code provides a performance-based design approach. Rather than using standard time-temperature curves, reahstic fire scenarios can be considered using a choice of simple or advanced fire models [7j. 

It is estimated that about 5%t of the total value of a real estate belongs to electrical cables and wiring. Within the polymers used for electrical cables and wiring, PVC electrical products are the most durable that provide electrical and fire safety at low cost and contribute to the life safety in building design. PVC-U is inherently flame retardant, but PVC-P looses this property somewhat (because of the plasticisers used) and are used... 

The level of responsibility and accountability of the fire safety manager will need to reflect the organisation however, any safety management structure should provide for clear lines of responsibility, authority, accountability and resources, in particular in relation to common areas within multiple occupied buildings/premises. 

There are a number of inherent risks to be considered when employing contractors. In terms of fire safety management these risks arise from the actions of the contractors during the work itself and the subsequent impact upon the fire safety arrangements within the building following the contracted works. 

Fire safety risks associated with contractor within buildings ... 

As the building has such a key role to play in relation to fire safety and risk management it is imperative that a knowledge of the Building Regulations Approved Documents, British Standards and official guidance is included within any course of study. Each of these areas is covered within this chapter and will have a significant impact on the preventive and protective control measures identified within a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment (see Chapter 14). 

As a compieted fire risk assessment is more than iikeiy to incorporate a pian of the premises, it is also strongly recommended for larger more complex buildings that the emergency plan also incorporates a similar plan of the premises, which will provide information on key fire safety elements and systems within the building. 

When contractors are on warehouse property, it is important to maintain fire safety. Portable fire extinguishers should be taken onto the roof or to any other areas where work is being performed. Everyone within the building should know that contractors are in the building and prepare for any unusual circumstances. 

Ideally, each fume hood should be individually exhausted from the building. This allows for the greatest flexibility within the hood as to selection of chemicals that can be used. It also provides the most safety in case of an accidental spill, fire, or explosion. 

The general public s traditional perception of textile factories is that the social standards within these facilities are poor. Events over the past few years with the tragic loss of life due to factory fires or building collapses have reinforced this perception. Beyond the terrible fatalities that have occurred, other social problans associated with the apparel industry include child labor, gender inequality, poor health and safety, exposure to harmful chemical and bonded labor. 

Moreover, the manufacturer s instructions have to be observed to minimize safety risks. Activated carbon or its impurities catalyze the decomposition of some organics, such as ketones, aldehydes and esters. These exothermic decomposition reactions can generate localized hot spots and/or bed fires within an adsorber if the heat is allowed to build up. These hazards will crop up if the flow is low and the inlet concentrations are high, or if an adsorber is left dormant without being completely regenerated. To reduce the hazard of bed fires, the following procedures are usually recommended ... 

The two key features in planning a means of escape are, firstly, the travel distance which is the distance a person must travel from any point within a floor area to the nearest exit to a protected stairway, escape route or to a place of safety. In general 18 m is considered to be the maximum travel distance if there is only one exit and 45 m if there is more than one. Secondly, except in special circumstances, at least two escape routes in substantially opposite directions should be provided for every storey or level of a building. The width of the exit and the escape route is governed by the number of people who may be present on the storey or level but the minimum permitted width is 826 mm. Where a corridor forms part of the travel distance it should be enclosed to restrict the spread of smoke. If the corridor is a dead end then it must have at least half-hour fire resistance walls and ceilings so that people can safely pass by a room if it is on fire. If the corridor connects alternative exits it should be fitted with smoke stop doors mid-way between the exits. 

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