Fire Safety Blog

What is fire compartmentation, where is it required and why is it important?

30/1/2021

Approved Document B, Volume 2 (2019) defines a fire compartment as; -

“A building or part of a building comprising one or more rooms, spaces or storeys constructed to prevent the spread of fire to or from another part of the same building or an adjoining building.”

This is achieved through the provision of fire resisting walls and floors (commonly offering between 30 minutes and 120 minutes fire resistance). And will include special measures to address any openings in the compartment lines, such as doors, glazing, service penetrations and ductwork.

The wall or floor must remain functional for the duration of the designed fire resistance period. The compartment wall or floor should not crack or develop holes that allow flames, smoke or hot gases to pass through it, and if appropriate, it should maintain a suitable degree of insulation.
There are two main reasons as to why fire compartmentation is required – for life safety and property protection purposes.

It is required for life safety purposes when protecting or sub-dividing escape routes, this may include external or internal means of escape. For example, escape corridors, stair enclosures including those with refuge areas, protected lobbies / firefighting shafts. Fire compartmentation provides occupiers of the building additional time to evacuate before escape routes are potentially compromised by the spread of smoke and fire. It will also decrease the danger which the Fire and Rescue Services may be exposed to. Compartmentation will also be used to limit maximum compartment sizes in premises such as warehouses. Compartmentation is also used to support specific fire evacuation strategies, such as a defend in place strategy in blocks of flats – where each flat is designed as its own fire compartment limiting the need for a full evacuation of a building in the event of a fire in one flat. It may similarly be used to support progressive horizontal evacuation in healthcare buildings – were patients can be moved horizontally away from a fire into adjoining compartments and minimising the need for vertical evacuation of vulnerable patients and/or full evacuation of the entire building.
It is required for property protection purposes as it will limit spread and attempt to contain the fire to the location it has originated, this is predominantly for enclosures housing special fire hazards such as plant rooms or other high risk rooms. It may also be used to protect areas of high financial or strategic value, such as IT suites / server rooms or strategic storage spaces. Where a building contains more than one occupier and the nature of their activities significantly different (for example residential premises sited over or alongside retail units) they are likely to require separating by compartment walls and floors to prevent a fire progressing to the other purpose group, this is the same case with wall common to two or more buildings.

Approved Document B Tables B3 and B4 provide detailed information regarding the minimum periods of fire resistance required in buildings for different purpose groups and maximum permitted compartment sizes. In some instances, automatic fire suppression systems such as a sprinkler system may be provided where necessary to reduce the rate and growth of fire which may also impact on permitted maximum compartment sizes.
How do you achieve fire compartmentation?

Fire resisting construction and cavity barriers, with any fire stopping if necessary.

Approved Document B refers to a cavity as any concealed space and states that cavity barriers should be provided in the following situations.

To divide cavities at junctions and cavity closures
To close the edges of cavities at junctions and cavity closures, and
To protected escape routes
To cavities affecting alternative escape routes

Fire doors together with its frame and furniture, it is intended when closed to resist the spread of fire and/or toxic gases and meets the requirements of BS 476-22 and or BS EN 1634-1. Please refer to Approved Document B, Volume 2 (2019), Table C1 and B5 regarding incorporating glazing in the design of the door.

This can include fire shutters or curtains, predominantly found in large open spaces such as atriums, shopping centres and can be installed in roof spaces.

Fire dampers in air handling ductwork are generally actuated by automatic smoke detection or thermally actuated devices and are sited where ductwork penetrates the fire resisting construction.

All passive fire safety measures should be subject to regular inspection and where necessary testing and maintenance in line with recommendation in standards and manufacturers.

What if my building does not have adequate fire compartmentation?

In the scenarios where fire resisting construction is breached, there are a variety of different methods to use depending on the physical sizes, gaps and type of service penetration or linear gaps between the elements of construction. It is critical that the correct choice is taken to ensure that the required fire resistance of the fire separating wall/floor is maintained, despite the original construction compromised by breaches. Fire stopping will ensure that compartment lines are not breached and help delay the spread of fire, smoke and hot gases. Examples of fire stopping products / methods include proprietary materials such as fire resisting boards or mineral fibre baths cement mortar, Gypsum-based plaster, intumescent mastic, ‘seal bags’ filled with intumescent granules etc. Certain specialist products such as intumescent fire collars may be used to protect certain types of service penetrations.

Any fire stopping should be completed by a competent third-party contractor, preferably accredited by a third-party scheme, for example Warrington Fires FIRAS scheme or Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB).

To summarise, fire compartmentation is the sub-division of a building into smaller sections or units in order to withstand and limit damage/growth from a fire situation by preventing the spread of smoke and fire, with the use of fire resisting construction.

Fire compartmentation should be analysed during each Fire Risk Assessment carried out by a competent Fire Risk Assessor. Alternatively, if you are particularly worried about the fire compartmentation within your building, it is recommended that a full compartmentation and fire door survey is carried out by a competent contractor.

Scenario

A contractor has breached a fire rated ceiling to install fire alarm cables and has replaced the ceiling with non-fire rated suspended false ceiling tiles, is this acceptable? The answer is no, as this now allows the spread of smoke and fire above the fire door through the roof space as there is no adequate compartment. You can resolve this issue by fully extending the wall construction to storey or roof height, using materials which achieve the same period of fire resistance achieved by the fire door.

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THE IMPORTANCE OF THIRD PARTY ACCREDITATION FOR FIRE SAFETY

30/1/2021

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Ensuring appropriate action is taken to minimise risk in the workplace may seem like a daunting prospect for those responsible for fire safety.

However, its important to remember that while the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 states that a ‘suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks’ must be made, the responsible person can seek help and support from professionals where they feel they are not suitably qualified.

Image courtesy of FPA

Those responsible for building safety are often juggling many responsibilities, and fire safety can be a complex addition to the mix, so it’s important to remember that you are not expected to know all the answers. By using accredited, competent contractors and products, the responsible person can ensure they are working within industry best practice, and minimising the risk to employees, the business and the local community.
One of the major issues when it comes to competency however is that there is no consistent legal definition. The debate around who qualifies as a ‘competent’ person gained momentum following the Grenfell Tower tragedy, although was one that the fire sector has been lobbying government to distinguish for many years. The subsequent Hackitt Review into building regulations identified a significant lack of skills, knowledge and experience within the building and construction industry in relation to fire.

Despite this lack of clarity however, those responsible for fire safety within a building may still be liable in the event of a fire if they cannot evidence that the fire risk assessment has been carried out by a competent person. Seeking help from an accredited third party is therefore the best way for businesses to better identify and assess fire risks, and ultimately limit their impact. Below, we identify some of the areas in which a certified third party can help you to become fire secure.

Receiving the right training

Approved training is an important and established way to ensure that building managers and owners understand exactly what their responsibilities are, and the impact their decisions could have in the event of a fire. Legally, a responsible person (normally the owner or managing occupier of the premises) must make a ‘suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks’. If they choose not to use an accredited company or individual, then it is of paramount importance that they seek training, which provides them with a third party stamp of approval to undertake this work. This is the only way they can get a better understanding of the potential challenges caused by fire, as well as guidance on conducting the fire risk assessment itself and implementing the findings.

This type of knowledge and skillset is not achieved overnight, and depending on the complexity of the premises it may take many hours of practice and assessment to reach a standard that meets competency levels.

Building evacuation

Another key consideration is ensuring an appropriate evacuation strategy is in place. The building’s fire risk assessment should consider the specific people at risk, where they are in the building and the risks that cannot be removed or reduced any further. This may prove difficult for those with limited experience in fire strategy, as the evacuation approach often differs based on the building size, use and occupancy, meaning a single staged or phased evacuation may be required.

Training of all staff and evacuation drills are vital to ensure that procedures are embedded and that risks are minimised. While few buildings have large numbers of fires each year, many have an unnecessary number of evacuations due to false alarms and poor control over contractor work. Having competent, well trained responders can quickly eradicate the problem at hand with minimal disruption.

Putting a thorough fire strategy in place

The British Standards Institution’s guidance document, PAS 911, refers to a fire strategy as providing ‘a clear set of measures encompassing fire precautions, management of fire safety and fire protection.’ This includes the development and implementation of systems, policies and procedures that address relevant risks in line with specific business objectives - with an aim to reduce life risk while also protecting business procedures and assets.

However, in our experience businesses don’t always take a robust and holistic approach to fire strategy. For health and safety managers, an important first step is understanding that their fire strategy will vary per building, and is based on their individual requirements and specifications. This includes:

building descriptions, including layouts and materials
fire compartmentation, including protection for escape routes
evacuation strategies
fire detection and alarm arrangements, emergency lighting and fire safety signage
smoke ventilation and fire suppression
fire safety management arrangements including staff training, inspection and review requirements

Alongside the obvious risk to life, a fire can have a prolonged impact on a business resulting from factors including loss of income, damaged equipment and stock, and many others. The harsh reality is that some companies may not recover from a major fire. Building managers and owners, and all others responsible for fire safety, should therefore take the action necessary to minimise the risks, which could include partnering with an accredited third party.

Original article here

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Petition launched as research finds risk of fire at schools double that of other buildings

30/1/2021

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According to new research from insurer, Zurich Municipal, schools in England are “nearly twice as likely” to suffer from a fire as other types of commercial buildings.

Data was taken from 26,800 schools in England, with the analysis showing that the average fire risk is almost doubled than that of most other non-residential buildings. This is due to a number of reasons, believes Zurich Municipal:

Two thirds lack adequate fixed fire protection measures (e.g. sprinklers)
A quarter rated ‘poor’ for fire detection
The regular presence of cooking equipment
Malfunctioning equipment, faulty electrics and arson are the leading causes
Sizes of the buildings (bigger and older schools were deemed to be more at risk)

These issues have resulted in nearly 2,000 school blazes in the last three years, and follows recent calls for sprinklers to be made mandatory in schools in England. Larger fires in schools cost on average £2.8 million to repair and in some cases over £20 million.
The findings have led Zurich to launch a parliamentary petition to urge MPs to change the law on sprinklers in schools. Whilst sprinklers are compulsory in all new or major refurbished school buildings in Scotland and Wales, this is not the case in England. In fact, they are fitted in fewer than one in six new schools, believes Zurich.

Case Study – Sprinklers save Flintshire school from ‘laser cutter’ blaze
Connah’s Quay High School in Flintshire, north Wales, was saved from a potentially disastrous blaze when a laser-cutter caught fire. Around 1,000 pupils had to be evacuated at lunchtime when the fire broke out at the secondary school in June 2019. The school’s sprinkler system quickly extinguished the fire and contained the damage to a single room allowing pupils to return the next day. Emma Dale, Connah’s Quay School Business Manager, said: “Without sprinklers, the damage could have been devastating.” She added: “Sprinklers are a cost saving measure, not an expense. They save the cost of rebuilding and repairing schools, and can pay for themselves in lower insurance premiums.” Speaking at the time North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said: “This incident clearly highlights the importance of sprinklers in helping to avoid the spread of fire.”

Tilden Watson, Zurich Municipal’s Head of Education, said: “An alarming number of school buildings pose a high fire risk – yet many are poorly protected against a potential blaze. Unless Ministers bring England into line with other parts of the UK, where sprinklers are mandatory, large fires will continue to blight schools. This is harming children’s education and putting lives at risk.

“As well as protecting pupils, sprinklers drastically reduce the extent of damage when there is a blaze, often confining the fire to a single room. This gets children back into schools and classrooms quicker as well as saving taxpayers’ money.”

Nick Coombe, Protection Vice Chair and Building Safety Programme Lead for the National Fire Chiefs Council, said: “The case for sprinklers is compelling. Of almost 1,000 fires over five years in buildings where sprinklers were fitted, our research found they controlled or extinguished blazes in 99% of cases. We want to see a greater inclusion of Automatic Fire Suppression Systems (AFSS), including sprinklers, across the built environment. Sprinklers can dramatically reduce fire damage, making the reopening of a school much easier. This not only minimises the disruption to a pupil’s education, but also the impact on their family, the community and the wider education establishment.”

In June, Boris Johnson pledged £1bn to fund a decade long school rebuilding and repair programme and a further £560m in early August. Based on large fires alone, Zurich estimates that the repair for school fires could hit £320 million over 10 years – a significant portion of the government’s slated investment. Zurich wants the government to ring-fence some of its promised investment to improve the resilience of schools at high risk of fire. Insurers work closely with schools to help them manage their fire risks but the installation of sprinklers minimise the dangers from the outset.

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WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CARRYING OUT A FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT?

30/1/2021

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The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO) states that almost all types of premises – unless a single domestic dwelling – must be subject to a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment. It is the duty of the ‘Responsible Person’ to take general fire precautions as far as reasonably practicable under the RRO Part 2 to ensure the premises is safe for all relevant persons and to reduce the risk of harm and prevent fire.

The ‘Relevant Persons’ are defined in the RRO Part 1 Article 2 as:

Any person (including the Responsible Person) who is or may be lawfully on the premises.
Any person in the immediate vicinity of the premises who is at risk from a fire on the premises but does not include a fire-fighter who is carrying out his duties in relation to a function of a fire and rescue authority under section 7, 8 or 9 of the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004.

The ‘Responsible Person’ is defined in the RRO Part 1 Article 3 as:

In relation to a workplace, the employer, if the workplace is to any extend under their control;
In relation to any premises not falling within the above;
- The person who has control of the premises (as occupier or otherwise) in connection with the carrying on by a trade, business or other undertaking.
- The owner, where the person in control of the premises does not have control in connection with the carrying on by that person of a trade, business or other undertaking.

To summarise, a ‘Responsible Person’ could be the employer, owner, landlord or appointed managing agent of the premises. In some buildings there may be more than one Responsible Person.

How often should a fire risk assessment be undertaken/reviewed?The fire safety order 2005 states that if necessary, the ‘Responsible Person’ should seek safety assistance to assist when carrying out a risk assessment by appointing a competent person. The RRO Part 2 Article 18 defines a competent person providing safety assistance as an individual who has sufficient training and experience or knowledge and other qualities to enable them properly to assist in undertaking the preventative and protective measures.

In terms of undertaking/reviewing fire risk assessments there is often no prescriptive time frame, but the ‘Responsible Person’ should regularly review the document to ensure it remains up to date and relevant to the premises. If the fire risk assessment is no longer valid due to a significant change to the premises such as structural alterations, change of building use, increase in occupancy or use by a different group of people etc. then the risk of fire has changed and a review of the existing fire risk assessment is required with the changes made as appropriate.
It should be noted that a prescribed record of the fire risk assessment should be documented if:

The company employs five or more people (not necessary in the building but within the company as a whole);
A license under an enactment is in force in relation to the premises such as a license to sell alcohol;
An alterations notice has been served by the local fire and rescue authority.

The 4 types of fire risk assessmentThe RRO does not expand on how intrusive a fire safety risk assessment should be. When it comes to creating a fire risk assessment for residential properties only, there are 4 different ‘types’ defined as endorsed by the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) ‘Fire Safety in Purpose Built Blocks of Flats’, issued by the Local Government Association in 2012.

Type 1 Fire Risk Assessments are the most common type and is a non-destructive assessment of the common areas of the building only and does not include access to the private dwellings. In some instances, it may be requested by the client to inspect the front door of the private dwellings as part of the assessment.
Type 2 Fire Risk Assessments are similar to Type 1 assessments of the common areas of the buildings only. Type 2 assessments should only be carried out if there is good reason to believe the structural compartmentation is flawed as this involves a contractor sampling the construction, carrying out any fire stopping afterwards.
Type 3 Fire Risk Assessments are non-destructive assessments which cover beyond the requirements of legislation and consider the individual dwellings in addition to the common parts.
Type 4 Fire Risk Assessments are similar to Type 3 assessments in the individual dwellings and common parts. Like Type 2, Type 4 assessments should only be carried out if there is good reason to believe the structural compartmentation in both the common areas and individual dwellings are flawed and will again involve a contractor sampling the construction in the areas in question.

It is important to stress, the above types ONLY apply to domestic dwellings and not commercial properties. If the existing compartmentation is insufficient and as a result people are at risk, the emergency plan for the premises should be reviewed by a competent person.

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The bigger picture...

What is fire compartmentation, where is it required and why is it important?

THE IMPORTANCE OF THIRD PARTY ACCREDITATION FOR FIRE SAFETY

Petition launched as research finds risk of fire at schools double that of other buildings

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CARRYING OUT A FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT?

Bryn Bashford

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