Part B – Fire Safety

Technical Seminar by

Sussex Building ControlWest Sussex Fire & Rescue Service

Programme

11.00 Welcome – Martin Gentles

11.15Regulatory Reform Order 2005Mick Langley - WSFRS

11.45Part B – DwellinghousesStephen Shorrocks

12.15Part B – Other buildingsDavid Starr

12.45Questions13.00Lunch

Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

Mick LangleyWest Sussex Fire & Rescue Service

Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation

Dwellinghouses

Stephen ShorrocksSussex Building Control

Approved Document B

Two volumesVolume 1: DwellinghousesVolume 2: Other buildings (including flats)

Why?Easier for small builders and agentsFlats are often contained in complex buildingsBrings together all buildings covered by RRO

General

Approved DocumentsGuidance only

Transitional arrangementsFull Plans application or Building Notice deposited before 6th April then new regulations do not apply

Residential sprinklers

Now recognised within the ADCan reduce the risk to life and degree of damageCan be used as a compensatory featureDesigned and installed in accordance with BS 9251: 2005

Further guidanceSprinklers for Safety: Use and Benefits of Incorporating Sprinklers in Buildings and Structures, BAFSA (2006)

Fire alarms

Material alterationsWhere new habitable rooms are provided above ground floorWhole house to be provided with smoke alarms

Standby power supply

Means of escape (1)

Ground floorEscape via entrance hallInner rooms provided with egress windows or doors

First floorEscape via stair and egress windowsAlternatively provide a protected stair

Means of escape (2)

Second floorEscape via protected stairNo inner rooms allowed

Third floorEscape via protected stairProvide alternative escape or sprinklersNo inner rooms allowed

Loft conversions

Apply escape provision as new buildExample

Loft conversion to a two-storey houseProtect the stairway by providing fire resisting doors and partitions

Undesirable to replace doors?Open-plan ground floor?

Self-closers

Fire doors within individual dwellinghouses do not require self-closing devices

Except door into an integral garageDoes not apply to a “House in Multiple Occupation”

Smoke seals

Inner-inner rooms

May be acceptable providingComplies with inner room criteriaNot more than one door separates the room from an interlinked smoke alarmNone of the access rooms is a kitchen

Galleries

Provide alternative exit or egress window (first floor only), orComply with the following

Gallery should overlook at least 50% of the room belowDistance from the foot of the access stair and the door to the room should not exceed 3mDistance from head of the access stair to any point on the gallery should not exceed 7.5mAny cooking facilities within the room should be enclosed with fire resisting construction or positioned to not prejudice escape

Galleries

Escape windows

New guidance – dimensions stay the sameLocks

With or without removable keysStays must have a release catch which may be child resistant

Remain in open position without having to be held by person making escapeReplacement windows should be of the same size to that replaced or meet the minimum criteria

Other points

Attached garageAs an alternative to the 100mm step the floor should be laid to fall away from any access door to the outside.

Fire appliance accessFor new dwellings there should be vehicle access to within 45m of all points within the dwelling

Other buildings

David StarrSussex Building Control

The aims of todayBackground to changes. Aims of the changes.When will we be experts?What will we want from you?Discussion

Education

Government aimsFor non-domestic buildings, the key changes include the introduction of a maximum unsprinklered compartment size for single storey warehouses, new guidance on residential care homes (including on the use of sprinklers) and a new requirement to ensure occupiers are made aware of their building's fire protection measures so as to assist with the preparation of fire risk assessments under the new Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order regime.  It is important that provisions must be fully evidence-based and justified and are taken forward in a robust and efficient manner

Announced by the Government today.

“This package represents better, more focussed regulation that will deliver real benefits for both occupants and fire fighters alike. Indeed the review that led to the changes looked at fire safety in all types of premises including dwellings, residential care homes, public buildings and warehouses. It also considered the important role sprinklers and other types of fire protection measures may have, particularly in buildings where the occupants are most at risk from fire." 

General  Approved Document B: The Approved Document has been split into two volumes.  Volume 1 deals with dwellinghouses, Volume 2 deals with buildings other than dwellinghouses.These replace the 2000 edition. Fire Safety Information: A new Regulation(16B) has been introduced to ensure that sufficient information is recorded to assist the eventual owner/occupier/employer to meet their statutory duties under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Part B Volume 2

The main changes

Introduction and guidance pages

These have had the layout altered and information has been updated or addedFloor space factors – moved to appendix c Guidance on design information required by BCB’s fire plans, management regimes

Water supply requirements for sprinkler systems. Page 11 section 0.18

Inclusive design. Page 12 section 0.19

IntroductionManagement of Premises: New guidance is given on the need to ensure that management regimes are realistic. RRO requirements, care homes, other 0.13 Certification Schemes: Suitable schemes may be accepted by Building Control Bodies as evidence of compliance. Door sets, paint treatments. 0.15 Residential Sprinklers: The use of sprinkler systems in accordance with BS 9251:2005 is recognised. 0.16Alternative Approachesi. HTM 05 “Firecode” should be used for the design of hospitals and similar health care premises. 0.21-0.39doctors surgeries may be part B

ii. BB100 should be used for the design of schools.

B1 Section 1Fire Alarms in Flats: The guidance on smoke alarms in flats has been amended such that alarms should be installed in accordance with BS 5839- 6:2004.Simple guidance has been retained, in the form of a commentary on this standard similar to a housei. All smoke alarms should have a standby power supply.i. Locks and child resistant safety stays may be provided on escape windows.ii. New guidance has been provided on the provision of galleries and inner inner rooms.

B1 Section 2Means of escape:Additional options of providing sprinkler protection and/or a protected stairway instead of alternative escape routes has been included for flats with more than one storey. 4 options

Guidance on the use of air circulation systems in flats with protected entrance halls or stairways is given. Ducts, grills and fire stopping 2.18The provisions for smoke control in the common areas of flats have been changed. 2.25-2.29

B1 Section 3Guidance on means of escape in buildings with open spatial planning has been included. Alternative exits, openings, diagram 14 A method has been provided for calculating acceptable final exit widths for merging escape routes at ground floor level. Diagram 15 and formula

Guidance on the provision of cavity barriers associated with subdivided corridors has been moved to Section 3 and clarified. Diagram 16

Fire Alarms: The guidance for buildings other than dwellings has been updated to take account of the 2002 edition of BS 5839-1.

B1 Section 3

Guidance applicable to small premises, previously in BS 5588-11, has been incorporated into the text. Number and Position of stairs

New guidance on the design of residential care homes has been given--- including the use of sprinklers and/or free swing door closing devices. Greater flexibility is also given where sprinkler systems are provided.

Sections 4 and 5In tall a building with phased evacuation consideration needs to be given to the interaction of fire fighters with people attempting to evacuate the building.4.27

More detailed guidance has been provided on the protection of ventilation systems.5.46

Guidance on means of escape for disabled people has been incorporated in the general guidance on means of escape. Provision of refuges, communication, steps at final exits 4.7 4.14

B3 Section 8Compartment Walls: The predicted deflection of a floor, in the event of a fire, should be accommodated in the design of compartment walls.8.27

Sprinkler protection in flats: Sprinkler systems should be provided in blocks of flats exceeding 30m in height.8.14

Warehouses: A maximum compartment size has been introduced for unsprinklered single storey warehouse buildings. 8.18 table 12

B3 Section 9 and 10Concealed Spaces: This section has been completely restructured. Table 13 (AD B 2000) has now been incorporated into the text to reduce confusion. Cavity barriers in floor voids see below 9.1-9.16Openings: Window and door frames should only be regarded as cavity barriers if they are constructed of steel or timber of an appropriate thickness. New products may be required 9.3Under Floor Voids: Extensive cavities in floor voids should be subdivided with cavity barriers. diagram 33Fire dampers: Guidance on the specification and installation of fire dampers has been provided. Position, type and BS 10.11-10.15

B3 Section 11

Car Parks: Non combustible materials should be used in the construction of a car park for it to be regarded as ‘open sided’ for the purposes of establishing the necessary period of fire resistance. Other car parks should achieve the standard period of fire resistance. 11.3-11.4

B4 Section 13 and 14Notional Boundaries: Space separation should be considered where more than one building is on the same site but operated by different ‘organisations’. 13.6 diagram 42

Roof Coverings: The guidance on roof coverings incorporates the new European system of classification set out in BS EN 13501-5:2005. class t4 table 16

Materials passing over a compartment wall

B5 Section 15,16 and 17Private Hydrants: A building with a compartment of 280m2 or more, constructed more than 100m from a highway, should be provided with suitable fire hydrants.Vehicle Access: There should be access for a pump appliance to within 45m of all points within a dwelling or a suitable fire main should be provided 16.2Firefighting Shafts: Assembly buildings with a floor exceeding 900m2, with a floor over 7.5m above ground level, should be provided with firefighting shafts.Hose distances: In unsprinklered buildings every part of every storey over 18m in height should be within 45m of a fire main outlet.

Appendix BSelf-Closing Devices: Fire doors within flats need not be provided with self-closing devices. Fire doors

Appendix COccupant capacity: The floor space factors table has been updated and moved to this Appendix.Door width: The method of measurement for door width has been changed to align with Approved Document M.Smoke ventilators: Guidance is given on the measurement of free area for smoke ventilators.

Appendix G Fire Safety Information: This new Appendix provides guidance on the new requirement for fire safety information to be recorded and passed on to the ‘responsible’ person.Simple and Complex buildingsAs built drawingsFire safety strategyA note will be required as to how the information is going to be provided

Summary Fire safety informationDoor width measurementSelf-closing devices Hose run distancesNotional boundaries Roof coveringsCompartment walls (deflection)

Summary Escape for disabled peopleCare homes Use of sprinklers Smoke alarmsManagement of premises

Thank you for attending

Questions?