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Fire protection

Fire Protection for New Buildings

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The principal method of fire stopping and damage limitation is achieved through compartmentalising a building. This involves the installation of fire-resistant walls, floors and ceilings.
In the last 10 years the UK has seen a 37% reduction in fires that require the assistance of the fire service. This has also resulted in a 27% drop in the number of casualties. The decrease can be partly be attributed to the advancement of fire protection methods that stall the spread of fires to enable the safe evacuation of occupants to the building, provide an early alert and prevent ignition. Despite these positive number, 68,871 serious fires were recorded in 2019 meaning that there are still improvements to be made in fire safety to protect and preserve life.
Construction companies have an obligation to incorporate fire safety into the design and construction of buildings. So, what requirements need to be met, how is the risk evaluated and which protection methods should be installed?

Fire Protection and the Law

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to every building used for the public and as workplace. The law states that a designated responsible person with a level of control over the building must take reasonable steps to reduce the risk of fire and to ensure safe evacuation of all people occupying the building should a fire break out. Part B of the Building Regulations covers residential dwellings through several requirements such as the use of adequate fire warnings and escapes, the installation of passive fire protections to stop the spread of external and internal fire and the presence of access for fire services. Compliance of these regulations is the very minimum to ensure fire safety in buildings and also applies to the health and safety requirements during the construction of the building.

Risk Assessing

Before applying fire protection strategies to any building, the risks must be identified. A full fire risk assessment must be carried out at the design phase. It should then be repeated during construction to ensure fire safety measures are being included and then again before the building is handed over to the client. The final assessment demonstrates compliance and aids the building owners in enforcing fire protection once they become responsible.
A fire safety risk assessment should include:
  • Fire risks including potential ignition points, flammable materials or areas that could fuel or help spread a fire.
  • What risk it poses to people. It must include any vulnerabilities people have that would inhibit their safe evacuation from a fire, lone workers or groups of people working with combustible materials.
  • The solutions put in place to minimise the risk.
  • A plan for emergencies such as escape routes and access for fire services.
  • A review and checking procedure to ensure that fire safety is a high consideration.

Active and Passive Fire Protection

Once the fire risk assessment is complete and hazards have been mitigated, plans should be made to minimise the impact of any remaining risks. To do this, active and passive fire protection systems need to be in place. Both of these measures provide the building with measures to fight a fire and prevent it from spreading. Architects and contractors must work together to implement these measures into the design of a building and maintain them to deliver continued protection.

Active Fire Protection

Active fire protection is the term given to fire safety measures taken to fight fires after they have started. They are a powerful and essential line of defence for all buildings. Active systems include sprinklers, fire extinguishers and automatic dousing systems. Designers should consider each system to the building using water, foam, powders or gases to stop a fire in the quickest and safest way.

Alarm systems are also a powerful fire protection tool that are imperative to the fire safety of a building. Fire alarms alert occupants immediately to a threat which means action can be taken quickly.

Passive Fire Protection

Passive fire protection is imperative to preventing the spread of a fire. Passive measures resist the fire, compartmentalise its impact, protect the structural integrity of the building and provide vital time for people to evacuate. They are referred to as passive measures because they require no action in order to work.

Passive measures are usually installed in the structure of the building. They are built into walls, ceilings and floors and provide the following benefits:
  • Structural support
  • Heat insulation
  • Reduction of the spread of gas and smoke
Passive fire protection plans require a range of measures to work together to provide the best defence.

Common passive fire protection installations include fire doors, partition glazing, cavity barriers and gap seals. Passive measures can also be found in the foundations of buildings in the form of concrete, bricks and gypsum plasterboard. This is also used to protect structural stability of the building and compartmentalises fires. Some measures can offer up to four hours of protection allowing time for firefighters to arrive and tackle the blaze.

Dampening is another important passive fire protection tool. Ducts, pipes and cables provide hidden passage for fire and smoke to spread which is usually gone unnoticed. It is essential to include fire and smoke dampeners when installing heating, ventilation and air conditioning units. Proper maintenance of these installations is needed for the measures to be effective.

Planning Evacuation

A key part of a fire protection plan is to design a safe evacuation route. All occupants of the building must be able to leave quickly and safely in the event of a fire. Alternatively, architects should design fire-proof areas for those that aren’t able to evacuate. These spaces are designed to protect people until the fire service arrive. When planning an escape route, maximum capacity of the building, consideration of the mobility needs of the building users and access for firefighters are essential.
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Fire Stopping And The Law

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The principal method of fire stopping and damage limitation is achieved through compartmentalising a building. This involves the installation of fire-resistant walls, floors and ceilings.
It is often required to breach these fire-resistant materials to access services such as:
  • Cables
  • Pipes
  • Ventilation systems

Access to these services requires there to be gaps between the fire-resistant elements. These must be sealed so that the integrity of the elements is maintained.

What National Regulations Cover Fire-Stopping?

The following regulations are published as statutory acts covering life safety:

Why is Fire Stopping Mandatory?

Fire wardens are essential for the safe evacuation of guests and employees in the event of a fire. When appointing fire wardens there are some important factors to consider:
“If a fire separating element is to be effective, then every joint, or imperfection of fit, or opening to allow services to pass through the element, should be adequately protected by sealing or firestopping so that the fire resistance of the element is not impaired.” (10.2)
The document is very clear that every opening in a fire rated element needs to be sealed.
“In addition to any other provisions in this document for fire-stopping:
a. joints between fire separating elements should be fire stopped and
b. all openings for pipes, ducts, conduits or cables to pass through any part of a fire separating element should be:
i) kept as few in number as possible and
ii) kept as small as practical, and
iii) fire stopped (which in the case of a pipe or a duct, should allow for a thermal movement.) (10.17)”
The final sentence rules out the use of sand, cement or concrete to seal around services.
The Non-Domestic Technical Handbook also states:

“Compartment walls and compartment floors (including a fire resisting ceiling) are intended to prevent fire passing from one compartment to another. Openings and service penetrations through these walls or floors can compromise their effectiveness and should be kept to a minimum. The solum and roof space should not be forgotten. Openings and service penetrations should be carefully detailed and constructed to resist fire.” (2.1.15)

“Where a wiring system passes through elements of building construction such as floors, walls, roofs, ceilings, partitions or cavity barriers, the openings remaining after passage of the wiring systems shall be sealed according to the degree of fire resistance required of the element concerned.” (527-02-01)

“Where a wiring system such as a conduit, cable ducting, cable trunking, busbar or busbar trunking penetrates an element of building construction having specified fire resistance it shall be internally sealed so as to maintain the degree of fire resistance of the respective element as well as being externally sealed to maintain the required fire resistance.” (527-02-02)

Why Should All Firestop Products Be Tested?

Approved Document B states the following on the subject of testing:

“the….product…should be in accordance with a specification or design which has been shown by test to be capable of meeting that performance or have been assessed from test evidence against appropriate standards.” (Appendix ‘A’ 1a)

“Provide…propriety fire-stopping and sealing systems which has been shown by test to maintain the fire resistance of the wall or other element.” (10.19)

Regulations and Guidelines

Why is it Recommended That Specialist Contractors are Accredited to a Third-Party Scheme?

Approved Document B states the following on the subject of accreditation of contractors:

“Third party accreditation of installers of systems, materials, products or structures provide a means of ensuring that installations have been conducted by knowledgeable contractors to appropriate standards, thereby increasing reliability of the anticipated performance in fire.” (0.15)

All of our contractors are members of FIRAS. FIRAS is a UKAS certification scheme run by the Warrington Fire Research Establishment.

Fire-Stopping and Liability

Numerous pieces of legislation and guidelines regarding firestopping apply on all construction sites and buildings undergoing renovation. At this stage, designers and constructors have ultimate responsibility in terms of complying with the different legislation; however, sub-contractors will have a duty to also adhere to the regulations.
The Joint Code of Practice on the Prevention for Fire of Construction Sites states:
“Construction works should be designed, planned and sequenced to achieve the early installation and operation of:
a) Permanent fire escape stairs, including compartment walls;
b) Fire compartments within the building under construction, including the installation of fire doors, and the completion of fire stopping with special given to lift shafts, service ducts and voids which offer a passageway to heat and smoke.” (8.1)
The Construction Design and Management Regulations 2007 stipulates that all who are involved in a construction project have a duty of care. Sufficient knowledge and competence checks have to be carried out and the reduction or elimination of health and safety risks must be achieved during the construction process and at the end when users are in the building.

Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order

The Fire Safety Order applies to all workplaces within England and Wales with the exception of mines and workplaces that occur offshore. Every employer or building owner appoints a ‘Responsible Person’ who ensures the company’s compliance in the regulations the order stipulates.

One of the pivotal duties that a ‘Responsible Person’ performs is the undertaking of an annual risk assessment on the building which includes identifying potential features that could promote the spread of fire and the steps that are going to be taken to reduce the likelihood of those features contributing towards a fire.

In Scotland, The Fire Act 2005 applies in the same way as the Fire Safety Order.

Hospitality

Fire Safety in Hospitality

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It is essential for businesses within the hospitality industry to consider the importance of fire safety in their buildings. The consequences of a blaze in a hotel can have a devastating impact with tragic consequences on its guests and employees. It is imperative that fire safety measures are implemented; such as the correct fire protection equipment throughout the building and adequate training for staff.
The hospitality industry is required by The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 to complete risk assessments on all businesses and provide resolutions for all risks identified. As a FIRAS accredited provider, Broadsword can provide these services to companies in the sector including hotels and restaurants providing all fire protection and prevention services.
As a qualified provider of fire protection and prevention services here are our top tips for fire safety within hospitality.

Fire Risk Assessments

As part of the Fire Safety Order, a risk assessment for fire safety is required. The responsibility of arranging the fire risk assessment usually lies on the owner of the building or the person they have appointed to be the ‘responsible person’.
A fire risk assessment must include:
• Hazards – What potential hazards were found on the premises that could increase the risk of a fire.
• Who the risk affects? – Considerations as to who could be directly impacted from a fire breaking out in the building.
• Evacuation Plan – Based on the potential hazards and people identified in the risk assessment, a plan should then be considered of how the business will evacuate these people in an event of a fire.
• Findings – Record the actions taken by the company to reduce the risk of fire including the removal of fire hazards or the additional training that staff undertake.
• Maintain assessment – Renew the fire risk assessment regularly and when updates have been made to the premises.

Fire Wardens

Fire wardens are essential for the safe evacuation of guests and employees in the event of a fire. When appointing fire wardens there are some important factors to consider:
• Competency – Is the potential person competent of all the tasks they would be expected to do? Are they happy that they understand the importance of the task and comfortable with the level of responsibility they’d have?
• Training – The company is required to adequately train their fire wardens to ensure they are aware of their responsibilities and are able to carry them out.
• Scheduling – A fire warden must be present on the premises at all times and it is the responsibility of the ‘responsible person’ to ensure that a fire warden is on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Quantity – The number of fire wardens required is dependent on factors including the size and layout of the building and the number of guests.

Fire Safety Training

In the event of a fire, the business requires employees to be trained in what actions to take for themselves and the safety of the guests. Failure to train employees could result in unnecessary confusion and risk.
Companies should consider:
• Do employees know what the fire alarm sounds like?
•Do employees know the evacuation procedure?
• Do employees know what to do if a fire occurs?
The Fire Safety Order states that fire safety training to employees is a legal requirement. Hazard perception training is something that a lot of companies will also teach their staff in order for employees to understand what to look out for when they are at work.

Fire Escape Routes

Multiple fire escape routes should be implemented so that all guests and employees have a variety of ways of escaping the building should a fire break out. These routes should be clearly signposted to everybody and should be kept clear of any obstructions including boxes, furniture or equipment. Alternative routes should be available for people with disabilities.

Fire Evacuation Drills

After evacuation plans have been put in place and fire wardens are appointed, it is essential that companies have regular fire drills to ensure that employees are familiar with the procedure.

Appoint a Trusted Fire Safety Services Provider

Fire safety is a legal requirement that businesses want to get right. It is highly recommended that you enlist the advice of a qualified Fire Safety Provider to remain compliant and ensure that you meet the British Standards.
At Broadsword, we understand the responsibility that business owners have to comply with the law, protect their building and ensure the safety of their staff and residents. This is a job that needs to be done correctly, first time.  As a FIRAS accredited company, Broadsword have the knowledge and expertise to ensure fire safety compliance for all required works without the need for additional contractors. It is our promise to you to carry out work to the highest standard and the utmost professionalism. Business owners never need to worry again with the peace of mind of total fire protection.

Install Reliable Fire Safety Systems

Fire detection and alarm systems are legal requirements in a lot of hospitality establishments. There are many factors to consider including the following:
• Are the alarms appropriate for those with hearing difficulties?
• Are there a sufficient number of fire extinguishers on the premises?
•Are call points free from vandalism?

System Maintenance

Your Fire Safety services provider should be able to maintain your fire protection systems should you require it. As part of this service, Broadsword can check fire safety equipment as well as carry out any repairs.
We are able to carry out maintenance on the following:
• Fire extinguishers
• Emergency lighting
• Fire alarms
• Kitchen suppression
• Sprinkler systems

Communication of Procedures

Businesses are required to communicate their fire evacuation plan to guests, visitors and contractors.
This information can be provided in a number of ways including a verbal briefing or in written format that is presented to the guest or is displayed somewhere they will see it.

Review Your Process

All fire safety practices should be regularly reviewed particularly when the building has been updated in any way such as the installation of new fire doors or if the purpose of a room has been changed.
hotels

Fire Compartmentation in Hotels

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Fire safety is a key concern for all hotel owners, managers and responsible persons. Due to the size of the building, multiple floor levels and amount of people they can hold at capacity there is a larger risk of mass damage and casualties that could lead to expensive insurance pay outs and potential criminal prosecution should the business be found negligent. It is essential for fire protection measures, such as compartmentation, be installed and maintained throughout the building alongside adequate fire-fighting equipment and a detailed fire evacuation plan.

What is the Purpose of Compartmentation?

Compartmentation is one of the key components to passive fire protection. It is achieved by sectioning buildings into separate ‘fire compartments’ with the use of fire doors, walls and floors made up of fire-resistant materials. Compartmentation is a current building regulation and British Standard requirement and is installed to:
  • Prevent the spread of fire, smoke and toxic gas
  • Breaks the building down into manageable areas of risk
  • Contains the fire to provide time for occupants to safely evacuate the premises
The most common cause of death from fire is when people become overcome by smoke inhalation. Fire and rescue services reported 380 fire related casualties of which 34% of these were due to smoke and fumes. Sufficient fire compartmentation of hotels could be the difference between residents making it out of the building alive.
For buildings such as hotels where an escape route needs to be separated from the rest of the premises by fire resisting construction such as a dead-end corridor or protected stairway the following compartmentation should be installed:
  • All doors (including hatches, ducts and vertical shafts), floors, walls, and ceilings should be made with fire resistant materials specifically rated so that if a fire were to break out, they would contain the fire and smoke for long enough for people to evacuate.
  • Where suspended or false ceilings are provided, fire resistant materials should extend up to the floor slab level above.
  • Cavity barriers, fire stopping and dampers

What are the Fire Protection Systems?

The Fire Safety Order 2005 requires all workplaces to have an active and passive fire protection system in place along with an effective fire safety management plan. Whilst fire safety management is generally something the responsible person can do with some assistance from compliance manuals, the installation of active and passive fire systems require the knowledge and expertise of professionals and so it will be the job of the responsible person to find them.
Active fire systems are used for suppression and detection of the fire. This will range from the smoke detection systems installed in resident’s rooms and other key parts of the hotel to a sprinkler system that would actively combat the fire to allow time for occupants to evacuate the premises and for the fire brigade to arrive.
Passive fire systems have been touched upon in the previous section and work alongside the active fire system to provide total fire safety to the hotel building.

Fire Safety Tips and Checklist for Hotels

  1. Provide fire safety training for all employees and have a detailed evacuation plan that is rehearsed at minimum twice a year.
  2. Fire risk assessments should be carried out annually or if there have been changes made to the building.
  3. Fire alarms should be tested weekly.
  4. Equipment checks, training and fire evacuation drills should be recorded in the fire safety book.
  5. Emergency lights should be fully functioning and tested at regular intervals. They are mandatory in stairwells, hallways and public rooms.
  6. Fire doors should be in full working order with no damage to them and should never be wedged open.
  7. Checks of the building where fire alarms and escape routes are tested.
  8. Fire action notices should be made available at all call points and in resident’s rooms so they are clear of the evacuation plan in the event of a fire.
  9. All emergency exit signs should be visible and illuminated.
  10. Fire extinguishers should be checked for damage and arranged to be replaced as soon as possible.

The Broadsword Promise

At Broadsword, we understand the responsibility that hotel owners have to comply with the law, protect their building and ensure the safety of their staff and clients. This is a job that needs to be done correctly, first time.  As a FIRAS accredited company, Broadsword have the knowledge and expertise to ensure fire safety compliance for all required works without the need for additional contractors. It is our promise to you to carry out work to the highest standard and the utmost professionalism. Hotel owners never need to worry again with the peace of mind of total fire protection.
Hospitals

Passive Fire Protection in Hospitals

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Fire safety including passive fire protection in hospitals is of the utmost importance particularly when considering the number of potentially vulnerable people at risk on the premises. Hospitals could not only find themselves financially liable for millions of pounds in repairs, they could also face the possibility of prison sentences and fines should they be found negligent for not having the correct systems in place. The cost of not complying with the law far outweighs the cost of installing the correct systems and should be a priority for all healthcare facilities.

What is Passive Fire Protection?

Passive fire protection is the use of fire-resistant materials and structural components that look to separate the building into different areas of risk. Essentially, they work to slow the spread of fire and smoke, to protect the structural integrity of the building and to provide time for all occupants of the building to evacuate. Passive fire protection is a component of a total fire protection system that looks to collaboratively suppress and resist fire. Passive fire protection looks to contain fire and is achieved through the installation of columns, walls, floors and doors. Each of these need to prevent structural collapse, heat conduction and the spread of smoke and noxious gases to be considered effective.

Fire Safety and the Law 

Fire safety in hospitals falls under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) order which sets fire safety laws for most public buildings and places of work. It requires the appointment of a Responsible Person for the hospital whose job it is to ensure the installation of a total fire protection system (active and passive) and carrying out fire prevention tasks including: a fire risk assessment, fire safety policies and have a strategy in place to implement them including the rehearsal of fire evacuations for patients, staff and visitors. The initial risk assessment looks to outline the potential risks against the hospital, the classification of those risks in terms of priority and the actions of the hospital to mitigate the risks.

Lessons from History

The importance of having a passive fire protection system in place was sadly learned with the catastrophic fire of St Anthony’s Hospital in Effingham, Illinois in 1949, which killed 70 people including 11 new born babies. It was from this disaster that we learned that fire resistant materials and compartmentalisation were an integral aid that provided hospitals enough time to evacuate their patients.
Although much more stringent regulations are in order, hospitals are still at risk with incidents happening nationwide and with the smallest causes. An operating theatre in Ashford had to be temporarily closed in 2014 because somebody had left overcooked food in a microwave filling the room with smoke.  More seriously, four people required medical attention after a fire broke out at a hospital in Stoke Mandeville in Buckinghamshire.
The risks of fire in hospitals are very real and it is imperative that buildings have the necessary protection in place to ensure compliance with the law and to protect patients, staff and visitors.

What Passive Fire Protection is required in Hospitals?

Hospitals and healthcare facilities have evolved and expanded requiring hospital owners to address the unique set of challenges that are now faced in terms of fire safety. Whilst fire safety management is generally something the responsible person can do with some assistance from compliance manuals, the installation of active and passive fire systems require the knowledge and expertise of professionals of which it is the job of the responsible person to find them.
To increase fire safety in hospitals, the following passive fire protection should be considered:
  • Fire Doors and Compartmentalisation – Hospitals face unique challenges when considering fire evacuation due to the consideration required to be given to vulnerable patients receiving care. The condition of these patients may result in total evacuation not being possible. With this in mind, fire doors and compartment lines are essential for the building’s fire protection strategy, preventing the spread of fire and smoke and allowing time for patients to be recovered. Compartmentalisation is critical when containing a fire and is achieved through the use of fire resistance floors, walls and cavity barriers. All fire-resistant materials are rated to withstand fire for a certain amount of time. Currently, the fire doors in NHS hospitals offer 30 minutes of protection with some offering more in buildings containing more vulnerable patients where evacuation may take longer.
  • Fire Door Survey and Restoration – As well as installing the right type of fire doors, it is essential to that they are checked regularly to ensure their efficacy in the event of a fire. With many fire doors being used by the hospital on a daily basis, it is not uncommon for them to be damaged by trolley, wheelchairs and people. Significant damage to a fire door will affect its fire resistance rendering it inoperative. To prevent this from happening a fire door survey by a qualified inspector is recommended. Should fire doors not be compliant, a restoration service can be sought to bring the quality of the door back up to standards and remain compliant.

The Broadsword Promise

At Broadsword, we understand the responsibility that hospitals have to comply with the law, protect their building and ensure the safety of their people. This is a job that needs to be done correctly, first time.  As a FIRAS accredited company, Broadsword have the knowledge and expertise to ensure fire safety compliance for all required works without the need for additional contractors. It is our promise to you to carry out work to the highest standard and the utmost professionalism. Hospitals never need to worry again with the peace of mind of total fire protection.

Fire Protection in Care Homes

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A government report relating to fire showed that 47% of all fatalities from fires in England were people aged 65 and above with the most common cause being overcome by gas and smoke. Based on this the elderly are 10 times more likely to die in a fire than young people. For this reason, it is paramount that fire procedures within care homes must be meticulous. There is a lot more to consider than just a clearly signed fire exit or strategically placed fire extinguisher.  Care home residents are often less mobile or completely bed bound, they could suffer from illnesses such as dementia or hard of hearing. All of these health issues pose significant concerns when considering fire safety and protecting residents in the event of a fire.

Who is Responsible?

Fire safety measures and the requirements are covered under the Fire Safety Order and the Care Act which is regulated by the Care Quality Commission. Under the Fire Safety Order, a responsible person must be appointed to have overall responsibility for fire safety. This is the employer, owner or controller of the premises. In a care home, the responsible person is usually the care manager.

The appointed responsible person/care manager is required to do the following:

  • Take all reasonable fire safety precautions to protect their staff and residents
  • Carry out a fire safety risk assessment and have it reviewed regularly
  • Eliminate or reduce dangerous substances within the care home
  • Premises is fitted with appropriate fire-fighting and fire detection equipment
  • Routes to fire exits are clear of obstructions
  • Carry out fire evacuation drills and ensure plan is sound
  • Appoint fire wardens to assist in managing fire safety
  • Ensure all dangerous substances used within the care home are labelled and stored away
  • Maintain fire protection systems to ensure they are working
  • Ensure fire safety procedures are communicated to employees and visitors
  • Train all employees on fire safety

Completing a Fire Risk Assessment

It is a legal requirement for the responsible person to get a fire risk assessment done for the care home premises and it will need to be reviewed and updated as appropriate. The fire risk must show that reasonable precautions are taken against all risks identified in order to protect the safety of their employees and residents. As care homes are high risk, the responsible person would need to ensure that the person carrying out the risk assessment has sufficient qualifications in fire safety.

The risk assessment is required to identify the potential ways a fire could start within the care home, identify all the people at risk, evaluate those risks and what steps are going to be taken to remove or reduce them and include evacuation plans, routes and trainings that staff and residents will have relating to fire safety.

Evacuation Plans, Drills and Training

The responsible person must devise an evacuation plan for the care home. It is a legal requirement for this to be in place and it must be frequently rehearsed in the form of a drill. Employees will need to be aware of the evacuation plan and when drills are to take place. Additionally, fire wardens must be appointed, the number required is dependent on the number of staff employed at the premises. For residents with health concerns that will impact on their ability to evacuate the premises, a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) will need to be completed outlining their condition and what action needs to be taken to mitigate risks. A PEEP needs to be completed before the resident joins the care home and will need to be reviewed 14 days after they arrive once the staff have got to know their needs. It will then be reviewed every 6 months or if there is a significant change to the residents’ health.

Fire Protection Systems

The fire precautions that have been outlined in this article so far have all come under the category of fire safety management. This is one of three precautions that the Fire Safety Order requires a workplace to have installed. Alongside fire safety management, the responsible person is required to have adequate passive and active fire protection systems in place. Whilst fire safety management is generally something the responsible person can do with some assistance from compliance manuals, the installation of active and passive fire systems require the knowledge and expertise of professionals and so it will be the job of the responsible person to find them.

Active fire systems are installed to detect and suppress fires. This can range from smoke detection systems within residents’ rooms and the rest of the care home to a sprinkler system set up in the building to actively keep the fire at bay until the fire brigade arrive. It is important that the correct fire-fighting equipment and systems are installed and reviewed to ensure that all are in good working order.

Passive fire protection systems are the use of fire-resistant materials to compartmentalise the care home to slow the spread of fire and smoke, protect the structural integrity of the building and to provide time for all staff and residents to evacuate the building without causing accident or injury.  Having enough time to evacuate a burning building full of elderly residents with health concerns is going to be paramount for any care home and so it is vital that these systems are of good quality and installed to a high standard.

Put simply, implementing good fire safety within your care home could be the difference between life and death. This is a legal requirement and if the responsible person of the care home fails to carry out any of these requirements, they will be facing charges of negligence and prison time.

The Broadsword Promise

At Broadsword, we understand the responsibility that care managers have to comply with the law, protect their building and ensure the safety of their staff and residents. This is a job that needs to be done correctly, first time.  As a FIRAS accredited company, Broadsword have the knowledge and expertise to ensure fire safety compliance for all required works without the need for additional contractors. It is our promise to you to carry out work to the highest standard and the utmost professionalism. Care managers never need to worry again with the peace of mind of total fire protection.

The Importance of Passive Fire Protection within your Business

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The importance of passive fire protection (PFP) is vital information for any business owner. Whether your company be private or public, passive fire protection could be the difference of life and death for the people in your building and life and death for your business if it were to be found negligent of fire safety compliance.

Why is Passive Fire Protection necessary?

Passive fire protection is your building’s ‘first responder’ in the event of a fire.  Generally integrated within the structure of the building, it works to contain a fire in its point of origin, prevents it spreading to other parts of the building, protects the structural integrity of the property stopping it collapsing and provides time for personnel to evacuate safely.  These principles are achieved by the use of fire-resistant materials to manufacture fire walls, fire doors, fire-resistant glass, intumescent door seals and emergency lighting.

Passive fire protection, is a legal requirement, in accordance with British Standard BS 476.  It must be installed in all non-private buildings, including businesses, schools, universities and hospitals by a qualified provider, with required maintenance checks completed and recorded accurately for the purpose of risk assessment procedures.

The bottom line is that if your building has not been installed with required passive fire protection, you are breaking the law.  If people were to lose their lives in a fire in your building, the penalty is time in prison.  This places a huge responsibility on all business owners to have the necessary fire protections installed and ensure compliance.

Passive Fire Protection and Your Business

When considering necessary costs to your business, some of the first thoughts are commonly the required materials, technology or tools, staff wages and important licenses, permits and insurances required to operate.

One that is generally not considered in the first instance is the installation and maintenance of passive fire protection to your property.  Although not the most considered, this is a necessary and vital cost to any business owner and should be considered as one of the most important.

Each year people die or are seriously injured as a result of fires in non-private buildings.  Besides the tragic loss of life, fire costs UK businesses millions of pounds in property damage, loss of revenue, fines, compensation and insurance costs.  The cost of fire damage stands at record levels according to Association of British Insurers (ABI).  The average cost in damages to a commercial building is £60,000.  This cost does not include the detrimental impact to your reputation which could potentially cost you thousands more on top of that? Can you as a business owner afford not to give significant funding to fire protection systems?

This is an increasingly important issue; according to the National Fire Chiefs Council, there are still thousands of business owners that are unaware of their responsibilities when it comes to ensuring their building is compliant.  Fire prevention is key to a safe environment for your employees and clients.  Assessments must be undertaken, with adequate measures installed and routinely maintained by qualified professionals.  Failure to do so could result in prosecution or worse; a fire destroying your business.

Who Should I Instruct to Manage the Passive Fire Protection within My Business?

To ensure maximum fire safety measures and full compliance of the law, building inspectors will recommend that the installation and maintenance of a passive fire protection system be carried out by a FIRAS accredited company.  FIRAS stands for Fire Accreditation Scheme and is a certification that companies installing fire protection systems can voluntarily put themselves forward for. The FIRAS brand is recognised and respected among fire safety professionals. Instructing a FIRAS accredited company to install fire protection systems gives business owners peace of mind that the work carried out on their building is completed to the highest standard.

The Passive Fire Protection Federation warns that leaving the installation of such a vital part of fire protection to certain architects and developers that are not committed to the importance of fire safety could be, “viewed as a hindrance towards their creativity and another restrictive regulation to adhere to rather than a vital and highly important part of the process.”

Their Vice Chairman, Mike Wood was quoted saying that fire safety, “too often seen as a constraint in design, limiting flexibility, adding cost and preventing the full expression of other cherished design niceties.”  There is a worry among fire safety professionals that short cuts are being taken when installing passive fire protection in order to cut costs and to not encroach too much on the overall design of the building.

The Broadsword Promise

At Broadsword, we understand the responsibility that business owners have to comply with the law, protect their building and ensure the safety of their people. This is a job that needs to be done correctly, first time.  As a FIRAS accredited company, Broadsword have the knowledge and expertise to ensure fire safety compliance for all required works without the need for additional contractors. It is our promise to you to carry out work to the highest standard and the utmost professionalism. Business owners never need to worry again with the peace of mind of total fire protection.

Fire Protection within Schools

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The impact of a large-scale fire would have devastating consequences to a school for all involved.  Putting aside the unthinkable possibility of loss of life to staff and students, there are also logistical issues to consider including: dealing with the aftermath, loss of important school work, school closures, job losses and complying with investigations. Negligence in fire safety is not something a school governing body wants to contend with and so it is of the utmost importance to ensure fire protection is complied with. It is crucial that schools familiarise themselves with the information detailed below and understand the responsibility that they hold.

Fire Safety Responsibility within Schools

Fire safety within schools was previously the responsibility of the owning local authority until 2006 with the introduction of the Regulatory Reform of Fire Safety Order 2005 (also known as the Fire Safety Order). This order was introduced to standardise the fire safety requirements of all work places so as to protect people in the event of a fire in or around the premises.

One of the key changes that the order made, is that the responsibility of fire safety for schools was transferred from the local authority to a named ‘responsible person’ within the school. This tends to be either the head teacher or the school governing body; however, if any employee holding a fire safety obligation within their contract, like a maintenance manager, failed to carry out their duties, they would also be held responsible and liable for prosecution if necessary.  Under the order, the responsible person is required to take general fire precautions to ensure the safety of the employees and students within the school and to ensure that the premises that they operate from is safe for all relevant persons. One of these requirements is to carry out a fire risk assessment, to identify any significant risks that can be reduced or removed and stating any other general fire precautions needed to ensure fire safety and compliance.

The government guide Fire Safety Risk Assessment – Educational Premises was published to assist the responsible person with completing the fire risk assessment along with outlining the basic fire safety measures required within schools to remain compliant.

What are the Fire Safety Requirements for Schools?

According to the Fire Safety Order, fire safety requirements can be divided into three groups: passive, active and fire safety management.

  • Passive fire protection compartmentalises a building through the use of fire-resistant doors, walls and floors. Breaking a building down into smaller compartments slows the spread of fire and smoke preventing early structural collapse and allowing everyone inside the premises to safely evacuate. Passive fire protection is seen as a building’s ‘first responder’ to a fire. With the correct materials it allows the necessary time for safe evacuation and for active fire protection systems to kick in and suppress the fire.
  • Active fire protection systems are installed to detect and suppress fires. This can range from smoke detectors to automatic fire suppression such as sprinklers that can minimise the damage caused by a fire.
  • Fire safety management relates to the systems the school has in place to prevent a fire from occurring and what to do in the event of a fire including: an effective fire evacuation plan, fire safety training for staff and maintenance logs of installed fire protection systems.

The Role of the Responsible Person

As the designated responsible person for the school premises, it is their job to ensure that both the active and passive fire systems are installed and well maintained within the building. Building inspectors and fire safety experts will recommend that the work is carried out by a FIRAS accredited company. A company holding the FIRAS certification will have the knowledge and expertise to ensure that the work is not only done to the highest standards but in full compliance of the law which guarantees the safety of your employees and students.

In terms of fire safety management, it is the duty of the responsible person to prepare an evacuation plan, appoint fire marshals to assist with the evacuation and to arrange fire drills to take place frequently so the plan is rehearsed. Added consideration must be given to boarding schools where students may be asleep when a fire breaks out as well as evacuating students with reduced mobility.

In addition to an evacuation plan all schools must have a fire safety policy that includes the following details:

  • An outline of the legislation and the guidance available
  • A statement of intent regarding fire safety
  • The name of the responsible person
  • Policy for planned fire safety arrangements including an outline of fire protection systems
  • Fire Safety induction for new employees
  • The means for summoning the fire services
  • Notes for the management of electrical equipment in the event of a fire
  • A visitor book for signing in and out

Passive Fire Protection in Residential Buildings

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Passive fire protection has been implemented since the 17th century. During the Great Fire of London, in 1666, it was proved that the wooden construction of the surrounding buildings had exacerbated the blaze contributing to the destruction of 13,200 houses, 87 churches, 52 livery company halls and obliterating the city’s infrastructure.

In response to this, King Charles II instructed for all buildings to be made of stone and for the roads to be widened. In addition to this, the government introduced the 1667 London Building Act, which, among its laws, stipulated that buildings be constructed with masonry to resist the break out of fire and prevent the spread of it. It was thought that passive fire protection was created at this time.

Whilst building regulations have improved significantly since the 17th century, there is still more work to be done to ensure that correct modern standards are correctly implemented. According to Home Office statistics, the number of fires that the Fire Services have to attend and the number of deaths that are caused by fire related incidents are increasing.

The Importance of Passive Fire Protection

Passive fire protection is built into the walls and floors of buildings to separate them into areas of manageable risk. Each area is able to prevent the spread of the fire to other areas. The idea is that the fire is contained long enough in one of these areas for occupants to evacuate from the building and for the fire brigade to fight the fire.

Most products of passive fire protection resist the fire instead of fight it. Fire resistance is achieved through constructions such as columns, walls, floors and doors. Each of these constructions will be able to resist fires in one of three ways:

  • resist structural collapse
  • resist heat conduction
  • resist the passage of smoke and noxious gases

All floors in a building must have components that resist fires in all three ways.

Passive Fire Protection in High Rise Residential Buildings

In the event of a fire, high rise buildings are designed to provide fire resistance that ensures the prevention of the fire spreading from where it originated. This can only be relied upon if the fire resistant materials were compliant with building regulations at the time of construction and they have been properly maintained and managed throughout their lifetime.

Due to the reliance of a high-rise building’s passive fire protection, residents are asked to stay put in the event of a fire breaking out. This is thought to be the safest option for them as the alternative may see residents leave their place of safety. Unfortunately, as we know in the recent events of Grenfell, the stay put method can only be relied upon if the appropriate passive fire protection is installed. If it isn’t, it can prove fatal as it did that day when 71 people tragically lost their lives.

Passive Fire Protection and the Law

Building owners who own property that do not pass regulations are now able to be prosecuted under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 with some sentences going as far as being custodial. Since this came to pass, more emphasis has been placed on buildings being compliant.

Under the Buildings Regulations of England and Wales, contractors have the responsibility of handing over appropriate fire safety information to a ‘responsible person’ on completion of the building or extension of the building and it first being occupied.

Furthermore, the fire safety information given should include all design measures in appropriate detail and accurate enough so the ‘responsible person’ understands what they need to do to maintain the building safely. Building work should have been completed with adequate and proper materials sufficient for their intended use.

Despite the specific detail that these regulations go into, it is very common for built in passive fire materials, to not be compliant.

Overcoming Non-Compliance

Currently, the construction of a residential building requires the input and expertise of many fields – from architects to fire engineers to contractors. Throughout the process, the building undergoes many inspections to ensure compliance. In her interim report into the Grenfell fire, Dame Judith Hackitt acknowledged that it is therefore difficult to focus the blame for non compliance on one specific area.

She recommended in her report that there is a process change and that duty holders be tasked with ensuring compliance to a new body made up of the Health and Safety Executive, Local Authority and Fire and Rescue Professionals. This new body would be called the Joint Competent Body.

If this were adopted and implemented, it would ensure not only that more residential buildings were constructed compliantly but be able to sanction duty holders if they weren’t.

Further Incentive for Getting Things Right

Passive fire protection items that are condemned at handover or any time after fall on the responsibility of the construction company to correct. Items that are enclosed within the building can be extremely costly to repair possibly resulting in the loss of millions of pounds. This would undoubtedly bring its own financial implications.

Improvements

Small changes to attitudes and processes could reap significant improvements in passive fire protection compliance.

It is important for the sake of a building’s fire compartmentalisation that drawings are understood accurately and that architects are encouraged to be more specific of what design and materials are used.

Principal contractors should be discouraged from splitting passive fire protection into different sub-contracted packages. This method could lead to a lack of focus and could result in non-compliance.

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How does Passive Fire Protection work?

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Passive fire protection (PFP) is an essential component of structural fire protection and fire safety in a building. PFP attempts to contain a fire or prevent the fire from spreading to other parts of the building by the use of fire-resistant walls, floors and doors. A fire protection system for any building will have the following:

  • Active Fire Protection – Manual or automatic fire detection or suppression
  • Passive Fire Protection – Compartmentalising the building with fire resistance walls and floors. Organising the building into smaller fire compartments prevents or slows the spread of fire from its origin to other spaces in the building. This will limit the potential damage to the building and it gives the building occupants time to initiate their emergency evacuation drill and for them to get to safety.
  • Fire Prevention – Minimising potential situations that a fire could break out and educating the occupants of the building on fire safety systems and how they should be maintained and emergency procedures including how to notify fire service response and emergency evacuation.

Any surface that is used for fire resistance is required to have a fire rating. Surfaces are rated by being fire tested where surfaces are exposed to temperatures upwards of 1100°C. Many of these tests are undertaken to test the survivability of the surfaces under realistic conditions.

A lot of Passive Fire Protection systems use many different materials in the design and construction of their systems. Most common endothermic building materials include calcium silicate board, concrete and gypsum wallboard. During fire testing, concrete slabs have been known to emit water as they boil and gypsum commonly loses all its strength when exposed to fire. The use of endothermic materials is established and proven to be sound engineering practice. The chemically bound water inside these materials sublimes. During this process, the unexposed side cannot exceed the boiling point of water. Once the hydrates are spent, the temperature on the unexposed side of an endothermic fire barrier tends to rise rapidly. Too much water can be a problem, however. Concrete slabs that are too wet, will literally explode in a fire, which is why test laboratories insist on measuring water content of concrete and mortar in fire test specimens, before running any fire tests.

PFP measures also include the use of intumescent (a substance that swells under heat exposure) or ablative materials. Any of these surfaces on their own would not be effective against exposure to fire and so need to be organised into a highly effective system that is subject to rigorous testing at multiple times.

Passive Fire Protection is designed to contain the fire in its place of origin, preventing the spread of fire and smoke for a limited amount of time. Firestops, fire walls and fire doors undergo the above-mentioned fire testing and fire resistance is usually determined in how many hours these particularly materials can contain the fire for. Their certification will provide the limitations that are present with these materials.

Unlike Active Fire Protection, Passive Fire Protection does not usually involve any form of activation or degree of motion with the exception of fire dampers and fire door closers which must move, open and shut in order to function as well as all intumescent products which rely on swelling to operate effectively.

There are mainly two types of Passive Fire Protection; intumescent and vermiculite. With vermiculite protection, the structural steel members are covered in a thick layer of hydrous phyllosilicate mineral that undergoes significant expansion when heated. This is a cheaper option to the intumescent materials but is not aesthetically pleasing. Furthermore, if the environment is corrosive, then the vermiculite is not advisable as there is a possibility of water seeping into it and will make it difficult to monitor corrosion. Intumescent fire protection is a layer of paint with a coating system along the structural steel members. The thickness of this coating depends on the steel section used. Intumescent coating is relatively low in thickness which makes it more pleasing to the eye and produces a nice finish with an anti-corrosive nature.

In the event of a fire in a building, the steel structure will eventually collapse once the steel hits its critical core temperature of around 550°C. Passive fire protection will delay this by creating a layer between the steel and the fire. This can potentially add another 2 hours to the integrity of the structure saving lives and damage to property inside the building.

If you require a competent fully accredited fire protection company, you have just found it! Broadsword Fire Protection LTD welcomes your enquiries.

 

 

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