Martin Paren HM Inspector of Health & Safety

Transcription

1 Health and Safety Executive TIMBER FRAME CONSTRUCTION WHAT CAN GO WRONG? Martin Paren HM Inspector of Health & Safety

2 Timber Frame Construction What HSE looks for Why high risk Structural Timber Association CDM Enforcement examples

3 Timber Frame Construction Life safety Statistics Risk based approach to fire safety Higher the risk more controls required Low probability but high consequence events

4 What HSE looks for Suitable & sufficient steps shall be taken to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, the risk of injury to any person during the carrying out of construction work arising from fire. Regulation 29 CDM

5 Risk Management and Guidance HSE approach is identifying and reducing risk Hierarchical approach designing out better than bolting on protection or relying on safe systems and people Precautions proportionate to the risks

6 HSG 168 Higher risk - Timber Frame

7 Why is fire so hazardous in timber frame? Before completion: vulnerable to arson (plentiful supply of fuel and oxygen) intense and rapid fire quickly radiates massive heat energy catastrophic OFF-SITE RISK - potentially multiple fatalities Once it takes hold, it is practically impossible to extinguish a timber frame fire and hard to control its spread

8 Timber Frame Construction- Colindale Building 1 Building 2

9 Timber Frame Peckham

10 Structural Timber Association Guidance 16 Steps to Fire Safety Design Guide to separating distances during construction No specialist required based on size and position Gives a categorisation of timber frame (A,B,C) For use on buildings > 600 m 2 Assume a Category A unless STA tested

11 CDM 2015 who is responsible Clients Designers Principal Contractors Contractors Principal Designers Fire covered in CDM Regs (29-32)

12 CDM 2015 requires dutyholders to have : A means of raising the alarm Means of fire fighting A means of escape that is free of obstruction, has emergency lighting and is protected where necessary Emergency procedures and training

13 CDM All dutyholders should have input into fire safety. Early involvement by designers. Involvement of contractors before construction starts & during construction. But are they competent.

14 Competence How many people in this country are qualified to produce suitable and sufficient risk assessment for high risk or complex buildings? Education, experience and training (Theoretical and practical) Institution of Fire Engineers; Register of Fire Risk Assessors and Auditors

15 Pre Construction fire risk assessment Should be considered before work starts Look at the process of construction and general fire precaution Should be site specific and appropriate for the size of contract

16 Clients - May be the responsible person Under CDM 2015, clients duties include: - Ensuring arrangements to ensure work is carried out, SFAIRP, without risks to health and safety of persons. - Checking the competence of persons they appoint. - Providing pre-construction information. Where a project is notifiable, the client shall: - Appoint a PD and PC. - Ensure work does not start unless the PC has prepared a construction phase plan. - Liaise on emergency arrangements (if occupied site e.g. installation diagrams, existing escape provisions, fire drills, integration of arrangements)

17 Design stage Designers are not responsible for directly managing risks on site BUT can contribute to the elimination of health and safety hazards in construction, from the earliest stages of a project. Identification of fire risks during the construction phase, both ON and OFF site. Liaison with other dutyholders. Ensure that the project meets final Building Regulation requirements re fire for safe occupation/use.

18 Principal Contractors Undertake and review on/off site assessment of fire risk (site specific!) Produce a Site Fire Plan Consider sequencing of work for fire protection Consider Fire Brigade access, facilities and liaison Site security & means to minimise arson Materials storage and control of waste Plan Manage Monitor Review

19 Enforcement (1) PN served by HSE upon Client (Autumn 2010) preventing construction of a proposed timber frame hotel in a built-up urban setting fire service would not be able to fight any fire there or prevent its spread to surrounding properties

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21 Risk to neighbouring properties Business Design Centre Red line indicates area to which LFB hoped to contain any fire which developed from the timber frame site. N1 Shpping centre O2 Academy

22 Enforcement (2) PNs served by HSE on PC - timber frame hotel project inadequate fire precautions unsafe emergency escape routes and work at height this project was in a relatively isolated location - little offsite risk

23 How long did this fire take to get to this stage? 9 minutes!

24 What we find on site risks

25 Arson Enclose the whole site & lock up when unoccupied Buildings and stores within site boundary Illumination of site CCTV Night security

26 Means of Escape

27 Not good in the event of a fire

28 CDM Reg 32 Fire detection and fire-fighting Where necessary in the interests of the health or safety of a person on a construction site, suitable and sufficient fire-fighting equipment and fire detection and alarm systems must be provided and located in suitable places.

29 Not a suitable alarm system!

30 Wireless fire detection and alarm systems

31 Summary Timber Frame fires spread very quickly Consider category of Timber Frame Fire detection and alarm / escape routes Site security arson risks Don t ignore the off site risks Separation distances / vulnerable persons

32 Further help

33 MvLA

34 Thank you