Shared Services Partnership Facilities Services Fire Compartmentation in Healthcare Prince Philip Hospital - Thursday 7 th November 2013 Ysbyty Glan Clwyd - Tuesday 19 th November 2013 Royal Glamorgan Hospital - Thursday 21 st November 2013
Shared Services Partnership Facilities Services Maintaining and Auditing Fire Wall Integrity
Fire Compartmentation The Sleeping Policeman Forms the basis of the evacuation strategy Provides time for evacuation Limits fire and smoke spread prior to the arrival of the Fire and Rescue Service Designed to contain the fire to within the compartment of origin Contributes to business continuity and speedy return to a normal state following a fire.
Who is the Responsible Person? No clearly defined competent or responsible person for compartmentation t ti issues either in Firecode or elsewhere with specific responsibility for maintaining compartmentation as is the case with e.g. medical gases or fire alarm systems Firecode promotes CE BLD FSM structure Maintenance of the compartment walls will be an Estates function cto Someone somewhere will be (or should be) responsible for the maintenance issues around all fire walls.
Fire Safety Order Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 Defines Responsible Person Anybody y with control over any part of the premises (including any systems within) could be classed as responsible persons under the Fire Safety Order FSO relevant sections.
A4 Fire Safety Order General Fire Precautions (1) (a) measures to reduce the risk of fire and the risk of the spread of fire on the premises (1) (b) measures in relation to the means of escape from the premises (1) (c) measures for securing that, at all material times, the means of escape can be safely and effectively used A5 Duties under the Order (1) Where the premises are a workplace, the responsible person must ensure that any duty imposed by articles 8-22 (Fire Safety Duties) is complied with in respect of those premises. (3) Any duty imposed by articles 8-22 on the responsible person in respect of premises shall also be imposed on every person, other than the responsible person, who has, to any extent, control of those premises so far as the requirements relate to matters within his control.
A8 Fire Safety Order Duty to take general fire precautions (1) The responsible person must- (a) take such general fire precautions as will ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety of any of his employees; and (b) in relation to relevant persons who are not his employees, take such general fire precautions as may reasonably be required in the circumstances of the case to ensure that the premises are safe. A11 Fire Safety Arrangements The responsible person must make and give effect to arrangements The responsible person must make and give effect to arrangements for the effective planning, organisation, control, monitoring and review of the preventive and protective measures.
A17 Fire Safety Order Maintenance (1) The responsible person must ensure that the premises and any facilities, equipment and devices provided in respect of the premises under the Order are subject to a suitable system of maintenance and are maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair. A38 Maintenance of measures provided for protection of fire-fighters Where necessary in order to safeguard the safety of fire-fighters in the event of fire, the responsible person must ensure that the premises and any facilities, equipment and devices provided in respect of the premises for the use by or protection ti of fire-fighters under this Order are subject to a suitable system of maintenance and are maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair.
Approvals process - new build Approval Process Fire Strategy Clerk of Works New build or major refurbishment Building regulation compliance Sign-off before ceilings completed Reg 38 Provision of information Plans indicating fire walls and details of fire stopping products installed should be passed to client.
Fire Strategy Defining compartmentation and fire walls Recording on fire strategy drawings Ensure coordination following revisions i Agreed method of construction Service penetrations Ductwork, fixing, cable tray/basket, position, type and size Dampers, FSD s and SD Smaller penetrations, electrical back boxes Mock up of all penetrations and solutions Ensure all trades are aware of standards to be expected.
Fire Strategy Wall to ceiling detail adequate fire stopping Preferred order of work Construction of walls Letterbox openings formed Fire stopping of walls to underside of slab before ductwork etc. Installation of ductwork, dampers, cable containment, pp pipes etc. Fire stopping services installation Witness testing and commission Ceilings.
Apertures framed and lined Letterbox detail
Fire Stopping Use specialist installers for fire stopping solutions. Evidence of contractors carrying out fire stopping work using people e who have no knowledge of what they are doing or of what is required Association of Specialist Fire Protection survey revealed that 85% of all buildings surveyed showed that PFP inadequately installed. Fire compartmentation is often not considered by designers in a project s scope. There is a general lack of understanding by those involved in specifying and procuring construction work regarding the application and selection of passive fire protection products. Similarly, principal p contractors often lack the sufficient knowledge and competence to install products correctly. Sarah Stevenson-Jones Chair, Social Housing Fire Strategy Group
Design and Quality Control Role of the Designer/Architect Responsible for the design, correct specification of products and fixing solutions Role of the Principal Contractor (& Sub-contractors) To ensure that the project is constructed to the design specification Role of the Clerk of Works To ensure that the works are carried out to the design specification and to ensure good standards of construction in terms of quality This role is being eroded schemes without Clerk of Works.
Design and Quality Control Role of Building Control To ensure compliance with the Building Regulations Not resourced to be on site continually, neither are they required to be Must inspect certain features e.g. foundations and drainage Reliance on statements of compliance Role of Client Consider monitoring conditions during construction phase and before closure Witness testing process (often too late).
Minor Works & Refurbishment Lack of control of minor works can destroy compartmentation integrity Consider existing fire risk assessments Impact on existing structure and patient environment Ensure all trades are aware of fire wall locations Clarify responsibility for reinstatement Tool box talks for external contractors Permit to work/controlled access above ceiling Ensure visual/photographic inspection prior to closure.
Controlling / Monitoring Works IT contractors (in-house/external) C id i t lli i t Consider installing proprietary cable sealing systems.
Controlling / Monitoring Works Plumbing trades Ensure fire resistance is reinstated following emergency/reactive maintenance Fire resistance of walls is measured from both sides Hot work control.
Controlling / Monitoring Works Electrical trades Consider implications of 17 th Edition.
Controlling / Monitoring Works Mechanical ventilation trades Ensure coordination between ventilation system and fire strategy Fire/Smoke or fusible link dampers Update relevant drawings accordingly.
Identifying Fire Walls How are fire walls identified on site? Accurate up-to-date t drawings indicating which walls are fire rated are essential 2013 Audit - 28% of hospital sites still don't have up-todate fire plans How can fire wall integrity it be maintained if you don t know where the fire walls are?
Identifying Fire Walls
Auditing Fire risk assessments should sample condition of fire wall integrity above ceiling Also consider fire integrity it ASPF Guide for below ceiling (including Risk Assessors ducts/service voids etc) & checklist Spot checks - destructive inspection may be necessary Maintain photographic evidence Subject to weaknesses identified, a full Fire Integrity Survey should be conducted.
Fire Integrity Surveys Consider 3 rd party accredited companies Clearly identify relevant walls to survey (do not assume surveyor will know) Request a detailed schedule of deficiencies Request photographic evidence before and after (where repairs are carried out Spot checks for confidence levels may need to be an element of intrusive or destructive inspections.
3 rd Party Certification HTM05/02 (Para.1.27/9) states : - Since the fire performance of a product, component or structure is dependant upon satisfactory site installation and maintenance, independent d schemes of certification and accreditation ti of installers and maintenance firms will offer confidence in the standard of workmanship provided NHS bodies are encouraged to utilise independent certification schemes Building Regulations, BS9999 & RRO Guides reiterate Building Regulations, BS9999 & RRO Guides reiterate this approach.
3 rd Party Certification How do you ensure that passive fire protection is installed correctly? 3 rd Party Certification provides: Verification of the skills and training of management (designers and estimators) and installers Use of products and materials which have been shown by certification, testing ti or assessment to have the appropriate fire performance Operatives and supervisors to be assessed for competence Provision of an audit trail.
Numerous Installers Certification schemes Establish registers of approved installers 3 rd Party Certification Task specific classifications Schemes ensure continual monitoring of performance Poor performers struck off IFC Certification www.ifccertification.com Warrington Certification FIRAS www.exova.com
Category Filters Registered Installers are subject to ongoing random inspections of installation work
Compartmentation and the future Concern over the poor standard of compartmentation has led to some initiatives iti that t are currently under consideration: Review of HTM05-02. A review of the current Section 6 Possibility of writing a separate HTM (Welsh Edition) for compartmentation Mandating 3 rd Party Certification (new and major work straightforward, small schemes and repair work more difficult to control) Mandate an RP for compartmentation.
Further Information Association of Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) www.asfp.org.uk Passive Fire Protection Federation (PFPF) www.pfpf.org Excellent source of Fire Protection information & BSI (BS/EN Publications) free downloadable www.bsigroup.co.uk publications Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order www.communities.gov.uk/fire/firesafety/firesafetylaw uk/fire/firesafety/firesafetylaw