Fire Safety Management Wednesday 20 th June 2018 Russ Timpson www.bcptesting.com
24-storey Grenfell Tower in Kensington, West London June 14, 2017
We shape our buildings, thereafter they shape us Winston Churchill
Key Messages Do Tall Buildings Need a Fire Safety Manager? What do they need to manage? What s in the Course? Improvement Suggestions (in your programme)
3.48 fire safety engineer person qualified and experienced in fire safety engineering 3.49 fire safety manager nominated person carrying out the job of management of fire safety
Do Tall Buildings Need a Fire Safety Manager? What s special about Tall Buildings? Fire Engineering? Stuff happens Design will not keep pace with use
What s Special about Tall Buildings? You cannot open a door and walk away... Complexity Single points of failure People living at height (out of sight) New ways of living
Fire Engineering....
What is Fire Engineering? Fire Engineering is the application of scientific and engineering principles, rules [Codes], and expert judgement, based on an understanding of the phenomena and effects of fire and of the reaction and behaviour of people to fire, to protect people, property and the environment from the destructive effects of fire. I.F.E
What is Engineering? Structural engineering is the art of moulding materials we don't wholly understand, into shapes we can't fully analyze, so as to withstand forces we can't really assess, in such a way that the community at large has no reason to suspect the extent of our ignorance."... James E. Amrhein - Masonry Institute of America (Retired)
What is Fire Engineering? 1. Black Art perpetrated by egomaniacs and exfire service types with no real interest in the commercial realities of the business world 2. Collection of dubious science and even more dubious computer models, cobbled together with vague academic references to facilitate 1 (above)
What is Fire Engineering? Fire Engineering is what gets the Architect, Project Manager, Developer, Structural Engineer, etc, etc, out of the Brown Stuff when nasty surprises turn up mid-project.
Stuff Happens....
Stuff Happens... Sprinkler tank is unserviceable Emergency lights not working Conference for PRM s Increased Arson risk Fire alarm company goes bust
Design Will not keep pace with use Cramming Hoarding Greening Tall Timber Obesity
What do they need to manage? Ignition Hazards Fire loading Occupants Means of escape Maintenance and testing of Life Safety systems Practice drills and fire service liaison Business continuity Etc, etc, etc
Top 5 Ignition Hazards for Tall Buildings Electricity Catering Hot works Arson Smoking
Is This Hotwork?
Is This Hotwork?
Is This Hotwork?
Is This Hotwork?
Is Illicit Smoking Arson?
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Improvement Suggestions
Design Tactic Define what Tall/High Rise means Include design objectives of fire safety resilience, i.e. minimum of two staircases; Mandatory requirement for a management system Mandatory requirement for a competent fire Engineer, boiler plate Fire safety risk rating system (similar to environmental performance) should be displayed in the entrance to the building
Construction Tactic Construction process can only commence when a fire strategy phasing process has been agreed. Construction process can only commence when there is a proven firefighting capability on site, New products and processes need to be established for achieving temporary horizontal and vertical fire compartmentation during construction, i.e. lift shaft openings; A complete suite of building fire safety information, plans and specifications should be available to the occupiers of the building prior to occupancy; Hot smoke tests should be used to test compartmentation and fire detection cause and effect systems
Prevention Tactic A Tall Building must have a competent fire safety manager Fire risk assessments completed within Tall buildings must be completed by a competent fire safety professional; Provide guidance on the undertaking type 4 invasive fire risk assessments; i.e. how they should be done; 4. Mandatory fire safety training for all occupants (including residential) on order to have license t operate ; 5. Rights of Entry processes with appropriate safeguards
Detection and Alarm Tactic Detection and Alarm systems must have the resilience and flexibility to change evacuation strategies as circumstances dictate Utilise multi sensor heads to reduce false alarms and increase system efficiency, i.e. optical + heat + CO; Undertake full cause and effect testing of systems t prove that systems operate correctly in fire mode, i.e. lifts/elevators; Undertake multiple simultaneous zone activation testing of systems to simulate smoke travel in a Tall Building A degraded system process for working around/compensation for loss or impairment of life safety systems must be available 24/7, i.e. loss of fire detection, sprinklers
Degraded Systems System Failure Problem caused Interim solution Remedy timescale fire curtain Fails in rolled up Unable to smoke Restrict use of upper 24 hr call out contract condition separate lower floors floors Fire alarm system Single detector failure Fire not detected in that Restrict use of location 24 hr call out contract location Single sounder failure Clients nay not hear Restrict use of location 24 hr call out contract warning Complete system failure Staff / clients unaware Airport not operable 24 hr call out contract of fire other devices inoperative Discuss with fire service Emergency lighting Single unit Restrict use of location 24 hr call out contract Total 24 hr call out contract Roof vents Will fail-safe in open Mainly environmental None required from a 24 hr call out contract condition fire safety perspective Make up air vents Will fail-safe in open condition Mainly environmental possible security issue None required from a fire safety perspective 24 hr call out contract Single MDH lobby/atria door Door stays in shut position Fire from room may not vent All MDH lobby/atria All doors shut Unable to vent off lobby doors room fire MDH lobby/stair door Door shuts None as doors will shut in fire condition anyway Lift single failure Would hamper airports May cause conflict business between fire service and Both lifts fail Would seriously hamper airports business disabled use in fire FF access disabled evac impaired shaft height Copyright to Horizonscan Ltd Lift fire curtain Fails in open position Fire from room tat lobby side may affect lift Rooms off lobby not to be used Rooms off all lobbies not to be used None Restrict disabled access or provide extra staff to assist with evacuation Not required for normal escape restrict use of upper floor to bring building below 18m FF Rooms off lobby not to be used 24 hr call out contract 24 hr call out contract Repair ASAP 24 hr call out contract As above 24 hr call out contract
Escape Tactic Requirement for improved visible floor numbering systems and wayfinding; Requirement for you are here orientation diagrams for wayfinding assistance; Improve evacuating occupant situational awareness by means of information systems, i.e. reverse 999 text messaging from emergency services; Stop the practice of using assembly points for post evacuation assembly and progress towards an evacuate and disperse process; Use photoluminescent materials and intelligent signage to increase evacuation wayfinding efficiency;
Compartmentation Tactic Sprinklers are mandatory in Tall Buildings; Only non-combustible finishes to be used on external and internal walls within Tall Buildings; Mandatory annual fire compartmentation audits to ensure integrity of passive fire barriers; Compartmentation plans to be readily available for contractors, and permit to work schemes operated for fire barrier penetrations: All fire walls and floors to be marked and signposted in voids and nonpublic areas, i.e. FIRE WALL DO NOT PENETRATE WITHOUT PERMISSION;
Escape Tactic Review breathing apparatus procedures in light of recent Tall Building Fires; Fire floor and highest known safe floor placards for use in lift/elevator cars; Pre-planning for impact zone around a Tall Building, to reflect hazard of falling debris; Wind speed and direction gauges located in the FCC or reception area of the Tall Building; Mandatory testing of firefighting water flow rates at the highest level in the building;
Impact Zone
BCP and Crisis Response Tactic Mandatory requirement for a plan that covers denial of return for occupants of a Tall Building following a fire; i.e. where will they go?; Salvage plans to mitigate and minimise the effects of large volumes of water in the building
What s in the Course? 5 case studies Daily ignition hazard Daily Tactic Policy, Metrics, Management systems Insurance, investigation, security Car parks, plant rooms, FCC Exercises and discussion Exam and assignments
Russ Timpson Russ.Timpson@tallbuildingfiresafety.com +44 07951 190576 www.tallbuildingfiresafety.com www.horizonscanbcp.com www.crisisboardroom.com