Key Principles of Fire Safety in Tall Buildings

Geoffrey Fordham

NFPA: Certified Fire Protection Specialist

Key Principles of Fire

Safety in Tall Buildings

3 elements to overall fire safety

Prevention

Response Organisation

Building Performance

DAdd text

Building Performance

Detection Protection Containment Egress

Containment Detection Protection Egress

If you hear the fire alarm – get out and

stay out.

“Stay in place”! We will

come and rescue you.

Detection

1. What’s the purpose of a Fire Alarm System?

2. What are the fire safety laws in UK and Thailand?

3. Are we required by law to install fire alarm systems?

4. Did Grenfell Tower have a working fire alarm system?

1. What’s the purpose of a Fire Alarm System?

UK: Regulatory Reform Act (Fire Safety) 2005

UK Building Regulations 2010Approved Document B

Thailand: E.I.T Standard3002-51Fire Life Safety(NFPA 101 : Life Safety Code)

Thai Ministerial Regulations


Chapter 9.6: Deals with fire alarm systems (technical aspects)

Chapter 30: New Apartment Buildings

Chapter 31: Existing Apartment Buildings

Chapter 11: Deals with High Rise Buildings

Chapter 31 Existing Apartment Buildings (3 or more dwellings with independent bathroom and cooking facilities)

Detection, Alarm & Communication Systems

31.3.4.1.1: Apartment Buildings of 4 stories or more or with more than 11 units shall be provided with a Fire Alarm System in accordance with 9.6.


NFPA/Thailand/UK

101: 29.3.4.2

31.3.4.2.1: Initiation of the Fire Alarm System shall be by manual means in accordance with 9.6.2


<60 m.Floor level

1.2 - 1.3 m


101: 29.3.4.2

31.3.4.2.2: If the building is fitted with a complete automatic fire detection system then smoke detectors shall be installed in accordance with 9.6.1.3 in all common areas and work spaces outside the living units, such as exit stairs, egress corridors, lobbies and storage rooms.

Heat detectors will be located within each room of the living unit.


31.3.4.5.1: In buildings other than those fitted with a complete automatic fire detection system then smoke alarms shall be installed in accordance with 9.6.2.10 outside every sleeping area in the vicinities of the bedrooms in each living unit.

S

<S/2<S/2

<S/2 <S/2 <S/2

S

<S/2

S

S S S S

<S/2

S S S

<S/2

<S/2 <S/2 <S/2 <S/2


Ceiling

>300 mm.(Thai regulation)

>100 mm (NFPA 72)

>400

mm.>400

mm.

>400

mm.



31.3.4.3.1: Occupant notification shall be provided automatically in accordance with 9.6

31.3.4.3.2: Annunciation panels shall be provided unless the building is less than 2 stores high and fewer than 50 living units or it is fitted with an automatic sprinkler system

NFPA 101: 9.6.3.7 Audible alarm notification appliances shall be of such character and so distributed as to be effectively heardabove the ambient should level that exist under normal operating conditions.


31.3.4.3.1 (2): Positive alarm sequence and pre-signal system in accordance with 9.6.3.3 shall be permitted.

15 Secs 180 SecsACKNOWLEDGE ACCEPT

101: 29.3.4.3.2


> 23m (75ft)


11.8.4.1: A Fire Alarm/Voice System (in accordance with 9.6) shall be provided

11.8.4.2: A two way telephone system shall be provided to connect the command center to;

elevator cars, elevator landingseach level of each exit stairs


Hotels - All hotels must fit a fire alarm system meeting the requirements of E.I.T 2002-49.

Thai Ministry Regulations under the

Building Control Act B.E 2522(1979)

All other buildings fall in to one or more of 4 categories;

Small Buildings

High Rise Buildings

Big Buildings

Very Big Buildings

500 m2 to 2,000 m2

> 23m high

2,000 – 10,000 m2

> 10,000 m2


1. Fire Control Panel

2. Initiating Devices (Smoke/Heat) for whole building.

3. Manual Call Boxes

4. Alarm Bells, Strobes in Public Areas

5. Fire Telephone

6. PA System

7. Annunciator Panel

8. FCP should be activated if a fire suppression system operates.

9. FCP should be activated if sprinkler system operates,

10. FCP should activate lift homing, stair pressurisation fans, smoke exhaust system, fire shutters.


In the case of purpose built flats or maisonettes it is assumed that the fire will generally be confined to the dwelling. The materials and construction of the escape route prevent the fabric of the building being involved. For this reason common areas are not normally fitted with a fire detection and warning system (although self-contained smoke alarms should normally be fitted within each accommodation.

HM Government Fire Safety Assessment (Sleeping Accommodation) 2006


Local Government group: Fire Safety in Purpose Built blocks of flats.

In general needs blocks designed to support a stay put policy, it is unnecessary and undesirable for a fire alarm system to be provided. A communal fire detection and alarm system will inevitably lead to a proliferation of false alarms. This will pose a burden on the fire and rescue services and lead to residents ignoring warnings of genuine fires.

BS5839: For areas where people are sleeping, sounder devices should produce a minimum 75dB(A) at the bed-head with all doors shut. In buildings likely to provide sleeping accommodation for the hearing impaired, consideration should be given to the incorporation of both audio and visual devices.


Grenfell Tower: 67m high and approximately 11,000 – 12,000 m2

Yes its above 4 stories high with greater than 16 units. It requires a manual alarm system on each floor andEither a smoke alarm or smoke detector in each room.

Yes its above 23m and its considered a “high rise building” it therefore requires a full fire alarm and smoke detection system with all of the interfaces..

No despite its size and height because it is a purposebuilt block of flats it is considered undesirable tohave a common fire alarm system due to the propensity of abuse by residents and therefore burden on emergency services.



and would it have saved them?

Did Grenfell Tower have a working fire alarm system?

Key Principles of Fire Safety in Tall Buildings

Documents

Transcript of Key Principles of Fire Safety in Tall Buildings