Fire Precaution for the Upcoming Lecture Theatre - Assignment Example

Fire Protection Name Tutor 10 March, 2011 Fire precaution report for the upcoming lecture theatre The main purpose of this document is to give a fire protection plan and the underlying procedures which will be followed in ensuring that the building under renovation constructions. The building, the current fire laboratory in the university is being converted to a lecture theater. This is a task that will require that the building complies with the current safety procedures which have been put in place by the local authorities. This report will comprise the procedures that will be necessary for the safest fire safety plans. Background The university has a commitment to minimize fire threats to all the students, staff, and all other employees and properties that belongs to the university. In a bid to make this a reality, the university complies with all the set laws, regulations, practices and codes which appertain to fire prevention. In this report there is an outline for the procedures that will be adhered to in the construction of the proposed lecture theater. The report will also take into consideration the facilities that need to be incorporated into the building such that future fire scares are averted in the safest way possible. Responsibilities It is the responsibility of all people residing within the university or its environs to adhere to the requisite fire safety procedures and also to have the adequate knowledge that is required to respond to and also to prevent fire from spreading in the event that it breaks out. The management will be responsible in enhancing that the safety procedures for the entire building are properly spelt out. It shall also be responsible for the determination of the fire safety policy. The management will additionally required to provide the requisite control mechanisms (as will be outlined in this document), training and facilities to all the pars of the building and the people who will be using the building which will act as an encouragement for fire prevention and also as a guide for action in case of some urgency. Fire plan administrators will be responsible for managing the fire prevention plan for the building and also maintain all the records that pertain to that plan. The plan administrators will have the extra tasks of developing and administering the training programs for fire prevention to the staff and the relevant employees, ensure that all the necessary fire equipments and fire safety systems are fixed to the right places and in the right way, ensure that all sources of hazards are in control such sources of fuel, conduct adequate surveys for fire risks and related risks which might instigate fire accidents and lastly be able to make apt recommendations regarding the fire procedures. Supervisors will be responsible for enhancing that all the required personnel receive the requisite training in fire safety. They will as well be accountable for making sure that they notify the people responsible when they happen to notice some operational changes which might increaser fire risks. The supervisors should also take part in making sure that the fire policies of the university are enforced in during the construction of the building. The employees within that building are required to go through all the necessary training, conduct all their operations in a manner that reduces the risks of fire, report all potential hazards to the supervisors and lastly follow all the emergency procedures to the letter. Fire growth: literature review There are various determinants of the rate of fire growth and the effects of smoke production. If one happens to have a look at the laws that are related to the way fir grows, it is evident that all classes of fire ranging from medium and average fires such as in offices and residential areas, have a likelihood of having that fire doubling in size every minute when there is enough fuel and air supply. In other areas where the fire loads are higher and with presence of fast winds, fires can grow at a much higher rate and can grow to double the size in even half the time, that is 30 seconds or even 15 seconds. Fires which develop slowly double in 120 seconds, medium developing ones after 60 seconds, fast developing ones after 30 seconds and ultra fast fires after 15 seconds. Considering the plan ion the attached drawing, this is an area with a vast flow of air and the area is compartmented and will be having the presence of combustible furniture, the rate of fire growth in case of an emergency can go up to doubling in 30 seconds thus it is a fast fire area. The floor space being large and with plenty of air supply should be considered a hazard and adequate measures should be taken to ensure that they=re is enough safety. The safety equipment to be fitted in the structure should take into thought the vastness of the floor space. This report also takes into consideration the “Building Regulations 2000 and Approved Document B 2007” guidelines and practices in ensuring that the building complies with the necessary procedures and regulations. These regulations ensure that the building meets the outlined and the set provisions that deal with the fire safety aspects which will hereby be discussed. The regulations which will be mainly taken into consideration will be B1, B2, B3, B4 and B5 in the approved document B. these are the regulations which ensure that the building has been served with the means necessary to warn people in case there is a fire outbreak in the building and the necessary routes which can be used for escape if a fire happens in a building. The subsequent part will seek out to set up means which can inhibit the internal linings of a building from catching fire. Thirdly this paper will look into how the building will be stable in the event of catching fire, ensure that the degree of separation between buildings is respected, preventive mechanisms for fire spread are put in place and there are also mechanisms for concealing smoke. Also, there will be mechanisms which will be necessary to enhance that the roofs and the external walls are resistant to spreading fire to the external environment and also the spread of fire from a building to the other. Lastly, there will be means which will ensure that the fire appliances are within reach in the building and that there are enough facilities which will be used to ensure that fire fighters succeed in saving lives in events of fires. Alarms and escape In respect to the first requirement where the building is supposed to have adequate means of warning and escape, the building will be constructed in such a manner that there shall be the required provisions necessary for escaping from the building once a fire breaks out and also means where people within the lecture hall will be notified in due time. The escape routes will be in such a condition that they can be used at any time and shall at no time be in a bad condition. In sustaining these requirements, the design of the building should consider that the escapee routes are properly and adequately lit at any one time in the lecture hall. The escape routes are also required to be built in such a manner that they are protected from ingress of smoke which is likely to deter human movement due to limited visibility. The designer of this building should also ensure that all the escape routes in this lecture hall are in visible areas and areas which are quickly accessible. The areas should be marked very clearly and they should be put in a manner which will allow the people being evacuated from the building have the capacity to leave the building without any external assistance. Considering that the building in question is not a high one, smoke can be dealt with using windows which can be opened. This will assist in making smoke egress a possibility once fire breaks out in the building. All the fir exits, on proper design should be properly and clearly marked and signed to ease location during an emergency. In this design some of the considerations to be put in place will be alternative solutions to the direct means where the building will be served with an alternative stairway which ends at an exit. The building will then be fitted with alarms for smoke and fire detection. The alarms shall be automatic fire detection systems which will have to be in accordance with BS 5839-1. All the installed systems will have to pass through some authentication procedures and followed by some authentication and commissioning certificate. All the widows in the building should be operable for the upper floors; there should be ladders which can assist people to climb down the building. The widows should comply with the standard dimensions which are an area of 0.33m2, and sized at least 450mm by 450mm. the exit routes will adhere to the standard dimensions; considering that the building is a lecture hall, all the routes are above five persons in width. The escape doors will also be put up in such a way that they open towards the direction of the escape route. When all the stated conditions and any other conditions that may be deemed relevant during the construction process are put in place, the building will have met the standards and the requirements of the local regulations. Internal fire spread In adhering to the conditions as stipulated in the document on the requirements of the building as pertains to internal fires, the building will have to meet the stipulations that inhibit fire spreading in the building. Within this potion of the paper, internal linings are those materials that are used line the internal structures of a building. In this state, the linings in the building will be built of fire resistant materials and thus be able to resist the fire spreading. The linings which are to be used for the walls and ceilings where applicable will have to meet the national and the European standards being above 1 and C-s3, d2 respectively. To avoid any unnecessary risks in case of spread of fire, the design will avert the previously suspended ceilings as they increase the rate of fire spread. B3: internal fire spread mitigation The building will also comply with the regulations which are mentioned in this part of the approved document which gives the pre conditions which are supposed to be met when designing the structure of the building. In this case, it will be stable enough in such a way that it can resist collapsing for quite some time in the event of a fire. The lecture hall is at a safe distance from the adjacent buildings and shall have a stable mechanism which will prevent fire from spreading to other buildings in case it happens. This will be through fixing of hoses and reels which have a permanent water connection and whose material is not combustible. To avert any possible risks, there will be an additional wall which will be added such that it separates the hall from the next building at a safe distance. The hall’s compartments will be designed in a manner that will inhibit fire from spreading without notice by making all areas open. The resistance to the various impacts of fire range from collapse resistance, penetration of excessive heat and spread of fire. The structures that have been used to make the building adhere to the standards as set out in the approved document standards for structures and degree of resistance. The lecture hall will also have additional compartments which will be separated by walls to the size of a standard classroom. This will be a stride in the direction of avoiding the spreading of fire prior to its being put off. The building also has provided a means of escape between the different storeys that are in that building. All openings in the building will also be protected from possible fires. External fire spread This provision will enable the lecture hall to comply with the conditions that call for resistance to the spread of fire to adjacent structures, over walls with regard to the position of the building and its height. For the walls, they will be having low heat release and resistant from external; ignition. The external walls shall adhere to the stipulations set in section 13 of the building. The external walls will also be at a safe distance from the adjacent building and shall adhere to the conditions of protected areas. The building shall also have a thorough fitting of automated sprinkler system which reduces the rate of fire spread to a very high degree. B5: access to the facilities In a bid to mitigate fire spread, the facilities shall be set in a manner that adheres to the provisions of this section. All the fire fighting appliances shall be set in accessible areas such that rescuers can have an easy time in saving lives. This will involve fitting of the appliances near doors and on the pathways so as to make sure that the people responsible for the fires can access the places. In addition to the appliances, the building is an area that can easily be accessed by vehicles thus access is guaranteed. The building is also situated in an area that can allow access to the whole perimeter. It has been built with incorporated firefighting stairs and lobbies and facilities for [practicable smoke egress from the building. With the stated provisions met, the building stands at a safe place in the event of a fire break out. References The building Regulation 2000: Fire Safety. Approved Document B Read More