ELEMENT 10

FIRE
Element 10: Fire

10.1 Fire principles

10.2 Preventing fire and fire spread
10.3 Fire alarms and firefighting
10.4 Fire evacuation
Fire safety enforcement

 Enforced and regulated by local fire

and rescue service authorities
 HSE/HSENI enforce fire legislation for
construction projects.

Specific legislation also in place for:

UK fire safety legislation
 Designing and constructing buildings 1. Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
(Building Regulations) (England and Wales)
2. Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland)
 Higher hazard workplaces with risks
Order 2006
from dangerous substances capable of 3. Fire Safety Regulations (Northern Ireland)
forming an explosive atmosphere 2010
(DSEAR and HSE guidance L138). 4. Fire (Scotland) Act 2005
5. Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006
 Heat
Sources of ignition
 Friction - from worn parts of machinery
 Hot surfaces
 Faulty electric supplies
 Faulty electrical equipment
 Static electricity
 Tools that can cause sparks by friction - grinding wheels
 Open flames - welding activities
 Smoking materials - matches and cigarettes
 Lightning strikes
 Radiant heat from the sun
 Faulty heating systems
Fuel
Fuel is any material that will combust
given the right set of conditions.

 Wood
 Paper and cardboard
 Fabrics
 Flammable liquids (including oils and solvents)
 Flammable gases
 Flammable metals
 Foam
 Rubber and plastics
 Oxygen
Sources of oxygen

 The air that surrounds us. The usual concentration of oxygen in

the air we breathe is 21% which is more than enough for a fire to
start and continue to burn.
 Other sources of oxygen which will lead to more intense fires:
‒ Oxygen bottles (used for welding or medical purposes)
‒ Ventilation systems
‒ Air-conditioning systems
 Oxygen
Oxidising materials
Oxidising chemicals that can easily decompose to
materials release oxygen or an oxidising substance

 The oxygen is chemically bound in a material until

it is freed by heat and/or a chemical reaction
 Can add to a fire and cause it to spread
 Should always be kept away from sources of fuel
 Can ignite sources of fuel without the presence
of an ignition source

EXAMPLES
 Hydrogen peroxide (used in hairdressing salons)
 Sodium chlorate (used in weed killers)
Principles of heat transmission and fire spread

Conduction
 The most common form of heat transfer
 The transfer of heat in a static material
 Materials differ greatly in their heat-conducting ability
 Metals are usually good heat conductors while
building materials (e.g. brick and stone) are poor
conductors
Principles of heat transmission and fire spread

Convection
 Heat is transferred through movement of a heated fluid
such as air or water
 As the water is heated, its density decreases and it rises,
being replaced by cooler fluid that is drawn in from below
 The hot fluid can travel both vertically and horizontally
through gaps in the building fabric, along air vents and
roof spaces, spreading the fire to other parts of the
building
 Common causes and
consequences of fire

People Work activities Equipment/ Other

Making mistakes Working with open flames electrical faults conditions
Lapses of concentration (e.g. welding equipment) Using faulty equipment Static electricity
Being careless Hot work activities or Overloading circuits Natural conditions
activities involving open Poorly maintained equipment (rays of sunlight or
Arson
flames or excessive heat lightning)
Consequences of a fire
Personal injury Financial consequences
Small fire - Minor/superficial burns Can take years for an organisation
to recover from a catastrophic fire.
Major fire - Major injuries/multiple deaths
Some may be unable to recover.
Emergency workers are also at risk when
responding to the fire.

Property damage
Ranges from minor smoke damage
Reputational impact to total loss of the building;
An organisation’s reputation can be damaged/destroyed stock.
harmed if it is found to be cutting Seriousness of damage depends
corners on fire protection. on design of building, degree of fire
E.g. If fire run-off water used to protection, alertness of workers
control a fire causes widespread and effectiveness of detection and
environmental damage. alarm systems.
Common fire-detection
and alarm systems
Detection and alarm systems identify an outbreak of fire or smouldering
materials in its early stages - by sensing heat, flames or smoke.

Heat detectors Flame detectors Smoke detectors

 Monitor the ambient air temperature Beams of ultraviolet/infrared Early warning devices that sound
and will sound an alarm when there light are transmitted across a an alarm when smoke is detected.
is a change. protected area. They are very sensitive and often
 Rate-of-rise (ROR) detectors give false alarms.
If flames interrupt the beam,
sound an alarm when sudden,  Ionisation detectors
this is detected by a receiving
rapid temperature rise is detected.  Light scatter detectors
unit and the alarm is sounded
 Fixed temperature heat detectors  Obscuration detectors
or suppression unit activated.
monitor ambient air temperatures
against a pre-set level.
ACTIVITY Consider what needs to be
taken into account when
providing a means of escape.
Means of escape
 Allows you to turn away from a fire and walk to a place of safety.
 Should lead directly to an outside open space away from the building.
 Should not include mechanical/other aids, e.g. chutes, ladders, harnesses, lifts
(except for evacuating workers with mobility problems).
Consider:
Directional
Building Travel Stairs and Final exit Emergency Assembly
Fire doors and exit
construction distances passageways doors lighting points
signage

Provisions to limit the ingress

Allow all people to escape to a of smoke to the escape
place of safety without external routes, to restrict the spread
assistance of fire and remove smoke

Adequate lighting and exits Sufficient in number for the

that are suitably signed Protected from the effects expected capacity of users and
of fire and smoke suitable location
Role and appointment of fire marshals
Workers take on this role as well as their day-to-day duties.

Known as fire wardens, incident Will check that everyone leaves the
officers, responsible persons area, then reports to a Co-Ordinator.
This information may be passed on
to the emergency services.
Appointed to assist
with an evacuation.
They may also look out for potential
fire hazards, so that proactive
measures can be taken to deal with
Each fire marshal is allocated
problems before they become
an area of the building that they
emergencies.
will check once the fire alarm is
sounded.

Arrangements should be put in

May also be asked to supervise
place to ensure coverage for
workers at the assembly points.
sickness absence and holidays.