Fire Safety Flashcards
(40 cards)
What three components are needed for a fire to start, according to the fire triangle?
Ignition source (heat), fuel source, and oxygen source.
What is the fourth element that makes up the fire tetrahedron?
A chemical chain reaction
How does removing one of the elements of the fire triangle extinguish a fire?
Removal of any one of the three components will terminate the reaction and put out the fire. For example, a fire can be extinguished by smothering it with a fire blanket to prevent oxygen from reaching the flames.
What are the classifications of fires as per BS4547?
◦ Class A - “normal” solid materials, e.g. wood paper, textiles
◦ Class B - liquids or liquefiable solids
◦ Class C - involve gases
◦ Class D - involves metals, requiring special extinguishing agents
◦ Class E - involves cooking oils and fat
What is flashover and at what temperature does it typically occur?
Flashover is when downward radiation is so strong that a large area of combustible materials in the room will reach a temperature at which these materials spontaneously burst into flames, and typically occurs at around 600 degrees.
What are the three distinct phases of a fire?
Growth period, post-flashover, and decay period.
At what temperature does steel lose most of its strength?
Steel loses most of its strength when it reaches a temperature of 550 degrees.
hat is the role of the “Responsible Person” according to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO 2005)?
The “Responsible Person” is the employer, owner, or any person in control of the premises and is responsible for fire safety.
How often should a fire risk assessment be reviewed?
A fire risk assessment should be reviewed regularly and kept up-to-date, at least annually, and also if any aspect of the building, its occupants, or its management changes
What is active fire protection?
Active fire protection involves systems and equipment that activate in response to a fire, either automatically or manually
What are some components of active fire protection?
Fire detection and alarm systems
Sprinkler systems
Fire extinguishers
Fire mains and hydrants
Smoke control systems
Emergency lighting
Fixed gas extinguishing systems
What are the categories of fire detection and alarm systems specified in BS 5839-1?
- Manual Fire Detection and Alarm Systems (Category M)
- Systems for Property Protection (Category P): P1 (systems installed throughout the protected building) and P2 (systems installed only in defined parts of the building).
- Systems for the Protection of Life (Category L): L1 (systems installed throughout the protected building), L2 (systems installed only in defined parts of the protected building, typically including the coverage of an L3 system), L3 (systems designed to provide early warning), L4 (systems installed within escape routes), and L5 (systems designed to meet a specific fire safety objective).
Name three ways to demonstrate compliance with fire safety regulations.
- BS 9999: Code of practice for fire safety in the design, management and use of buildings
- Approved Document B (Fire Safety)
- Fire engineering solutions
How does the Building Safety Act 2022 affect the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO)?
Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA) makes a number of amendments to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO) to improve fire safety in all buildings regulated by the FSO, such as new legal requirements for all Responsible Persons to record fire risk assessments and fire safety arrangements.
How do pipe closures work?
Pipe closures work by confining an intumescent compound which expands on exposure to fire, rapidly exerting pressure upon the pipe.
What is a protected escape route?
The route along which people can escape from any point in a building to a final exit.
When are protected corridors required?
Corridors serving bedrooms, Dead end, shared by two or more occupants.
What is a final exit?
The end of an escape route from a building that gives direct access to a street, passageway, walkway or open space, and is sited to ensure that people rapidly disperse away from the building so that they are no longer in danger from fire and/or smoke.
How do you calculate the width of a final exit?
BS 9999 & Approved Document B have a merging flow formula to calculate the width the final exit taking into consideration number of people served by ground floor storey exit and stair width.
What are the limitations on travel distances?
Table 2.1 in Approved Document B Volume 2 sets maximum travel distances based on the use of the premises. Some examples of these limitations include:
Residential (institutional): 9m (one direction), 18m (more than one direction).
Residential (other): 9m (bedrooms, one direction), 18m (bedrooms, more than one direction).
What changes did the RRO bring about?
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO 2005) brought about significant changes to fire safety legislation in England and Wales. Key aspects of what it introduced include:
- Shift in Responsibility:
It placed the responsibility for fire safety on the “Responsible Person,” which could be the employer, owner, or any person in control of the premises.
- Fire Risk Assessments:
It mandated that the Responsible Person must carry out a fire risk assessment to identify and address fire hazards.
- Consolidation of Legislation:
It consolidated numerous pieces of fire safety legislation, simplifying the legal framework.
- Focus on Prevention:
It shifted the emphasis from prescriptive measures to a risk-based approach, focusing on preventing fires and ensuring safe evacuation.
At what temperature does an Intumescent product activate?
Activated typically between 200-250°C
What are the duties of a responsible person under the RRO 2005
Undertaking risk assessments
Taking fire precautions to ensure the safety of employees and premises.
Eliminating or reducing risks from dangerous substances.
Providing information and training to employees.
Providing information to employers from outside organisations and the self employed.
Co-operating and co-ordinating with other responsible persons.
What types of buildings do the RRO 2005 apply to?
it applies to:
offices and shops;
premises that provide care, including care homes and hospitals; community halls, places of worship and other community premises;
the shared areas of properties several households live in;
pubs, clubs and restaurants; schools and sports centres;
tents and marquees;
hotels and hostels;
and factories and warehouses.
