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Fire Safety

Fire Safety. By Alicia Civile and Alexandra Fernandez. Fire Safety Design & Objectives. When a building is designed to resist the start and spread of a fire, designers protect not only the building itself and its contents, but more important the lives of people who occupy the building .

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Fire Safety

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  1. Fire Safety By Alicia Civile and Alexandra Fernandez

  2. Fire Safety Design & Objectives • When a building is designed to resist the start and spread of a fire, designers protect not only the building itself and its contents, but more important the lives of people who occupy the building. • To react safely to a fire emergency, a building occupant needs early warning, the means to extinguish a small fire, and at least two ways out of the building. Once a fire has started, people may only have a few minutes to get out safely. • As a result, people may panic, but they need to get to a door immediately. The design of the building may help, or it may lead to a dead end, trapping them inside.

  3. Fire Safety Design & Objectives • Fire Safety Objectives • The most common fire safety objectives, in order of importance, are: • 1. protection of life • 2. protection of property • 3. continuity of operation

  4. Fire Safety Overview • Fire Safety Provisions • Alarms • Barriers • Dampers • Fire Rated Doors • Evacuation Plans • Extinguishers / Extinguishing Systems

  5. Fire Safety Overview • Fire Safety Organizations • NFPA National Fire Protection Association • OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration • ADAAG Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines • USFA United States Fire Administration • UL Underwriters Laboratories Fig. 1

  6. Fire Safety Codes • NFPA Codes • NFPA101: Life Safety Code • NFPA 70: National Electrical Code • NFPA 72: National Fire Alarm Code • NFPA 80: Standard for Fire Doors and Windows

  7. Evacuation Code Provisions for Low Rise Building Evacuation Binggeli Table 15-3 CODE PROVISIONS FOR EVACUATION OF LOW RISE BUILDINGS p331

  8. Evacuation • Escape Routes • Stairs + Corridors: slow fire and guide occupants out of building • Exits Objectives • Offer more than one route out • limit distance to exit

  9. Evacuation • Areas of Refuge • Provides a safe place for those in need of assistance to await help. • Should be free of smoke, gas, heat, and fire • ADAAG titled areas of rescue assistance • Horizontal Exit • Does not lead to building exterior • Leads to safety in separate part of building or adjoining building on same level

  10. Evacuation • Vertical Openings • The vertical opening enclosures serve todelay the spread of fire and are vital in preventing the rapid flow of smoke, death-dealing gases, and superheated air throughout the building Stairs, elevators, ductwork, electrical wiring, piping chases • Required to be enclosed with fire-rated walls • Must include self closing fire rated doors on each floor

  11. Evacuation • Vertical Openings • May include exterior exits that allow smoke & fire to escape outside • Also, interior openings allow the smoke to rise away from occupants

  12. Evacuation • Outdoor Exit Routes • Outdoor exit routes are permitted but must meet the minimum height and width requirement for indoor exit routes and must: • Have guardrails to protect unenclosed sides if a fall hazard exists • be reasonably straight and have smooth, solid, substantially level walkways • Not have a dead-end longer than 20 feet

  13. Evacuation • Emergency Exits and Signage • Exit or directional signs must be at: • Exit doors • Corridor intersections • Exit stairways or ramps • Interior and exterior exits must be marked • exit signs must always be illuminated • Exterior exit doors must open out

  14. Evacuation • Emergency Exits and Signage • Exterior exit doors must have panic hardware • Landings and stairs must have hand rails • Exit routes must be adequately lighted • Floor surfaces must be clear of all hazardous items that

  15. Evacuation • Fire Doors • Fire doors include push bars, hinges, closing devices, latches • Required in educational facilities • Objective: Stall the spread of fire to allow for evacuation • ADA requirement: push force required to open door must not exceed five pounds

  16. Evacuation • Corridors and Paths of Egress • Exit route ceilings must be at least 7’6” high • Exit access must be at least 28” wide at all points • Placing equipment in corridors is not feasible • Exit route doors must be unlocked from the inside

  17. Materials • Construction Materials • Exit must be separated by fire resistant materials • Construction materials which separate the exit from other parts of the workplace must have one-hour fire resistance-rating if the exit connects three or fewer stories • Materials must be chosen according to their performance in standard test methods • Objective: • contain fire • retain structural integrity

  18. Fire Dampers + Draft Stops + Firestops • Fire Dampers • Part of HVAC ductwork • Stops ductwork airflow during emergencies • Controls smoke, heat, and fire from passing through ductwork • Fire damper must be included when duct perforates fire rated assembly

  19. Fire Dampers + Draft Stops + Firestops • Draft Stops • Bingelli states that they are “required in combustible construction to close off large, concealed spaces” • Create independent spaces and prevent airflow • Firestops • Bingelli states they “restrict the passage of smoke, heat, and flames in concealed spaces” • Protect pipes and wires which pass through walls

  20. Compartmentation and Fire Barriers • Compartmentation • “Prevents the spread of fire, smoke, and heat beyond a restricted area of the building.” • Preserves building and inhabitants • Fire Barriers • Fire rated structural elements • Wall, ceiling, or floor systems • Prevent the spread of fire and heat

  21. Compartmentation and Fire Barriers • Firewalls • Stop the spread of fire from building to building or building sections • 3-5 hour rating

  22. Smoke Detection + Extinguishing • Fire Alarm Systems • Automatic fire alarm systems are regulatory in educational institutions • Manual pull stations should additionally be present in case fire is noticed prior to system detection • Smoke Detectors • Prevent death from smoke and poisonous gas inhalation

  23. Smoke Detection + Extinguishing • Sprinkler Systems • Require water supply and standby power • NFPA 13: Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems • Send out water and sound alarm upon start of use • Fire Extinguishers • Stop small fires at their source • Must be within 75’ of occupant

  24. Works Cited Binggeli, Corky. (2009). Building systems for interior designers. Wiley. Fig1. [Untitled photograph of NFPA logo]. Retrieved September 1, 2010, from: http://www.nfpa.org/

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