Fire-protecting the business. AJ 04.09.97

Publication Year

1997

Document Status

Current

Abstract

With half of major business fires due to arson, and an attempt to minimise disruption, insurers are setting their own fire design agenda. Warehouses and storage areas have some of the most costly fires. Implications for design - Smaller compartment sizes. Longer periods of fire resistance for the mail elements of structure, compartment walls with minimum 240 minutes, compartment floors with minimum 120 minutes. Use of non combustible materials for loadbearing elements, ceilings, linings to roofs, linings to external walls, compartments and internal load bearing. Class o materials for linings to internal partitions - Class o achieved without additional material treatment. No trade off with sprinklers when considering fire resistance of building elements. Minimum number of openings and penetrations in compartments walls, compartment floors and other fire resisting. Size limits on openings in compartment walls. More cavity barriers in voids. Stricter control on the design of atria. Restrictions on the use of wood.

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