Plan for Fire Protection

by the WBDG Safe Committee

Last updated: 10-30-2008

Overview

The United States has the highest fire losses in terms of both frequency and total losses of any modern technological society. New facilities and renovation projects need to be designed to incorporate efficient, cost-effective passive and automatic fire protection systems. These systems are effective in detecting, containing, and controlling and/or and extinguishing a fire event in the early stages. Fire protection engineers must be involved in all aspects of the design in order to ensure a reasonable degree of protection of human life from fire and the products of combustion as well as to reduce the potential loss from fire (i.e., real and personal property, information, organizational operations). Planning for fire protection in/around a building involves an integrated systems approach that enables the designer to analyze all of the building's components as a total building fire safety system package. The analysis requires more than code compliance or meeting the minimum legal responsibilities for protecting a building; that is, building and fire codes are intended to protect against loss of life and limit fire impact on the community and do not necessarily protect the mission or assets, or solve problems brought upon by new projects with unique circumstances. Therefore, it is necessary to creatively and efficiently integrate code requirements with other fire safety measures as well as other design strategies to achieve a balanced design that will provide the desired levels of safety (evacuation, recovery, egress/smoke. Identify critical systems: diesel generators, etc.).

Performance-Based Design (PBD)

The success of any complex project hinges on getting all the stakeholders, owners, designers, special consultants, and AHJs working together in a collaborative manner to achieve performance-based design solutions. The Society of Fire Protection Engineers has developed and published (in collaboration with NFPA) the SFPE Engineering Guide to Performance-Based Fire Protection Analysis and Design of Buildings and the SFPE Code Official's Guide to Performance-Based Design Review (developed and published in collaboration with ICC).

Recommendations

Issues to address in developing a successful fire protection design usually include:

Design Team—It is most important that the project delivery team include a Fire Protection Engineer with adequate experience and knowledge in fire protection and life safety design. The Fire Protection Engineer should be involved in all phases of design, from planning to occupancy.

Design Standards and Criteria (i.e., Building Code, etc.)—to be utilized by the design team, including statutory requirements, voluntary requirements addressing owner's performance needs, and requirements that are sometimes imposed by insurance carriers on commercial projects.

Site Requirements—A quality site design will integrate performance requirements associated with fire department access, suppression, and separation distances and site/building security.

Fire department access
- Design buildings with uncomplicated layouts that enable firefighters to locate an area quickly.
- Provide rapid access to various features such as fire department connections (FDCs), hose valves, elevators and stairs, annunciators, key boxes, etc.
- Accommodate the access of fire apparatus into and around the building site
Fire hydrants

Coordinate with security measures

Building Construction Requirements, at a minimum will address the following elements:

Construction type, allowable height, and area
Exposures/separation requirements
Fire ratings, materials, and systems
Occupancy types
Interior finish
Exit stairway enclosure

Egress Requirements, at a minimum will address the following elements:

Exit stairway remoteness
Exit discharge
Areas of refuge
Accessible exits
Door locking arrangements (security interface)

Fire Detection and Notification System Requirements, at a minimum will address the following elements:

Detection
Notification
Survivability of systems

Photo of standpipes and fire department hose outlets

Fire Suppression Requirements, at a minimum will address the following elements:

Water supply
Type of automatic fire extinguishing system
- Water-based fire extinguishing system
- Non-water-based fire extinguishing system
Standpipes and fire department hose outlets

Emergency Power, Lighting, and Exit Signage, at a minimum will address the following elements:

Special Fire Protection Requirements, at a minimum will address the following elements:

Engineered smoke control systems
Fireproofing and firestopping
Atrium spaces
Mission critical facility needs

Related Issues

Balancing Safe and Secure Design Requirements

The terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001 have caused design and engineering professionals to address integrated fire protection and security measures for the building site as well as within the building. For example, perimeter protection measures must be well-designed to ensure that fire departments can still access sites and buildings. Another example is the increased need to coordinate HVAC design and proper automatic emergency operations in the event of a fire or chemical/biological/radiological (CBR) event.

A growing movement to "sustainability," including a greater emphasis on life-cycle cost as an engineering community and building code objective, could potentially require a new approach to codes and standards.

Emerging Issues

Bollard spacing for accessibility related to access for fire vehicles and personnel. The Americans with Disabilities (ADA) Act calls for spacing bollard 48 inches apart to meet clear opening requirements. Site security designers need to balance security with access, considering bollard location and spacing respective to vehicular traffic, bus stops, hardened street furniture, and pedestrian traffic.

Relevant Codes and Standards

Building codes and fire codes vary across the nation. For federal projects, consult with the appropriate federal agency or the Contracting Officer. For non-federal projects consult with the appropriate building code and fire code official, for minimum and recommended fire safety measures.

Legislation

OMB Circular A-119—Federal Participation in the Development and Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards and in Conformity Assessment Activities
P.L. 93-498—Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act, 1974
P.L. 100-678, Section 21—Public Building Amendments, 1988
P.L. 102-522—Fire Administration Authorization Act of 1992 (aka Federal Fire Safety Act)

Federal Guidelines

DOD: UFC 3-600-01 Design: Fire Protection Engineering for Facilities
GSA: Facilities Standard for the Public Building Service, P100
GSA: Fire Safety Retrofitting in Historic Buildings (PDF 1.14 MB, 27 pgs) by Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and General Services Administration. 1989.
HUD: Fire Ratings of Archaic Materials and Assemblies
VA: Design Manual: Fire Protection

Other Publications

Fire Publications - Evacuation, NIST—a compendium of research and position papers on multi-hazard evacuation theory

Major Resources

WBDG

Historic Preservation

Accommodate Life Safety and Security Needs, Comply with Accessibility Requirements