SLIDE 1
Apartment Owners Network Fire Safety in Existing Apartment Blocks
18th July 2017
SLIDE 2 Introduction
- Kevin Hollingsworth BSc (Hons) MSCSI MRICS Cert CII
- Chartered Building Surveyor/Chartered Project
Management
- Director of Omega Surveying Services
Currently 3 Surveyors and 1 support staff
- Member of SCSI; Largest professional body for
Construction, Land and Property Surveyors nationwide with over 4,000 members
SLIDE 3 Contents
- 1. Review of the Historic Compliance Regime
- 2. Current Compliance Regime
- 3. Problems commonly found
- 4. Proposed solution to government
SLIDE 4 Historic Certificates of Compliance (Self Certification)
- The problem currently evident throughout the country is directly
related to the inadequacy of the former regulatory system. The Building Control Act 1990, which came into effect in 1992,
- This replaced the previous Bye law regulations which operated in
eight urban areas of the country.
- The Building Control Regulations 1991 implemented a system that
relied heavily on self compliance by owners, designers and builders with limited independent oversight by inadequately resourced local authority building control staff.
- The conveyancing process often required a certificate (opinion) of
compliance with the certification based often on a visual inspection.
SLIDE 5 Historic Certificates of Compliance (Self Certification)
- Apply for Statutory Approvals
(Planning Permission / Fire Safety Certificate / Disability Access Certificate)
- No further involvement from Local Authority
- Builder builds the building
- Little or no professional supervision
(conditions of engagement)
- Certificate of Compliance issues based on “Visual
Inspection” by the Architect/Engineer/Surveyor
SLIDE 6
FIRE SAFETY CERTIFICATE
SLIDE 7
FIRE SAFETY CERTIFICATE
SLIDE 8
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE AT COMPLETON OF WORKS
SLIDE 9
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE AT COMPLETON OF WORKS
SLIDE 10 Building Control Amendment Regulations
- Apply for Statutory Approvals
(Planning Permission/Fire Certificate/Disability Access Certificate)
- New role call “Assigned Certifier” to manage
process
- Responsible for ensuring all certificate from
Designers and Contractors are collected
- Lodges design information and completed certs
to the local authority
SLIDE 11
New Building Control Amendment Regulations
SLIDE 12
60 Minute Fire Resistance Around Each Property
SLIDE 13
Penetrations through the walls – Floors/Ceilings
SLIDE 14
Penetrations through the walls – Floors/Ceilings
SLIDE 15
Penetrations through the walls – Floors/Ceilings
SLIDE 16
Penetrations through the walls – Floors/Ceilings
SLIDE 17
Exposed and Unprotected Steel
SLIDE 18
Exposed and Unprotected Steel
SLIDE 19
Exposed and Unprotected Steel
SLIDE 20
Breaches in Floors
SLIDE 21
Breaches in Floors
SLIDE 22
Breaches in Floors
SLIDE 23
Breaches in Floors
SLIDE 24
Breaches in Floors
SLIDE 25
Gap to Floor Slab
SLIDE 26
Gap to Floor Slab
SLIDE 27
Gap to Floor Slab
SLIDE 28
Services Entry into Apartment
SLIDE 29
Services Entry into Apartment
SLIDE 30
Protected Corridor – Time to Escape (30mins)
SLIDE 31
Protected Corridor – Time to Escape (30mins)
SLIDE 32
Protected Corridor – Time to Escape (30mins)
SLIDE 33
Protected Corridor – Time to Escape (30mins)
SLIDE 34
Protected Corridor – Time to Escape (30mins)
SLIDE 35
Protected Corridor – Time to Escape (30mins)
SLIDE 36
Protected Corridor – Time to Escape (30mins)
SLIDE 37 Transfer of Smoke in Cavities
Requirement to prevent transfer of smoke through cavity wall Option A: Installation of cavity barriers at all 60min floor and wall locations Option B Closing of cavity at all options (Windows and Vents) Approved Fire Safety Certificate (FSC) will state which strategy/option was to be undertaken
SLIDE 38
Cavity Barriers
SLIDE 39
Option A - Cavity Barriers
SLIDE 40
Option A - Cavity Barriers
SLIDE 41
Option A - Cavity Barriers
SLIDE 42
Option A - Disruptive Works
SLIDE 43
Option B – Close all Openings to Cavities
SLIDE 44
Option B – Close all Openings to Cavities
SLIDE 45
Option B – Close all Openings to Cavities
SLIDE 46
Option B – Close all Openings to Cavities
SLIDE 47
Option B – Close all Openings to Cavities
SLIDE 48
Penetrations through the walls - Boiler
SLIDE 49
Penetrations through the walls - Ducting
SLIDE 50
Breaches in Service Shafts
SLIDE 51
Breaches in Service Shafts
SLIDE 52
Basements
SLIDE 53
Separation of Duplex Units
SLIDE 54
Separation of Duplex Units
SLIDE 55 Fire Alarm
Approved Fire Safety Certificate (FSC) will state which standard of Fire Alarm is required. Always to be in compliance with IS3218 (1989 or 2013) Generally: Smoke Detection in common area Smoke detection in service shafts Smoke detection in apartments (varying) To achieve 75 db at the bedhead
SLIDE 56
Emergency Lighting to Common Areas
Always to be in compliance with IS3217 (1989 or 2013) Generally: Lighting to provide 1 lux throughout Emergency directional signage at all changes of direction
SLIDE 57 Implications of doing nothing
Without adequate fire stopping in place fire could spread easily from apartment to apartment throughout the development. Section 18(2) of the Fire Services Act, 1981 & 2003 States: -
- “It shall be the duty of every person having control over
premises to which this section applies to – (d) ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the safety
- f persons on the premises in the event of an outbreak of
fire whether such outbreak has occurred or not.”
SLIDE 58 Recommendations to Government
Submitted in March 2017 Receipt Acknowledged in March 2017 No further response
SLIDE 59 Recommendations to Government
- High level study of at risk buildings
- Set up an emergency fund to deal with most serious
and urgent defects
- Set up a long term long facility for building owners
to enable them to repair all of the their issues.
- Establish a working group to refine the details of the
above recommendations
- Establish the CIRI register of competent contractors
- n a statutory footing to protect consumers in the
future against recurring defects.
SLIDE 60
Thank you Q&A
