Why You Need Fire Protection Design
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PHOTO BY ALYCE VERHIEJDEN AT SHAPPARTON
Fire Protection Design is Important
The correct Fire Protection Design and subsequent installation, testing, certification and maintenance of the Fires Protection System are mandatory for compliance with the Building Code.
While there is a legal requirement for Fire Protection, the design will have a lasting impact on your ability to get or continue with insurance on your property and assets. It also simplifies WH&S requirements and reduces the ongoing maintenance costs.
A comprehensive Fire Protection Design will save time and money now and in the future, reducing headaches when it comes to managing your facility. Plus, keeping good building documentation records enables a much smoother process to future building changes, no matter how far in the future.
We can help you meet your facilities long term goals, smoothly and efficiently while meeting all the regulatory requirements.
The four goals of fire protection design are:
Statutory compliance
Reduce build and ongoing costs
Property protection
Fire Safety
Buildings Require Fire Protection Design
Every building needs fire protection – there is a range of active and passive fire protection system requirements.
Active fire protection system measures are likely to apply to buildings that are over two stories, greater than 500msq and are not a house. Passive fire protection measures include fire doors, exits and egress.
Fire Protection Design takes place in the Building Design Process. Fire Protection Design is coordinated with the architect, building designer and other engineers. It forms part of the approved building design/building permits.
All fire protection system measures and services need to be installed, commissioned and certified before the building occupancy permit is issued. When completed, all the maintenance and servicing of the Fire Protection System needs to be included in the building maintenance manual and checked and maintained according to the approved design. These Fire Protection Systems are inspected annually with all the other Essential Safety Measures (ESM).
Suppose the installed fire services differ from the approved Fire Protection Design. In that case, all design documentation will need to be updated and re-certified, or the installation changed to meet the approved Design.
Effective Fire Protection Design Provides Many Benefits
To have a well-designed fire protection system, the building must be approached holistically and in collaboration with the design team, owner and installer and certifiers.
The fire protection design process considers the building use, size, geometry and occupancy and existing system/s. Compliance to the building code is the first objective with compliance sitting on a spectrum from minimum legal compliance to extremely safe.
We design and certify Fire Protection Systems that perform and can be implemented cost-effectively to the client’s objectives and ensuring the building is operationally ready.
Our Fire Service Designers prepare a design report with technical drawings and completion requirements.
In our 30 years of fire design protection experience, maintaining the approved building design documentation eliminates rework when building updates are made. We recommend maintaining and archiving the updated design documentation, including sign-offs, certification, compliance, completion, commissioning and maintenance requirements, and timeframes. The reports are also passed on to the appropriate contractors, installer, certifier and added to the maintenance manual.
The Different Types of Fire Protection
Fire Protection includes;
|
Fire Safety Measure |
|
Designer |
Coordinated with other Designers |
|
Fire Sprinkler Systems |
Active |
Fire Service Designer / Fire Engineer |
Building Designer / Architect
Electrical Engineer |
|
Fire Detection and Alarm System. |
Active |
Fire Service Designer or Fire Engineer or Electrical Engineer |
Electrical Engineer and Building Designer/Architect/ Associated Fire Safety Measures designers. |
|
EWIS (Emergency Warning Intercom System) |
Active |
Fire Service Designer / Fire Engineer
|
Electrical Engineer
|
|
Manual Suppression - Fire Hydrants, Fire Hose reels |
Active |
Fire Service Designer / Fire Engineer
|
Building Designer / Architect Hydraulic Engineer Electrical Engineer |
|
Fire water Supply - Pumps and tank, mains supply |
Active |
Fire Service Designer / Fire Engineer
|
Building Designer / Architect Hydraulic Engineer Electrical Engineer Associated Fire Safety Measures designers. |
|
Protection of Openings |
Often Passive sometime active |
Building Designer/ Architect
|
Building Designer/ Architect
|
|
Fire Resistance of Building Elements |
Passive |
Building Designer/ Architect |
Building Designer / Architect Associated Fire Safety Measures designers. |
|
Mechanical Air Handling of fire and smoke control |
Active |
Fire Service Designer / Fire Engineer Mechanical Services Engineer |
Mechanical Engineer Building Designer/ Architect |
|
Exist and egress |
Passive (mostly) |
Building Designer/ Architect |
Building Designer / Architect |
|
Emergency Lighting |
Active |
Electrical Engineer or Fire Service Designer |
Building Designer / Architect |
|
Other - separation of building. Ring road, fire brigade access |
Passive and active |
Building Designer / Architect and Fire Service Designer |
Building Designer / Architect |
Who is responsible for fire protection?
|
Project Stakeholder |
Role / Responsibility |
Credentials/ registration |
|
Relevant Building Surveyor |
Issue building Permit for Approved Design Issue Occupancy Permit or Certificate of Final Inspection |
Registered Building Surveyor |
|
Fire Safety Engineer |
Design Fire service.
Inspect installation per approved design |
Registered Fire Safety Engineer |
|
Fire Service Designer |
Design Fire service. |
Registered Engineer or RBP
|
|
Fire Service Installer |
Develop detailed drawing for installation to the approved
design.
Provide completed installers statement. |
Registered Electrician, Registered Plumber (recommend they are specialised in Fire Services) |
|
Builder |
Coordinate all documentation and installers, commissioning
and Certification,
|
Registered Builder (commercial) |
|
Building Manager |
Keep all records, drawing, reports and certificates.
Provide documentation to consultants when renovating the building. |
|
|
Other Service Designers |
Coordinate associated Fire Safety. Measure with all other building services and Designers. |
Industry professional requirements. |
|
Building Designer |
Coordinate all service in the building and ensure Passive Fires protection requirement is detailed for the approved design. |
Registered Architect, Registered Building Designer or Registered Draftsperson. |
Effective Fire Protection Design Services Delivering Benefits
If you are updating your Fire Protection give us a call. The earlier we are involved in the process, the more options you have to develop your most cost-effective design.
Get in touch
Ask for Alyce – (03) 9870 1317
Email alyce@integratedfire.com.au