C O N T E X T 1 1 3 : M A R C H 2 0 1 0 27 Stewart Kidd Fire suppression systems in historic buildings A fire suppression system may enable a building to meet fire safety standards while doing less damage and being less intrusive than conventional approaches. While all modern buildings that are designed from first principles will include a range of fire safety measures intended to protect the lives of occupants, these can not be taken for granted in the case of structures built before 1939. In particular, building regulations demand that occupants in all parts of any building, including dwellings, are able to exit the premises or reach a place of safety in a short time, by their own unaided efforts, without the aid of tools or specialist knowledge and without resorting to features such as vertical ladders, ropes or hoists. Problems arise where an existing building is to be subject to a major refurbishment or where a change of use is to take place (adaptive reconstruction). Either of these situations brings a need for compliance with the building regulations (or the Scottish Building Standards). Compliance with building regulations includes: • the provision of means of escape • the structural protection of escape facilities and the structural stability of the building in the event of a fire • the provision of access and facilities for the fire and rescue service • early detection and warning of fire • facilities for fighting fires • an effective fire safety management regime. Traditionally the first four of these have been imposed on new or refurbished buildings under building standards, while the remainder have been the subject of requirements imposed on the building occupier by the fire and rescue authority. In England and Wales, the latter requirement is covered by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. In Scotland Chapter 3 of the Fire Safety (Scotland) Act 2005 must be complied with. However the requirements are to be specified, it is important to understand that all these elements form important components of an integrated package of fire safety measures. For example, a building could be provided with more than adequate means of escape A house on fire at Park Terrace, Glasgow, in 2006. (Photo: © Crown Copyright: RCAHMS. Licensor www.rcahms. gov.uk)
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