Introduction to Fire Safety Management

Introduction to Fire Safety Management
structurally and reach fl ashover temperature. Table 9.3 is
a summary of the test results.
These tests along with experience from fatal fi res
demonstrate that it is absolutely essential to restrict the
speed of fi re along internal surfaces. The degree to which
fl ame spreads across the surface of a lining material is
classifi ed by a physical test which is detailed in British
Standard BS 476 Part 1.
The three BS 476 classifi cations used by the
Building Regulations Approved Document for lining
materials are:
➤ Class ‘0’ – Any totally inorganic material such as
concrete, clay, fi red clay, metal, plaster and masonry
186
The Stardust fi re
The importance of lining material was tragically highlighted
in a fi re that swept through a building used as
a discothèque in Ireland in 1981. The fi re killed a total
of 48 young people that night. Nearly all were from
the local area, many from the same family. A memorial
park serves as a reminder of what happened.
The fi re started in a partitioned balcony area
where two seats were alight when it was discovered.
The seating was raised to enable people in that area
of the club to see the fl oor shows. The seating was
fi lled with highly combustible and toxic polyurethane
foam and it was covered with combustible vinyl
covering.
The walls of that area of the nightclub were decorated
with carpet tiles which are normally used for
fl oor coverings.
Attempts by security staff to put out the fi re
failed. The fl ames very quickly spread into the main
part of the club where ceiling tiles and wall coverings
caught light, generating huge quantities of hot
thick toxic black smoke.
Table 9.3 Table showing comparative tests of fi re spread
People trying to escape the rapid spread of fi re
were crushed in the stampede for the exits, some
of which were found to be locked. Some collapsed
where they were standing from inhalation of the
toxic smoke.
Escape routes were further restricted because
many of the windows were barred for security reasons.
One group of young people were trapped in the
men’s toilets because the windows had bars. They
were very fortunate to be rescued by fi re fi ghters.
The subsequent inquiry resulted in full-scale tests
being conducted in order to ascertain how the fi re
could have spread so quickly that it could claim so
many lives. During the course of the tests it became
apparent that the combination of the combustible
furniture and the fl ammable ceiling and wall covering
combined to cause conditions where the fi re
spread faster than had ever before been known to
be the case.
The fi re highlighted a number of valuable lessons
not least the importance of limiting combustible
materials on ceilings and walls.
➤ Class 1 – Combustible materials which have been
treated to proprietary fl ame retardants, fl ame retardant
decorative laminates
➤ Class 3 – Wood, plywood, hardboard, fi breglass.
The nature of the internal linings of a building along with
the size and integrity of any fi re compartments are fundamental
factors that affect not only the safety of the
building but more importantly the ability of the occupants
of a building to escape in case of fi re.
Areas where people circulate such as lobbies
and corridors and all routes used to escape from fi re
must be to the highest standard, i.e. have the slowest
surface spread of fi re rating. Large rooms may be to the
Construction Construction Time until Time to structural
of walls of fl oors fl ashover failure
Test 1 Cellulose fi bre 12.5 mm Timber 4 minutes 6 minutes
wallboard lining on
timber battens
Test 2 Plasterboard on Plasterboard on 23 minutes 33 minutes
timber battens timber battens
(Source: BRE Digest 230, 1984; BS EN ISO 1182 2004)