FIRE SAFETY

Junaidah Jailani

FIRE SAFETY
Principles of Fire
Passive Fire Protection
Building Utilization
Compartmentation
Means Of Escape
Active Fire Protection
Fire Detection System
Fire Extinguisher
Sprinkler System
Mechanical Compartmentation
Fire Safety Rules & Regulations

DEFINITION OF FIRE

According to NFPA
Fire: A rapid oxidation process with evolution of light and heat in varying intensities.

A chemical reaction between a fuel and an oxidant.

Any instance of destructive and uncontrolled burning, including explosion, of
combustible solids, liquids, or gases.
Any instance of destructive and uncontrolled burning, including explosion

DEFINITION OF FIRE
Fire is a combustion or burning, in which substance
combine chemically with oxygen from the air and typically
give out bright light, heat and smoke.

PRINCIPLES OF FIRE

To build a fire, it helps to understand the basic principles of a fire.

Fuel (in a nongaseous state) does not burn directly. When heat applied to a fuel, it
produces a gas. This gas, combined with oxygen in the air, burns.

Understanding the concept of the fire triangle is very important in correctly constructing
and maintaining a fire.

PRINCIPLES OF FIRE
The three sides of the triangle represent air, heat, and
fuel. If any of these removed, the fire will go out.
The correct ratio of these components is very important
for a fire to burn at its greatest capability.

Causes of fire:
Short circuit
Careless and unaware attitude among users
Dangerous activities held in building
Overheating
Pipe Leakage
Intentionally burning

Factors contribute to fire

Combustible materials used in building

Combustible goods placed in building

Poor fire fighting system in building

* Poor space arrangement

* Improper installation of fire fighting equipments

Malfunction of fire fighting equipments.

Water shortage in fire fighting system

CLASSES OF FIRE
WHEN DECIDING ON WHAT FIRE PROTECTION IS APPROPRIATE FOR ANY GIV EN
SITUATION, IT IS IMPORTANT TO ASSESS THE TYPES OF FIRE HAZARD TH AT MAY BE
FACED.

Class
A

Type of Fire
Fires that involve flammable solids such as wood, cloth,
rubber, paper, and some types of plastics

Fire Fighting Agent

Water, Dry Chemical Powder,
Foam

Fires that involve flammable liquids or liquifiable solids

such as petrol/gasoline, oil, paint, some waxes & plastics,
but not cooking fats or oils AND Fires that involve
CO2, Dry Chemical Powder,
flammable gases, such as natural gas, hydrogen,
Foam, Halon
propane, butane

Fires that involve any of the materials found in Class A

and B fires, but with the introduction of an electrical
CO2, Dry Chemical Powder,
appliances, wiring, or other electrically energized objects
Halon
in the vicinity of the fire, with a resultant electrical shock
risk if a conductive agent is used to control the fire

Fires that involve combustible metals, such as sodium,

magnesium, and potassium

Dry Chemical Powder

PASSIVE FIRE PROTECTION

DEFINITION :

- Passive fire protection (PFP) is defines as protection

through ignition delays, reduce rate of burning and fire spread
through use of fire-resistant walls, floors, and doors (amongst
other examples).
- It is an integral component of the three components of
structural fire protection and fire safety in a building.

ASPECTS OF PASSIVE FIRE PROTECTION:

- Building Utilization
- Compartmentation
- Mean of Escape

BUILDING UTILIZATION
Building utilization mean the number of persons using an
undivided space, such as a meeting room, classroom,
auditorium, hotel room or stadium.
As with building codes, fire-protection authorities often set
a limit on the number of people that can occupy a space.
Reason of limitation number of person are :
To ensure occupant must be able to leave the
building through the available number of exits in a reasonable
amount of time, without tripping or trampling each other In a
panicked situation, possibly blinded by smoke.

COMPARTMENTATION

Compartment means any part of a building which is separated from all other
parts by one or more compartment walls or compartment floors or by
both such walls and floors; and for the purpose of the Part, if any part of the top
storey of a building is within a compartment, the compartment shall include any
room space above such part of the storey. (UBBL: Part VII)

Compartmentation is dividing spaces into small compartments which may contain

single or multiple rooms.

The purpose of compartmentation is to limit the spread of fire, smoke and flue
gases

Examples of compartmentation :

1. dividing office area into working place, office equipments room ( photostate &
paper shredder machine ) and storage area ( papers, files)
2. dividing hospital area into treating room, operation theater and chemical storage
area

COMPARTMENTATION
Method of compartmentation :
The construction of such compartments and all its components must
focus to achieve fire resistance rating which all components are
subject to stringent Listing and approval use and compliance in countries,
where product certification is mandatory.

Type of component :
1)

Fire - resistant elements

2)

Interior furnishing / ceiling

FIRE - RESISTANT ELEMENTS

Firewalls are constructed of concrete or concrete blocks

FIRE - RESISTANT ELEMENTS

Fire-resistance rated door

This I beam has a fireproofing material sprayed

onto it as a form of passive fire protection.

INTERIOR
FURNISHING /
CEILING
Spraying
fireproofing to
the ceiling using
a gypsum based
plaster

MEANS OF ESCAPE
DEFINITION :
OSHA define an escape route or an exit route as a

continuous and non-obstructed path of

exit travel from any point within a
workplace to a place of safety.

An exit route consists of three parts:

Exit access
portion of an exit route that leads to an exit.
Exit
portion of an exit route that is generally separated
from other areas to provide a protected way of
travel to the exit discharge.
Exit discharge
part of the exit route that leads directly outside or
to a street, walkway, refuge area, public way, or
open space with access to the outside.

emergency exit in
Stockholm's underground
station "Universitetet"

THE DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION OF THE

EXIT ROUTES

Exit routes must be permanent parts of the

workplace.

Exit discharges must lead directly outside

These exit discharge areas must be large
enough to accommodate the building
occupants

Exit stairs that continue beyond the level on

which the exit discharge is located must be
interrupted at that level by doors, partitions,
or other effective means that clearly indicate
the direction of travel leading to the exit
discharge.
Exit route doors must be unlocked from the
inside. They must be free of devices or
alarms that could restrict use of the exit route
if the device or alarm fails.

Side-hinged exit doors must be used to connect

rooms to exit routes. These doors must swing out
in the direction of exit travel if the room is to be
occupied by more than 50 people or if the room is
a high-hazard area.

Exit routes must support the maximum permitted

occupant load for each floor served, and the
capacity of an exit route may not decrease in the
direction of exit route travel to the exit discharge.

Ceilings of exit routes must be at least 7 feet,6

inches high.

An exit access must be at least 28 inches wide at

all points. Where there is only one exit access
leading to an exit or exit discharge, the width of the
exit and exit discharge must be at least equal to
the width of the exit access. Objects that project
into the exit must not reduce its width.

THE REQUIREMENTS FOR EXIT

Exits must be separated by fire resistant

materials - that is, one-hour fire-resistance
rating if the exit connects three or fewer
stories and two-hour fire-resistance rating
if the exit connects more than three floors.

Exits are permitted to have only those

openings necessary to allow access to the
exit from occupied areas of the workplace
or to the exit discharge. Openings must be
protected by a self-closing, approved fire
door that remains closed or automatically
closes in an emergency.

MEANS OF ESCAPE

ACTIVE FIRE PROTECTION

ACTIVE FIRE PROTECTION

Definition :
Active fire protection (AFP) is characterized by items or system,
which require a certain amount of motion and response in order to
work, contrary to passive fire protection.
There are 2 kinds of active fire protections
1) Fire Detection
2) Fire Suppression

FIRE DETECTION

FIRE DETECTION SYSTEM

Fire

detection system is designed to identify unwanted presence of fire by

monitoring environmental changes associated with combustion.

There are 2 types of fire detection systems :

1) manual fire detection system
2) automatic fire detection system
Fire detection system components consist of:

1)Alarm
2)Manual call point

3)Detector (smoke, thermal / heat or flame)

MANUAL FIRE ALARM DETECTION

Fire Occurrence

Fire Detection Device

Manual Call Point/Break

Glass/ Phone

Alarm Trigger

Manually Call Fire

Department

MANUAL FIRE ALARM DETECTION

DEVICES

AUTOMATIC FIRE ALARM DETECTION

Fire Occurrence

Detected Devices (Automatic

detector/Heat Detector)

Fire Alarm Trigger

Detected on Control Panel

(Show fire location in building)

Automatic Connected to Fire

Department

AUTOMATIC FIRE ALARM DETECTION

DEVICES

Smoke Detector

Fire Control Panel

Heat Detector

FIRE SUPPRESSION

Fire suppression system is used in conjunction with fire detection system to

increase public safety. This system are governed by the codes under the
NFPA (National Fire Protection Association)

Types of fire suppression:

1) Fire Extinguisher
* Portable fire extinguisher
* Automatic fire extinguisher
2) Hydrants
* Hose reel
* Wet riser
* Dry riser

* Foam riser
3) Smoke Extraction & Ventilation

FIRE EXTINGUISHER
PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHER

Portable extinguishers are

intended as a first line of
defense to cope with fires of
limited size.

They are needed even when

a facility is equipped with
automatic
sprinklers,
standpipe and hose, or other
fixed protection equipment.

Fire extinguisher training is

provided by contacting the
Health and Safety Office
Fire Safety Section.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER
AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHER

1) Sprinkler system

2) Gas / Foam system

Fire sprinkler system
Consisting of a water supply system, providing adequate pressure
and flow rate to a water distribution piping system, onto which fire
sprinkler are connected.
There are 2 main types of fire sprinkler system:
1) Wet pipe system
2) Dry pipe system

FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEM

Wet Pipe System

When an automatic sprinkler is exposed for a sufficient time to a temperature at or

above the temperature rating, the heat sensitive element (glass bulb or fusible
link) releases, allowing water to flow from that sprinkler.
Dry Pipe System

When one or more of the automatic sprinklers is exposed to for a sufficient time to
a temperature at or above the temperature rating, it opens, allowing the air in the
piping to vent from that sprinkler.

Each sprinkler operates individually.

As the air pressure in the piping drops, the pressure differential across the dry
pipe valve changes, allowing water to enter the piping system.

Water flow from sprinklers needed to control the fire is delayed until the air is
vented from the sprinklers.

For this reason, dry pipe systems are usually not as effective as wet pipe systems
in fire control during the initial stages of the fire.

FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEM

Direct System

In-Direct System
Dry System: No Water in range pipe
Wet System: Water Ready in range pipe

SPRINKLER SYSTEMS
Wet Pipe Systems
By a wide margin, wet pipe sprinkler systems are installed
more often than all other types of fire sprinkler systems.

They also are the most reliable, because they are simple,
with the only operating components being the automatic
sprinklers and (commonly, but not always) the automatic
alarm check valve.
An automatic water supply provides water under pressure
to the system piping.

SPRINKLER SYSTEM-WET PIPE

SPRINKLER SYSTEM-WET PIPE

SPRINKLER SYSTEMS
Dry Pipe Systems

Dry pipe systems are installed in spaces in which the ambient temperature
may be cold enough to freeze the water in a wet pipe system, rendering the
system inoperable.

Dry pipe systems are most often used in unheated buildings, in parking
garages, in outside canopies attached to heated buildings (in which a wet
pipe system would be provided), or in refrigerated coolers.

Dry pipe systems are the second most common sprinkler system type.

In regions using NFPA regulations, dry pipe systems cannot be installed

unless the range of ambient temperatures reaches below 40F.

SPRINKLER SYSTEM-DRY PIPE

Operation

Water is not present in the piping until the system operates.

The piping is filled with air below the water supply pressure.

To prevent the larger water supply pressure from forcing water into the
piping, the design of the dry pipe valve (a specialized type of check valve)
results in a greater force on top of the check valve clapper by the use of a
larger valve clapper area exposed to the piping air pressure, as compared to
the higher water pressure but smaller clapper surface area.

SPRINKLER SYSTEM-DRY PIPE

When one or more of the automatic sprinklers is exposed, for a sufficient

time, to a temperature at or above the temperature rating, it opens, allowing
the air in the piping to vent from that sprinkler. Each sprinkler operates
individually. As the air pressure in the piping drops, the pressure differential
across the dry pipe valve changes, allowing water to enter the piping system.
Water flow from sprinklers, needed to control the fire, is delayed until the air
is vented from the sprinklers. In regions using NFPA 13 regulations, the time
it takes water to reach the hydraulically remote sprinkler from the time that
sprinkler is activated is limited to a maximum of 60 seconds

SPRINKLER SYSTEM-DRY PIPE

SPRINKLER SYSTEM-DRY PIPE

Disadvantages of using dry pipe fire sprinkler systems include:

Increased complexity - Dry pipe systems require additional control equipment and air
pressure supply components which increases system complexity.

Higher installation and maintenance costs - The added complexity impacts the
overall dry-pipe installation cost, and increases maintenance expenditure primarily
due to added service labor costs.

Lower design flexibility - Regulatory requirements limit the maximum permitted size
(i.e., 750 gallons) of individual dry-pipe systems, unless additional components and
design efforts are provided to limit the time from sprinkler activation to water
discharge to under one minute. These limitations may increase the number of
individual sprinkler

SPRINKLER SYSTEM-DRY PIPE

Other disadvantages:

Increased fire response time - Because the piping is empty at the time the
sprinkler operates, there is an inherent time delay in delivering water to the
sprinklers which have operated while the water travels from the riser to the
sprinkler, partially filling the piping in the process

Increased corrosion potential - Following operation or testing, dry-pipe

sprinkler system piping is drained, but residual water collects in piping low
spots, and moisture is also retained in the atmosphere within the piping. This
moisture, coupled with the oxygen available in the compressed air in the
piping, increases pipe internal wall corrosion rates, possibly eventually
leading to leaks.

FIRE SPRINKLER

Types sprinkler head : Glass bulb, Fusible link, Chemical, Open

GAS / FOAM SYSTEM

Gas or foam water fire sprinkler

system is a special application
system, discharging a gas such
as CO2 or mixture of water and
low expansion foam
concentrate, resulting in a foam
spray from the sprinkler.

These systems are usually used

with special hazards
occupancies associated with
high challenge fires, such
as flammable liquids, electrical
room, computer and database
room and airport hangars

HYDRANTS
Fire hydrants consists of hose reel and riser.

There are 3 types of riser which are:

1) Dry Riser
2) Wet Riser
3) Foam Riser

HYDRANTS SYSTEM
Dry riser No water in riser pipe
Wet riser Water ready in riser pipe

SMOKE EXTRACTION & VENTILATION

Objectives
1) to aid fire control by eliminating smoke, heat, toxic and inflammable gasses
from the source of fire
2) to retain visibility of escapers
3) to provide clear access for firefighters

FIRE SAFETY PRODUCTS/DEVICES

SELF TEST QUESTIONS

Explain TWO (2) types of Fire Safety System in a building (10 Marks)

Explain differences between automatic and manual fire suppression (5 Marks)

FIRE SAFETY RULES & REGULATIONS

DEFINITION OF

FIRE:

A Reaction That Happened When A Combustible Material &

Oxygen Is Exposed To The Source Of Heat Or Torch

DEFINITION OF

FIRE SAFETY:

Action Plans By Application Of Science And

Engineering Principals For Fire Prevention And
Protection In A Particular Building And Strategies To
Reduce Fire Hazards During A Fire Incident

Fire Prevention,
Control & Extinguishment For A Certain
Protection In The Aspects Of

Areas Based On Availability Of Risk In That Area

(Jpbd:2007)

FIRE SAFETY RULES & REGULATIONS

Fire can be extinguished by removing

of the fire tetrahedron .

any one of the elements

Example:
Consider a natural gas flame, such as from a stovetop burner. The fire can be
extinguished by any of the following:
turning off the gas supply, which removes the fuel source;

covering the flame completely, which smothers the flame as the

combustion both uses the available oxidizer (the oxygen in the air) and
displaces it from the area around the flame with CO2;
application of water, which removes heat from the fire faster than the fire
can produce it (similarly, blowing hard on a flame will displace the heat of
the currently burning gas from its fuel source, to the same end), or
application of a retardant chemical such as Halon to the flame, which
DELAYS the chemical reaction itself until the rate of combustion is too slow
to maintain the chain reaction

FIRE SAFETY RULES & REGULATIONS

Objective Of Fire Safety :
To Identify In Details All Fixed Protection System In A Building, Both : (Passive And Active)
Two (2) Kinds Of Fire Protections:
1) Fire Prevention
2) Fire Protection (Active & Passive Fire Protection)

Measures undertake to prevent the occurrence of fire :

Education & Training

Enforcement

Engineering

Security

Maintenance

Good Housekeeping

LAWS & REQUIREMENT ON FIRE SAFETY

1) Uniform Building By Law (UBBL) 1984,
- Part VII-Fire Requirements

- Part VIII-Fire Alarms, Fire Detection, Fire

Extinguishment and Fire Fighting Access
2) National Fire Protection Associations
(NFNA)
3) Law by Fire Department (Akta
Perkhidmatan Bomba 1988)

LAWS & REQUIREMENT ON FIRE SAFETY

1) Uniform Building By Law (UBBL) 1984

~

UBBL, is a published document, which is used as a required

safety standard and is emphasized by government.

The FRDM strive to discharge its responsibilities in its

prevention & safety program, and also its enforcement in
relation to inspections of buildings & business licensing
activities according to UBBL especially Part 7 & Part 8
Part 7 : Fire Requirement
Part 8 : Fire Alarm, Fire Detection, Fire Extinguishment &
Fire Fighting Access.

One of a crucial stage in building design

Building plans required to be approved by the Fire Department (Jabatan Bomba

& Penyelamat Malaysia- JBPM) before the building can be constructed.

Once the construction finished; the building itself will again required to be
inspected before approved by JBPM.

The practice is part of the requirements by the Local Council before CF is

issued.

GOOD BUILDING DESIGN WITH FIRE SAFETY MEASURE

Provide adequate fire appliances, fire hydrants and other facilities to

assist fire and rescue personnel

Provide adequate fixed installation where appropriate, for quick &

effective detection & extinguishment of fire

Designing & installing building services so that they do not assist the
spread of fire, smoke or any toxic fumes.

Designing & providing adequate & safe escape route for the occupants
of the building

Selecting materials for the construction which will not promote the
spread of fire or generates hazardous smokes.

Subdividing building into compartments of reasonable sizes by mean of

fire resisting floor& wall, providing fire stop to protect openings
between floor & compartments

Designing & constructing the exterior of a building so that the fire

unlikely to spread to it from another burning building