BEC 206/CIVE 2502

BUILDING SERVICES

5.0 FIRE PROTECTION EQUIPMENT

AND SYSTEMS

Lecturer’s Name :
Dyg. Siti Quraisyah Bt. Abg. Adenan
FIRE FIGHTING SYSTEM
Fire System

 They are many types of fire systems in a building.

There are equipment and systems for monitoring,
communication, fighting fire, indication, raising
alarm, diverting smoke and many others.
 Generally they can be classified into two
categories:
 Fire Fighting System
 Fire Protection System
 Fire systems fall under the fire codes for
buildings. As fire codes may vary in different
countries, no attempt is made to specify the fire
codes. Instead, we will be examining the various
components of a fire system in buildings.
Fire System
Three major goals of fire
system

Life safety

Fire System

Continuity
Property
of
protection
operations
 Fire Fighting System
 The fire fighting system will be used when a big fire has
already started. There is a need to extinguish it.
 Sprinkler systems, and hose reel systems are some of the
systems used for fire fighting. Wet risers are pipes which
distribute large volumes of water to canvas hoses.
 The fire fighting systems contain pumps, tanks, and their
own distribution piping. Motors or diesel engines drive
the pumps.
 Hose reels and canvas hoses are terminated with nozzles
for spray or jet. Sprinkler systems have special glass
bulbs and sprinkler rose. Flow switches are installed to
cause bells to ring when the sprinkler systems are
activated. The systems can also contain gongs activated
by water flow.
Fire Protection System
 Fire protection is the safety and of the hazards
associated with fires. It involves the study of the
behavior, compartmentalisation, suppression and
investigation of fire and its related emergencies as
well as the research and development,
production, testing and application of mitigating
systems.
 Buildings must be constructed in accordance with
the version of the building code that is in effect
when an application for a building permit is made.
Building inspectors check on compliance of a
building under construction with the building
code.
 Once construction is complete, a building must be
maintained in accordance with the current fire
code, which is enforced by the fire prevention
officers of a local fire department.
Fire Fighting System

 Fire protection system can be dividing into two:

 Active fire protection

(manual and automatic detection and suppression
of fires, as in using and installing a fire Sprinkler
system or finding the fire (Fire alarm) and/or
extinguishing it)

 Passive fire protection

(use of integral, fire-resistance rated wall and
floor assemblies that are used to form fire
compartments intended to limit the spread of fire,
or occupancy separations, or firewalls, to keep
fires, high temperatures and flue gases within the
fire compartment of origin, thus enabling
firefighting and evacuation)
Active fire protection
System
 Active fire protection (AFP) is an integral
part of fire protection. AFP is
characterized by items and/or systems,
which require a certain amount of motion
and response in order to work, contrary
to passive fire protection.
 Active Fire Protection falls into two
categories :
1) Fire suppression
 2) Fire detection
Active fire protection
System

Fire suppression
 Fire can be controlled or extinguished,
either manually or automatically.
 Manual includes the use of a fire
extinguisher or a Standpipe system.
 Automatic means can include a fire
sprinkler system, a gaseous clean agent,
or fire fighting foam system.
Active fire protection
System
Fire extinguisher
 A fire extinguisher is an active fire protection device
used to extinguish or control small fires, often in
emergency situations.
 It is not designed for use on an out-of-control fire,
such as one which has reached the ceiling, endangers
the user (i.e. no escape route, smoke, explosion
hazard, etc.), or otherwise requires the expertise of a
fire department.
 The fire extinguisher consists of a handheld cylindrical
pressure vessel containing an agent which can be
discharged to extinguish a fire.
Active fire protection
System
Fire sprinkler system
 A fire sprinkler system is an active fire
protection measure, consisting of a
water supply, providing adequate
pressure and flow rate to a water
distribution piping system, onto which
fire sprinklers are connected.
 Although historically only used in
factories and large buildings, home
and small building systems are now
available at a relatively cost-effective
price.
Active fire protection
System

Fire sprinkler

Fire extinguisher
Active fire protection
System
 Fire detection
• The fire is detected either by locating
the smoke, flame or heat, and an alarm
is sounded to enable emergency
evacuation as well as to dispatch the
local fire department.
• Fire detection include:
• Fire alarm system
• Fire alarm control panel
• Smoke detector
Active fire protection System
Fire alarm system
 An automatic fire alarm system is an active fire
protection system designed to detect the
unwanted presence of fire by monitoring
environmental changes associated with
combustion.
 In general a fire alarm system is either classified as
automatic or manually activated or both.
 The basic modern system consists of a dependable
primary power supply, a secondary or backup
power supply, any number of "initiating devices"
and "notification appliances".
 Automatic fire alarm systems can be used to notify
people of the need to evacuate in the event of a
fire or other emergency, to summon emergency
forces aid, and to prepare the structure and
associated systems to control the spread of fire
and smoke.
Active fire protection System
Fire alarm control panel
 A fire alarm control panel, also referred to as
a fire alarm panel or FACP, normally referred
to as a panel within the active fire protection
industry, is a central control device for
detecting, reporting and acting on occurrences
of fires within a building.

Smoke detector
 Smoke detector or smoke alarm is a device
that detects smoke and issues an alarm to
alert nearby people that there is a potential
fire
Active fire protection
System
 Example of fire detection

Fire alarm Fire alarm control panel Smoke detector

 Types Of Fire Detectors

Detectors Description
Smoke Detectors Hard and permanently wired.Battery
operated.Combination of both. Work
primarily on 2 principles – ionization
and photoelectric.  Automatic fire
Heat Detectors Operate by detecting heat of a fire at detectors are
a fixed temperature / rising
temperature at a rapid rate.Can be
necessary to
used as part of a sprinkler indicate
system.Can operate a fire protection
device - closing door / detection of location of the
Gas Detectors
alarm.
Gas sensing detector is design.To
fire outbreak.
detect a presence of a certain
gases.A flammable gas detector
would detect a presence of the gas –
petroleum product. Can be mounted
devices or portable units
Passive fire protection
System
 Passive fire protection (PFP) is an integral component of
the three components of structural fire protection and fire
safety in a building. PFP attempts to contain fires or slow
the spread, through use of fire resistant walls, floors, and
doors (amongst other examples).
 PFP systems must comply with the associated Listing and
approval use and compliance in order to provide the
effectiveness expected by building codes.

 Passive fire protection (use of integral, fire-resistance

rated wall and floor assemblies that are used to form fire
compartments intended to limit the spread of fire, or
occupancy separations, or firewalls, to keep fires, high
temperatures and flue gases within the fire compartment
of origin, thus enabling firefighting and evacuation)
Passive fire protection System
Passive fire protection System includes:
 Fire door
A fire door is a type of door, or barrier used as a passive fire
protection item within buildings to prevent the spread of fire
or smoke which may consist of dangerous chemicals. It is
usually the only means of allowing people to pass through a
fire-resistance rated wall assembly.
 Fire wall
A firewall is a fire-resistance rated wall assembly intended to
slow the spread of fire from one side to the other, and are
certification listed. Firewalls subdivide a building into separate
fire areas, and are located in accordance with the locally
applicable building code
 Fire stop
A fire stop is a passive fire protection system of various
components used to seal openings and joints in fire-resistance
rated wall and/or floor assemblies, based on fire testing and
certification listings.
Passive fire protection
System
Example of Passive fire protection System

Concrete or Masonry Wall or Floor

Control Joint Fire stop
Requirement of Fire Fighting
System Based on the Relevant By
Laws (UBBL)
Active fire protection System
Detecting and extinguishing fire (section 225)
 Every building shall be provided with means of
detecting and extinguisher fire and with fire alarm
together with illuminated exit signs in accordance
with the requirement
 Every building shall be served by at least one fire
hydrant located not more than 91.5 metres from
the nearest point of fire brigade access.
 Depending on the size of the location of the
building and the provision of access for fire
appliances, additional fire hydrant shall be
provided as may be required by fire authority.
Requirement of Fire Fighting
System Based on the Relevant By
Laws (UBBL)
Automatic System for hazardous
occupancy (section 226)
 Where hazardous processes, storage or
occupancy are of such character as to
required automatic sprinklers or other
automatic extinguisher system , it
shall be of a type and standard
appropriate to extinguish fires in the
hazardous materials stored or handled
or for the safety of the occupant
Requirement of Fire Fighting
System Based on the Relevant By
Laws (UBBL)

 Portable Extinguishers (section 227)

 Portable extinguisher shall be provided in
accordance with the relevant codes of practice
and shall be sited in prominent positions on exit
routes to be visible from all direction and similar
extinguisher in a building shall be of the same
method of operation.
Requirement of Fire Fighting
System Based on the Relevant By
Laws (UBBL)

 Sprinkler valves (section 228)

 Sprinkler valves shall be located in a safe
and enclosed position on the exterior wall
and shall be readily accessible to the fire
authority.
 All sprinkler systems shall be electricity
connected to the nearest fire station to
provide immediate and automatic relay of
the alarm when activated.
Requirement of Fire Fighting
System Based on the Relevant By
Laws (UBBL)
 Fire alarms (section 237)
 All premises and buildings with gross floor area
excluding car park and storage areas exceeding
9290 square metres or exceeding 30.5 metres in
height shall be provided with a two stage alarm
system with evacuation ( continuous signal ) to be
given immediately in the affected section of the
premises while an alert ( intermittent signal ) be
given in adjoining section.
 Provision shall be made for the general evacuation
of the premises by action of a master control
Requirement of Fire Fighting
System Based on the Relevant By
Laws (UBBL)
Passive fire protection System
Smoke Stop Door (section 133)
 Smoke stop door is a door or pair of doors which
when fitted in a frame satisfies the requirements
of section 7 of BS 476: part 8 : 1972
 Freedom from collapse for not less than thirty
minutes.
 Resistance to the passage of flame and hot gases
for not less than twenty minutes.
 The door also needs to provide with a rabbet to
the door frame.
Requirement of Fire Fighting
System Based on the Relevant By
Laws (UBBL)
Fire doors in compartment walls and
separating walls (section 162)
 Fire doors of the appropriate Fire
Resistance Period (FRP) shall be
provided.
 Opening in compartment walls and
separating walls, protecting structures
and partition enclosing a protected
corridor or lobby shall be protected by
fire doors having FRP of half-hour.
Requirement of Fire Fighting
System Based on the Relevant By
Laws (UBBL)
Half hour and one hour doors (section 163)
 Fire doors conforming to the method of construction as
stipulated below shall be deemed to meet the
requirements of the specified FRP.

Half hour doors

 A single door 900 millimetres wide X 2100 millimetres
high maximum or double doors 1800 millimetres x 2100
millimetres high maximum constructed of solid
hardwood core of not less than 37 millimetres laminated
with adhesives to either BS745 “animal glues” or BS
1204 “synthetic resin adhesives for wood”
Requirement of Fire Fighting
System Based on the Relevant By
Laws (UBBL)
 One hour doors
 A single door not exceeding 900
millimetres wide X 2100 millimetres high
maximum or double doors not exceeding
1800 millimetres x 2100 millimetres high
maximum constructed as for specification
for half-hour door but incorporating on
both faces either externally or beneath
the plywood faces a layer of asbestos
insulating board to BS 3536 not less than 3
millimetres thick.
Requirement of Fire Fighting
System Based on the Relevant By
Laws (UBBL)
Door closers for fire doors (section 164)
 All fire doors shall be fitted with automatic door closers
of the hydraulically spring operated type in the case of
swing doors and of wire rope and weight type in the
case of sliding doors.
Door closer
Requirement of Fire Fighting
System Based on the Relevant By
Laws (UBBL)
Fire- stopping (section 161)
 Any fire stop required by the provisions of this part shall be
so formed and positioned as to prevent or retard the
passage of flame
 Any fire stop shall-
 If provided around a pipe or duct or in a cavity, be
mode of non-combustible material or, if it is in a
floor or wall constructed of combustible material
, of timber not less than 37 millimetres thick.
 Any fire stop formed as a seal at the junction of
two or more elements of structure shall be made
of non-combustible material
The Concept Of
‘Compartmentalisation’ In Passive
Fire Fighting Approach
 A concept that reduces the likelihood of smoke
inhalation-deaths, these products of combustion
must be contained in the area of origin.
 Subdivided a large building so that a fire starting
anywhere its caged within it cell of origin.
 To bar the spread of fire between adjoining
buildings or between parts of the same buildings
on opposites sides of the division.
 Example of compartmentations – fire window, fire
door, fire wall, ceiling or firestop.
 As required by the UBBL
Types Of Exit in a Building
A means of escape is a continuous,
unobstructed path for evacuees from
any point in a building to a public way.

The types of exit provided in a building are:

 Corridors
 Exit passageways
 Exit door
 Interior staircase
 Exterior staircase
 Escalators
 Moving walks
~Thank you~