16 STEPS TO FIRE SAFETY - Sidey

1 16 steps to fire safety Promoting best practice on Timber Frame construction sites, July 200816 STEPS TO fire SAFETY2 ContentsPreface page 3 Introduction page 4 UKTFA guidance on fire SAFETY on timber frame construction sites page 6 1 Compliance with CDM 2007 2 The fire SAFETY Co-ordinator 3 The Site fire SAFETY Plan 4 Checks, inspections and tests throughout construction 5 Communication and liaison 6 Promoting a fire safe working environment 7 fire detection and warning 8 Protecting emergency escape routes: the 35 metre rule 9 Building in fire protection along the way 10 Site security against arson 11 Protecting temporary buildings and accommodation 12 Safe storage of materials (including flammable liquids and LPG) 13 Designing out hot works 14 Keeping a tidy site 15 Dealing with plant and equipment 16 A no smoking site Glossary and Definitions page 12 Risk Assessment Flowchart page 1316 STEPS TO fire SAFETY3 PrefaceThis document is the output from a jointly funded initiative by the UK Timber Frame Association (UKTFA)

2 And wood for good, to promote best practice for the SAFETY of site workers, the public and the mitigation of loss from construction site fire guidance relates to timber frame sites under construction, but will also have benefits for all other types of sites and methods of work has benefitted from wide stakeholder consultation. We would like to thank all those who participated in the working group. Particular thanks to the London fire Brigade and Health & SAFETY Executive. We also wish to acknowledge the expert input from our specialist advisers, Dave Berry ( fire & Risk Management Support Services Ltd), Ian Loughnane, Andrew Allison and International fire Consultants Ltd (IFC).

3 We also thank The fire Protection Association (FPA) and Construction Confederation for their co-operation in the dissemination of this guidance and their permission to reference their excellent publication, the Joint Code of Practice on the Protection from fire of Construction Sites and Buildings Undergoing Renovation (see Important Notice below).Important NoticeThis document is to be read as a guidance document, and as such its contents may not be applicable for all construction sites. Adopted practice should be developed on the basis of a site specific risk guidance should be read in conjunction with: Joint Code of Practice on the Protection from fire of Construction Sites and Buildings Undergoing Renovation , published by the Construction Confederation and The fire Protection Association (Sixth Edition, ISBN 1-902790-33-2).

4 HSG 168 fire SAFETY in Construction published by the Health and SAFETY Executive ISBN of the Joint Code of Practice and useful sister publication, Construction Site fire Prevention Checklist (Second edition, ISBN 1-902790-32-4), are available for purchase from the FPA ( ) and from Construction Industry Press ( ).Copies of HSG 168 are available for purchase or free download at: The guidance contained in these documents will also inform a revised Health & SAFETY Code of Practice for all UKTFA member companies, to be published copyright holders of this guidance, UKTFA and wood for good, have made extensive efforts to check the accuracy of the information and advice contained in this document at the date of publication, but this guidance document is not yet fully comprehensive and further editions may be produced.

5 The authors do not warrant the accuracy of any information or advice contained in this document and shall not be liable for any loss, damage or expense whatsoever suffered by any person who relies on or uses this information or advice. Construction Sites and Buildings Undergoing Renovation (see Important Notice).16 STEPS TO fire SAFETY4 IntroductionThe HSE estimates that there are around 11 construction fires every day. Arson and vandalism are serious problems on building sites. Losses suffered by the construction industry have been estimated at around 400 million a year - over 1 million every day.

6 The Government s annual UK fire statistics show that two thirds of fires in construction industry premises are started deliberately. Motives range from revenge, fraud, and crime concealment to simple unfortunately all buildings under construction are vulnerable to damage from fire and other hazards, and no construction method or material is immune: Brick and stone flake and disintegrate. Exposed timber frame structures can burn and generate a lot of radiant heat. Concrete can be subject to explosive spalling. Steel can buckle in severe is important to understand this context, no matter how big, small, simple or complex a building project.

7 Even small building sites can have oil tanks, flammable paints, combustible polystyrene, LPG cylinders and other materials lying around. Even simple, rurally-based sites can be targeted by opportunistic in multi-storey timber frame buildings during construction have hit the headlines primarily because of the severity of the fire and rapid collapse of the unprotected frame. Timber frames will burn faster and more completely when the panels are incomplete - ie. not yet protected by the usual internal fire resistant plasterboard and external , despite these high profile fires on timber frame construction sites over the last couple of years, incidents of this sort are thankfully still relatively rare given the number of timber frame sites under construction at any time.

8 The good news for developers is also that timber frame buildings are very fast and easy to complete, and to get to a stage where full fire protection is in is also important to remember that each mainstream method of construction in the UK, including timber frame construction, has its specific strengths and example, as a society we cannot afford to ignore the significant environmental sustainability benefits that come from timber frame construction, or its cost efficiencies, because of a risk in one area. That risk can be reduced through good design, through taking simple precautions, ensuring good site security and by adopting safe working key is reducing the possibility of a fire event happening down to as near zero as possible - and that demands strict site management and site security.

9 No product developments, treatments or other innovations in construction will compensate for deficiencies in these areas. This is the bedrock upon which everything else in this guidance document is if the guidance provided here is followed, and if all the usual health and SAFETY rules are being followed, there is no greater risk of fire for timber frame than for any other method of STEPS TO fire SAFETY5 About UsThis publication is guidance for all UKTFA members involved in the design, manufacture and erection of timber frame buildings. It will inform a revised Health & SAFETY Code of Practice for all UKTFA members.

10 It also represents our strongest recommendations and advice for all clients, with whom the ultimate responsibility for fire SAFETY usually HSE will be using this guidance to inform their inspections of all timber frame construction steering group that helped to develop this document has reviewed a great deal of existing guidance and information, including a detailed review of all the recent timber frame site fires that have happened to see what could be learned, and has researched a wide range of in conjunction with the Joint Code of Practice mentioned on page 3, it describes a series of simple precautions and safe working practices which, if adopted, will ensure that adequate detection and prevention measures are incorporated during the design and planning stages, and that work on a site is undertaken to the highest standard of fire the rest of the publications produced by the UKTFA and wood for good, this guidance is also designed to inform architects.