Assignment Task

The project

The project relates to the construction of a new industrial development at Lot B, Student Road, Tutorville, NSW.

FEB purpose & scope

Building work that requires approval before it commences must demonstrate what is proposed will comply with the BCA once built. The BCA requires all Building Solutions to comply with its Performance Requirements and allows this to be achieved by either a Deemed‐to‐Satisfy Provision-compliant design, a Performance Solution, or a combination of these approaches.

This project includes a number of proposed ‘fire safety’ Performance Solutions. To demonstrate these will meet the relevant Performance Requirements of the BCA once implemented, analyses will be undertaken. This brief outlines the scope of the work and bases for these analyses. The analyses will be carried out in accordance with the methodologies set out in the International Fire Engineering Guidelines (IFEG) (ABCB et al, 2005)

This document constitutes a fire engineering brief (FEB) which is based upon input from, and the agreement of, relevant project stakeholders.

This FEB generally follows the outline and procedure contained in the IFEG to undertake the following:

• Define and convey the client fire safety needs to the design team.
• Establish the objectives for the fire safety design.
• Define fire safety acceptance criteria.
• Identify and agree on the fire hazards and preventative and protective measures.
• Establish and agree on trial designs for evaluation
• Establish and agree on analysis approaches and methods.
• Establish parameters for design occupant groups
• Finalise FEB and obtain sign‐off from all parties.

FEB limitations

The proposed building includes a number of non‐compliances with the DTS Provisions of the BCA. As the regulatory framework requires that BCA compliance must be demonstrated Performance Solutions are proposed in lieu. The scope of the analyses that will be carried out (and hence the scope of this FEB and the subsequent fire engineering report) is limited to evaluating the proposed Performance Solutions for compliance with the relevant Performance Requirements of the BCA.

FER scope

Once the FEB has been agreed to by all relevant project stakeholders analyses of the proposed Performance Solutions will be undertaken. The outcomes of these analyses, evaluations, conclusions, and other matters will be reported in a fire engineering report (FER) in accordance with the IFEG.

Contractual framework

The project team consists of associated services consultants engaged by the client to carry out the design component of the project.

Authority having jurisdiction (AHJ)

Tutor City Council is the certifying authority for this project. However, for the purposes of this brief the regulatory provisions that must be addressed in the assessment of the proposed Performance Solutions have been identified by the building regulations consultant.

Fire safety objectives

The design objectives for the fire engineering assessment are contained in the relevant performance provisions of Sections C, D and E of the BCA. In summary, they are:

• Occupant life safety ‐ to safeguard people from illness or injury due to a fire in a building and whilst evacuating a building during a fire.
• Protection of adjacent property ‐ to avoid spread of fire between buildings and protect other property from physical damage caused by structural failure of a building as a result of fire.
• Fire Brigade intervention ‐ to facilitate the activities of emergency personnel. The fire safety objectives are based on acceptable levels of occupant safety as absolute fire safety within buildings is not attainable.
• This report is consistent with the objectives and limitations of the BCA and therefore specifically excludes major forms of arson involving significant accelerants and/or multiple ignition sources, acts of terrorism, protection of property (other than adjoining property), business interruption or losses, personal or moral obligations of the owner/occupier, reputation, environmental impacts, broader community issues, etc.

BCA compliance

objectives In terms of BCA compliance, the primary objective of this brief is to establish a framework to assess the proposed Performance Solutions. With the exception of these Performance Solutions, all other fire safety aspects of the building are assumed to comply with the BCA DTS Provisions.

Fire Brigades’ objectives

Fire Brigade objectives with respect to building design and fire brigade intervention are to be addressed in accordance with the relevant BCA Performance Requirements. It should be noted that the Fire Brigades has its own charter for the protection of life, property and the environment. However, Fire Brigade responsibilities that may be contained in their statutory Act, or other objectives over and above the BCA, are beyond the scope of this brief.

General description

The proposed building may be generally described as follows:

• An industrial development comprising a factory/warehouse with ancillary two storey office accommodation. As the land falls from west to east, the opportunity is to be taken to provide under croft carparking at the eastern end of the factory/warehouse.

OCCUPANT CHARACTERISTICS

• Occupant characteristics are considered to be representative of the general population, with no specific or unusual distributions applicable in gender, age and physical and mental attributes. The building occupants can be broadly characterised into two groups:
• Factory/warehouse visitors (customers, couriers, drivers, etc)

Staff members (employees involved in manufacture storage distribution activities administration duties). Visitors are expected to be awake and conscious of their surroundings but not necessarily familiar, have no particular group roles, may not have emergency response training, and do not require special assistance other than from staff members already present with them. Conversely, staff members are expected to be awake and conscious of their surroundings, be familiar with the building layout, have particular group roles with other staff members and have emergency response training and the ability to provide assistance to visitors, including persons with a disability, during an evacuation. It is expected that emergency training will be given to all employees in the form of induction and ongoing training courses. Fire wardens will be appointed and trained accordingly. Staff will also be trained in the use of fire extinguishers and fire hose reels. There are no other identified activities other than those normally associated with the proposed occupancies.

The characteristics (response capability, coping capability, and evacuation/avoidance capability) of the occupants are taken as those which are typical of workers in this type of establishment. Given the nature of the development it is considered that the occupant profile may be more able‐bodied.

Notwithstanding, less able persons may be present. These individuals will be not be permitted to enter the building other than via the reception area in the office part. They will then be provided with a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP); which may incorporate warnings in the form of beacons, pagers or provide evacuation assistance from trained individuals and will identify appropriate egress routes.

Background Information

a) Describe the process that should be followed when a proposed fire safety performance solution is analysed and assessed under the provisions of the NCC. This description must include the purpose and the role that the following contribute to this process:

International Fire Engineering

• NCC Fire Safety Verification Method;
• Fire engineering brief;
• Fire engineering report;
• Trial fire safety design;
• Design fires;
• Design fire scenarios;
• Acceptance criteria; and
• Safety factors.

b) Why is it important to understand the intent of the DTS provisions of the NCC when assessing performance solutions?

c) What are the differences between the absolute and comparative approaches allowed by the NCC for fire safety matters? Provide an example to support your discussion. 

d) What are the differences between quantitative and qualitive analysis permitted by the NCC? When and why are these different analyses used? Provide an example to support your discussion.

e) What is the difference between deterministic and probabilistic quantitative analysis? Provide an example to support your discussion.

Preliminary Case Study Considerations

The draft FEB provided identifies the DTS Provisions that will not be complied with if this proposal is accepted. These non-compliances are:

1. The width of the perimeter access for fire fighting vehicles on the eastern side of the building;
2. The building will be built to Type C construction requirements;
3. A sprinkler system will not be installed;
4. A smoke exhaust system will not be provided;
5. Travel distances to exits in the factory/warehouse will be exceeded;
6. The maximum permissible distance between exits in the factory/warehouse will be exceeded; and
7. The fire hose reel position and hose lengths will not be compliant.

Provide the following for each of these non-compliances:

• The relevant related DTS Provision/s not complied with;
• Details of the nature of the non-compliance; and
• The intent of the DTS Provision.

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