BS 5588 5 1991 fire precautions in the design and construction of buildings firefighting

BS 5588 5 1991 fire precautions in the design and construction of buildings firefighting BS 5588 5 1991 fire precautions in the design and construction of buildings firefighting BS 5588 5 1991 fire precautions in the design and construction of buildings firefighting BS 5588 5 1991 fire precautions in the design and construction of buildings firefighting BS 5588 5 1991 fire precautions in the design and construction of buildings firefighting

published separately

Fire precautions in the

design, construction

and use of buildings —

Part 5: Code of practice for firefighting

stairs and lifts

ICS 13.220.01; 91.060.30; 91.140.90

This British Standard, having

been prepared under the

direction of the Fire Standards

Policy Committee, was

published under the authority of

the Standards Board and comes

into effect on

30 August 1991

© BSI 05-1999

First published August 1986

Second edition August 1991

The following BSI references

relate to the work on this

standard:

Committee reference FSM/14

Draft for comment 89/44633 DC

Committees responsible for this British Standard

The preparation of this British Standard was entrusted by the Fire Standards Policy Committee (FSM/-) to Technical Committee FSM/14, upon which the following bodies were represented:

Association of Metropolitan Authorities British Fire Services’ Association British Gas plc

British Retailers Association British Telecommunications plc Building Employers Confederation Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers Chief and Assistant Chief Fire Officers Association Consumer Policy Committee of BSI

Department of Education and Science Department of Health

Department of the Environment (Property Services Agency) Department of the Environment (Building Research Establishment) (Fire Research Station) Department of the Environment (Construction Directorate)

Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland Electricity Supply Industry in UK

Fire Brigades Union Health and Safety Executive Home Office

Incorporated Association of Architects and Surveyors Institute of Building Control

Institution of Fire Engineers Institution of Gas Engineers Institution of Structural Engineers London Fire and Civil Defence Authority Loss Prevention Council

National Association of Fire Officers National Council of Building Material Producers Royal Institute of British Architects

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Scottish Office (Building Directorate) Society of Chief Building Regulation Officers Timber Research and Development Association

The following bodies were also represented in the drafting of the standard, through subcommittees and panels:

British Lift Association District Surveyors Association National Association of Lift Makers

Amendments issued since publication

Amd No Date Comments

7196 June 1992

10358 March 1999 Indicated by a sideline in the margin

PageCommittees responsible Inside front cover

11 Firefighting lift cars 20

12 Firefighting lift wells 21

13 Firefighting lift machine rooms 21

14 Firefighting lift control systems 23

15 Fire service communications systems 26Section 4 Electrical services

16 Electrical services 27Section 5 Routine inspection and maintenance

17 Routine inspection and maintenance 29Appendix A Resistance to damage of enclosing and separating partitions 30Appendix B Examples of typical arrangements to keep the

firefighting lift well free from water 30Appendix C Operational tests for firefighting lifts 32Appendix D Model certificate for the commissioning of firefighting lifts 35Figure 0 — Height and depth of a building 2Figure 1 — Minimum extent of firefighting stairs and lifts in

tall buildings and buildings with deep basements 7Figure 1a — Firefighting lift within escape stair 9Figure 2 — Typical firefighting shaft layouts at fire service access level 10Figure 3 — Banks of lifts that incorporate a firefighting lift 11Figure 4 — Examples of protection of the firefighting shaft

from external fire 13

Figure 5 — Deleted 17Figure 6 — Water protection for firefighting lifts 22Figure 7 — Drain outlet to smoke shaft 30Figure 8 — Raised threshold to lift entrance 31Figure 9 — Drainage grid to lift entrance 31Figure 10 — Floor sloped away from lift entrance 32Table 1 — Tests for partitions 30Publication(s) referred to 36

This code of practice, prepared under the direction of the Fire Standards Policy Committee, is a revision of BS 5588-5:1986, which is withdrawn Other Parts of

BS 5588 which are already published are as follows:

— Part 0: Guide to fire safety codes of practice for particular

premises/applications;

— Part 1: Code of practice for residential buildings;

— Part 4: Code of practice for smoke control using pressure differentials;

— Part 6: Code of practice for places of assembly;

— Part 7: Code of practice for the incorporation of atria in buildings;

— Part 8: Code of practice for means of escape for disabled people;

— Part 9: Code of practice for ventilation and air conditioning ductwork;

— Part 10: Code of practice for shopping complexes;

— Part 11: Code of practice for shops, offices, industrial, storage and other

similar buildings.

This code provides recommendations for the design, construction and siting of firefighting stairs and lifts in order to assist the fire service in firefighting operations in high or large buildings or buildings with deep basements It also includes recommendations for the maintenance of equipment installed in the firefighting shaft

This code includes recommendations for the necessary combination of structural fire safety arrangements and smoke control for the firefighting shaft, as well as recommendations for the firefighting lift and its engineering and communication systems

A firefighting lift, as well as being used as a normal passenger lift, is intended to transport firefighters and their equipment when there is a fire in the building This code recommends design features necessary for a lift to be used with an acceptable measure of safety when there is a fire in a building It is the product

of a study of all aspects of the use of lifts during fires in buildings, including the history of failures of lifts and of casualties arising from their ill-considered use, and also of existing and earlier technical standards

As far as possible this code makes references to BS 5655 for the construction of the lift, and adds only the provisions necessary for a firefighting lift that are not normally provided on an ordinary passenger lift It should be seen as replacing Appendix G in BS 5655-1:1986 and BS 5655-2:1988

In this code a commentary on the relevant principles is followed by any recommendations that are made The commentary is intended to provide an explanatory background to recommendations, especially if the recommendations might otherwise appear to be arbitrary

NOTE Commentary text is printed in italics.

Some of the more important changes made in this revision are as follows

a) The criteria for the provision and number of firefighting shafts are now given

in the Parts of BS 5588 dealing with particular building uses

b) Dual-entry firefighting lifts are now acceptable in certain circumstances.c) Firefighting lobbies need not be provided with permanent ventilation.d) The operation of the firefighting lift control system is described in greater detail

e) The firefighting shaft electrical services are described in greater detail.f) Recommendations for routine inspection and maintenance have been included

It has been assumed in the drafting of this code that the execution of its provisions will be entrusted to appropriately qualified and experienced people.

A British Standard does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a contract Users of British Standards are responsible for their correct application

Compliance with a British Standard does not of itself confer immunity from legal obligations In particular, attention is drawn to 3.3.

1 Scope

This code of practice provides guidance for designers

in providing firefighting stairs and lifts to assist the

fire service in firefighting operations

Some recommendations are also made with respect

to passenger, goods and service lifts adjacent to a

firefighting lift where they affect the use and safety

of the firefighting lift

NOTE 1 The control system described in clause 14 is also

suitable for evacuation lifts described in BS 5588-8 and should

replace the fireman’s switch control described in BS 2655

wherever possible.

NOTE 2 The titles of the publications referred to in this

standard are listed on page 36.

2 Definitions

For the purposes of this Part of BS 5588 the

following definitions apply

2.1

call

the operation of pressing a landing call button to call

the lift, or, in the lift car, of pressing the appropriate

button to take the lift to the desired level

NOTE See also 2.27.

2.2

car control station

the control panel in the lift car for the use of

2.4

control equipment

electrical switches, door interlocks and apparatus

associated with the operation and programming of

the lift service

2.5

depth (of a building)

distance between the lowest point of the floor of the

lowest storey of a building, to the ground level

measured at the centre of that face of the building

where the distance is greatest (see Figure 0)

NOTE Ground level is the level of the footway or paving in front

of that face, if present.

2.6 dual-entry firefighting lift

a firefighting lift provided with two sets of doors, one used for normal operations and the other in the firefighting mode

2.7 emergency lighting

lighting provided for use when the supply to the normal lighting falls

2.8 evacuation level(s)

the storey or storeys at which final exits suitable for the evacuation of persons are available

NOTE This is not necessarily fire service access level (see 2.16).

2.9 fire door (assembly)

a door or shutter provided for the passage of persons, air or objects which, together with its frame and furniture as installed in a building, is intended, when closed, to resist the passage of fire and/or gaseous products of combustion and is capable of meeting specified performance criteria to those ends

2.10 firefighting lift

a lift designated to have additional protection, with controls that enable it to be used under the direct control of the fire service in fighting a fire

NOTE The firefighting lift is a development of the type of lift known as a fireman’s lift Although existing firemen’s lift installations may be replaced, firemen’s lifts should not be used

in new installations Only lifts complying with this code of practice can be designated firefighting lifts.

2.11 firefighting lobby

a protected lobby providing access from a firefighting stair to the accommodation area, and to any associated firefighting lift

2.12 firefighting shaft

a protected enclosure containing a firefighting stair, firefighting lobbies and, if provided, a firefighting lift together with its machine room

2.13 firefighting stair

a protected stairway communicating with the accommodation area only through a firefighting lobby

2.14 fire main

a water supply pipe, fitted with landing valves at specified points, installed in a building for firefighting purposes

2.15

fire resistance

the ability of a component or construction of a

building to satisfy for a stated period of time some or

all of the appropriate criteria specified in the

relevant Part of BS 476

2.16

fire service access level

a level at which there is suitable entry to the

building and to a firefighting shaft from an area to

which fire service appliances have access

2.17

floor area

the area enclosed by the inner surfaces of walls,

including internal walls

2.18

height (of a building)

the level of the surface of the highest point of the

floor of the highest storey (excluding any such storey

consisting exclusively of plant rooms), measured

from the level of the surface of the lowest fire service

access roadway adjacent to the entrance to the

firefighting shaft where the measurement is

greatest (see Figure 0)

2.19

lift landing

the lobby floor space from which the lift car is

normally entered at each level

2.20 lift landing door

hinged or sliding portion of a lift well enclosure at each landing that gives access to a lift car when open

NOTE This is not the lift car door.

2.21 lift machine

the unit, including the motor, that drives and stops the lift

2.22 lift well

space in which the lift and the counterweight (if any) move This space is materially enclosed by the bottom of the pit, the vertical walls and the ceiling

2.23 material of limited combustibility

either:

a) a non-combustible material; orb) any material of density 300 kg/m3 or more which, when tested in accordance with

BS 476-11, does not flame, and the rise in temperature on the furnace thermocouple is not more than 20 °C; or

c) any material with a non-combustible core

of 8 mm thick or more, having combustible facings (on one or both sides) not more than 0.5 mm thick

Figure 0 — Height and depth of a building

2.24

non-combustible material

any material capable of satisfying the performance

requirements specified in BS 476-4, or any material

which when tested in accordance with BS 476-11

does not flame or cause any rise in temperature on

either the centre (specimen) or furnace

thermocouples

2.25

pressure differential system (pressurization)

system of fans, ducts and vents provided for the

purpose of creating a pressure differential between

the fire zone and the protected space

2.26

protected

enclosed (other than any part which is an external

wall of a building) with fire-resisting construction

2.27

registered call

a call made on a car control station or from a landing

call button that is accepted by the control equipment

2.28

smoke shaft

an enclosed space in a building provided for venting

smoke from a firefighting stair or one or more

firefighting lobbies

2.29

vent

a window, rooflight, door, louvre, grille or other

device either open or capable of being opened to

permit the passage of air between a part of the

building and the external air

3 Use of this code

3.1 Background

When the fire service is called to a fire a speedy

response is expected of it Considerable public

resources in modern communications and

mobilizing systems, fast efficient mobile appliances,

personnel and training are committed to this

objective, which is fundamental to effective

firefighting and rescue operations However, the

time taken to reach the entrance of a building may

be but a fraction of the time it takes to travel

through the building to reach the fire and commence

it with the necessary facilities to operate effectively within the building when it arrives there This means that in high-rise buildings at least one of the lifts needs to be readily available and of suitable design for firefighters to use, i.e a firefighting lift The firefighting lift may be separate from or part of

a group of lifts

The benefits to the fire service from the provision of firefighting shafts are not confined to high-rise buildings Fires in deep basements create particularly difficult access problems in which firefighting stairs and lifts can be invaluable Also,

in buildings containing concentrations of combustible materials in large areas above or below ground level, firefighting stairs (but not necessarily lifts) will afford ready and safe access

In a fire the hazards for passengers who may become trapped if a lift fails are so great that lifts (other than lifts complying with BS 5588-8 provided for the evacuation of disabled persons) should not be used as means of escape and the stairs should be used instead: there have been many reported cases

of lift failures and casualties arising from the ill-considered use of lifts during fires in buildings The principle of protecting lift wells, although not necessarily for personal safety, is long-established practice, but the lift machinery is equally important and lift machine rooms have often not received the attention which is necessary to ensure maximum protection and reliability of the installation

Unlike a normal passenger lift, a firefighting lift needs to be able to transport fire service personnel and their equipment with a high degree of safety when there is a fire in the building It is essential that means to free passengers who may become trapped in a stalled car are provided, even though a duplicated power supply is provided

It is normal fire service practice to take a

firefighting lift to a floor below that of the fire (floor

above if a basement fire) to avoid both fire service

personnel and the lift car being directly exposed to

the risk of injury or damage before the fire situation

can be assessed and firefighting started Although a

firefighting lift will enable firefighters to approach a

fire without delay it cannot fully satisfy the needs

for fire service access within the building A

firefighting lobby approach stair is also necessary

for four important purposes:

a) as means of final approach to the fire floor;

b) for floor-to-floor movement during firefighting

operations;

c) to serve as an essential assured and safe route

of egress for the fire service if the lift should fail

or its reliability become uncertain; and

d) for the firefighting lobby on the floor below the

fire floor to serve as a safe area where firefighters

and firefighting equipment may be assembled

before commitment to firefighting operations

The advantage of fire service personnel using a lift

to reach the upper floors of a building will be lost if

it is then necessary to lay hose from the street to

deal with the fire This means that wherever a lift is

to be used for firefighting access, a fire main and

landing valves will also be needed

When planning firefighting stairs and the

structural accommodation for lift installations it is

not enough to anticipate fires only within the

occupied floor areas and to consider the firefighting

shaft as being free from risk Experience has shown

that fires in such areas result in damage and

disruption out of all proportion to their size These

fires also require the speedy intervention of the fire

service, and the structural design needs to take

account of the need to minimize the effect of such

fires on the lifts and stairs that firefighters will rely

on to reach them

Reliability of power supplies and circuitry is yet

another important consideration These are also

vulnerable to fire and need to be protected The

effects of water ought also to be considered as there

have been incidents where lift control malfunction

and failure have occurred because water has

entered a lift well and reached electrical door

interlocks, car controls, etc Such water can come

from many sources including open landing valves,

firefighting jets, burst hose or sprinkler discharges

3.2 Relationship with means of escape

A firefighting stairway will normally be used for

means of escape and therefore will need to meet the

recommendations for protected stairways given in

the appropriate Part of BS 5588

No recommendations are made in this code for the use of any lift for the purpose of escape in the event

of fire However, BS 5588-8 includes the recommendation that, subject to the provision of satisfactory fire procedures and management control, a firefighting lift may be used for the evacuation of disabled people in case of fire

3.3 Relationship with statutory provisions

It is important to appreciate the relationships between this code and the various statutory provisions relevant to the design and construction of new buildings and to the fire precautions to be provided in existing buildings The relevant

legislation indicated in general terms in 3.4 has to

be complied with in the event of a conflict with this code

3.4 Building regulations

The design and construction of new buildings, and of alterations of existing buildings, are controlled by the following statutory provisions which are collectively referred to as building regulations in this code

England and Wales: The Building Regulations; Scotland: The Building Standards (Scotland) Regulations;

Northern Ireland: The Building Regulations (Northern Ireland)

It should be noted that some county and other authorities in England and Wales have local powers

in respect of fire precautions, which may include the provision of firefighting stairs and/or lifts

3.5 Application of all the recommendations

Individual recommendations of this code should not

be applied in isolation because of their interdependence and joint contribution to the provision of a relatively safe environment for firefighting

NOTE Where it would be impracticable to meet all the recommendations when installing a firefighting shaft in an existing building, it is suggested that the advice of the relevant authorities be sought.

3.6 Provision and number of firefighting shafts

The criteria for the provision and number of firefighting shafts in many building types are given either in building regulations or in the relevant Part

of BS 5588 However, where no such guidance is available the provision and number of firefighting shafts should be based on the following

a) Buildings or parts of buildings where:

1) the height (see 2.18) of the surface of the

floor of the topmost storey (excluding any storey consisting exclusively of plant rooms) exceeds 15 m; or

2) the depth (see 2.5) of the surface of the floor

of the lowermost storey exceeds 10 m;

should be provided with firefighting shafts each containing:

i) a firefighting stair;

ii) firefighting lobbies provided with a fire main;

iii) a firefighting lift installation

NOTE 1 The reference to parts of buildings covers situations such as a tower block rising above a podium.

b) Buildings where:

1) the height (see 2.18) of the surface of the

floor of the topmost storey exceeds 7.5 m, with the floor area of any storey above the ground storey not less than 600 m2; or

2) there are two or more basement levels each with a floor area exceeding 900 m2;

should be provided with firefighting shafts each containing:

i) a firefighting stair;

ii) firefighting lobbies

c) Sufficient firefighting shafts should be provided such that on every storey:

1) with a height (see 2.18) exceeding 18 m; or 2) with a depth (see 2.5) exceeding 10 m; or

3) above the ground storey in buildings as described in item b) 1); or

4) below the ground storey in buildings as described in item b) 2);

the floor area on that storey served by any firefighting shaft does not exceed 900 m2 and the distance along which hose can be laid from the doorway between the firefighting shaft and the accommodation to any point on that storey does not exceed 60 m

NOTE 2 If the internal layout is not known at the design stage,

a direct line measurement of 40 m may be used for design purposes, provided that the layout of the building when occupied satisfies the 60 m criterion.

3.7 Diagrams

The figures in this code are intended to clarify concepts, and should not be taken as indicating the only acceptable forms of planning

NOTE Details not relevant to the concept illustrated, for example fire mains and landing valves, are not included.

3.8 Relationship with sprinkler installations

Sprinkler systems, provide an effective means of controlling the outbreak of fire However, the design criteria in BS 5306-2 are intended to control rather than suppress fire Fire brigade access to the parts

of a building affected by fire will still be required even if a sprinkler system is installed The recommendations of this code of practice should apply irrespective of the level of sprinkler protection

Section 2 Planning and construction

4 Firefighting shafts

4.1 General

A firefighting shaft provides a protected access

route for firefighters up or down a building In most

cases it also serves as a means of escape for the

occupants and for normal circulation The

recommendations in this section are for measures in

addition to those which may be necessary to fulfil

the means of escape function

A firefighting shaft always contains a firefighting

stair and, on every storey served by the stair, a

firefighting lobby between the stair and the

accommodation A firefighting lift opening into the

firefighting lobby may need to be provided in certain

buildings

The function of the firefighting lift is to transport

firefighting personnel and equipment to save time

and effort The firefighting stair is for

communication over short distances and as a line of

retreat should the firefighting lift fail, and the

firefighting lobby gives protection to the firefighting

lift and stair as well as being a bridgehead from

which the fire may be attacked

4.2 Extent of firefighting stairs and lifts

NOTE The terms “tall building”, “deep basement” and “large

floor area” are not defined, as the criteria for the provision and

number of firefighting shafts in many building types are given

either in building regulations or in the relevant Part of BS 5588

Where no such guidance is available the provision and number of

firefighting shafts is to be based on the criteria given in 3.6.

4.2.1 Commentary

Firefighting shafts need to be provided in tall

buildings, buildings with deep basements, and

buildings with large floor areas The firefighting

shaft ought to be located so that it allows access to

every part of every storey that it serves Where storeys

are large more than one firefighting shaft may be

necessary to provide access within a reasonable

distance of a firefighting shaft.

Whilst it is preferable for the firefighting shaft to

serve all storeys of a building, this is not always

necessary The following considerations affect the

extent of firefighting shafts and of the firefighting

lifts and stairs in them The minimum extent of

firefighting lifts and stairs is shown in Figure 1

In tall buildings and buildings with deep basements the firefighting shaft ought to contain a firefighting lift Fire service personnel may need to check several storeys when they arrive to assess the situation, and the firefighting lift ought to serve all the storeys they might need to reach.

Because the firefighting stair is the line of retreat if the firefighting lift fails, the firefighting stair needs

to serve every storey served by the firefighting lift The lift and stair are also used together during firefighting operations.

In large complexes, with a variety of uses, different firefighting shafts may serve different parts of the complex: for example, in a complex consisting of high-rise offices over a shopping centre, the offices could have a firefighting shaft that did not serve the shopping centre It is important that any such arrangement is logical and simple, so that fire service personnel have no difficulty in finding the firefighting shafts serving the areas they need to reach.

It is considered undesirable to recommend the installation of a firefighting lift (within a means of escape staircase) as it has the potential for

increasing the fire load However, in the case of refurbished buildings where design constraints make the provision of a firefighting lift in the firefighting lobby impracticable then subject to

additional measures [see 4.2.2 g)] the lift may be

sited within its own fire-resisting shaft in the firefighting stair enclosure It has also been considered undesirable to recommend this provision

in residential buildings as the lack of ongoing statutory control makes the recommended measures unenforceable.

Buildings or complexes which are not high and do not have deep basements, but have a large floor area, will still benefit from the provision of firefighting shafts A firefighting lift is not necessary in such buildings because the vertical transport of personnel and equipment is not a problem, but the firefighting shaft ought to contain a firefighting stair and firefighting lobbies

To prevent smoke from a basement fire smoke-logging the firefighting stair at all levels, firefighting stairs serving storeys both above and below ground level ought to be separated at ground level.

4.2.2 Recommendations

The following recommendations are applicable

a) Firefighting shafts should be provided in tall buildings, buildings with deep basements, and buildings with large floor areas

b) Firefighting shafts should be provided with firefighting lifts in the following cases:

1) in buildings with deep basements, in which case the firefighting shaft should serve fire service access level and all storeys below it;

2) in tall buildings, in which case the firefighting shaft should serve fire service access level and all storeys above it, although the firefighting lift need not serve any storey

on which there is no entrance to any accommodation [see item d)] or the topmost storey of the building if it consists exclusively

of plant rooms;

3) in a building which is both deep and tall, in which case the firefighting shaft should serve all storeys, although the firefighting lift need not serve any storey on which there is no entrance to any accommodation [see item d)] or the topmost storey of the building if it consists exclusively of plant rooms Storeys below fire service access level may be served by a different firefighting lift from that serving the upper storeys, and any firefighting stair that serves levels both above and below ground level should be separated at ground level

NOTE A fire-resisting partition containing a FD 30S fire

door (see 9.4.1) may be used to divide the stair.

c) Firefighting shafts in large floor area buildings that are neither tall buildings nor buildings with deep basements need contain only firefighting stairs and firefighting lobbies

Figure 1 — Minimum extent of firefighting stairs and lifts in tall buildings and

buildings with deep basements

d) If a building contains separate units of

accommodation with their own entrances from

common circulation spaces, for example as is the

case with some flats and maisonettes, there

should be access to each unit from a firefighting

lift, either directly or via a common circulation

space

e) If a firefighting shaft contains a firefighting

lift, the firefighting stair in that shaft should

serve every storey served by the firefighting lift

f) The stair from a firefighting shaft may be

extended into a part of the building not requiring

a firefighting shaft provided that either:

1) the firefighting shaft is extended

accordingly, including the provision of

firefighting lobbies and any fire main; or

2) the extension to the stair is separated from

the firefighting shaft by fire-resisting

construction [see 9.3.2 b)].

g) It is considered acceptable to install the

firefighting lift in the firefighting stair enclosure

(see Figure 1a) in the following circumstances:

1) the building is put to non residential use;

and

2) the firefighting lift is sited so that the

movement of fire brigade personnel between

the lift and the lobby does not impede the use

of the stair by the building occupants during

an evacuation; and

3) the building evacuation scheme is single

stage; and

4) if the lift is to be used for the evacuation of

disabled people the provisions of BS 5588-8 are

complied with; and

5) the firefighting lift is not to be used as a

goods or service lift; and

6) the lift well should be inspected monthly and

any combustible materials removed

4.3 Siting of firefighting shafts

4.3.1 Commentary

Firefighting shafts ought to be sited against an

exterior wall to facilitate smoke control In buildings

with a high fire risk or high fire load, firefighting

shafts need to be sited against an exterior wall, even

if a pressurization system is provided, to facilitate

firefighting and for the safety of fire service

personnel.

The separation of the accommodation from the

firefighting shaft (see 4.4), together with the

provision of means for smoke control, is intended to

provide a substantially smoke-free environment for

firefighting operations.

If it is not possible to locate the firefighting shaft against an exterior wall then the route from the fire service entrance to the firefighting shaft needs to be

as short as possible and protected by fire-resisting construction to ensure that fire does not affect the route or cut off the means of escape for fire service personnel fighting a fire within the building The layout of the firefighting shaft at fire service access level ought to be such that firefighters entering the firefighting lift and persons escaping down that firefighting stair do not obstruct each other Longer corridors may be acceptable to a fire authority if enhanced fire protection or facilities are provided, e.g the protected corridor serving only the

firefighting shaft; the provision of a second protected corridor; the provision of a wet fire main.

The firefighting lobby at fire service access level needs to be large enough to act as a command post where firefighters and firefighting equipment may be safely assembled A building might have a building control centre that could be used by the fire service,

or the fire service might use a mobile command centre, etc., and such operational details ought to be discussed by the developer with the fire service Vehicular access, including access to any inlet to a dry fire main, may be required under building regulations or local legislation, or may be covered in the relevant part of BS 5588.

4.3.2 Recommendations

The following recommendations are applicable.a) At fire service access level, entry to a firefighting shaft should be available either: 1) directly from the open air

[see Figure 2 (a) (1) and Figure 2 (b)]; or2) by way of a protected corridor not exceeding 18 m in length The corridor should

be considered to be part of the firefighting shaft, and any access to it from the accommodation should be by way of protected lobbies It should not be necessary for persons escaping down the stair to pass through the firefighting lobby at fire service access level Where the corridor forms part of the means of escape from the accommodation it should

be 500 mm wider than that required for means

of escape purposes (to allow room for fire service personnel to move towards the firefighting shaft), and the firefighting lobby should have a minimum area of 5 m2 clear of any escape routes so that it can act as a fire service mustering point [see Figure 2 (a) (2)].b) Where a dry fire main is provided, there should

be appliance access to within 18 m of the inlet connection to the main, within sight of the connection and with direct access thereto

4.4 Layout of firefighting shafts

4.4.1 Commentary

It is essential that firefighting personnel, having left

the firefighting lift to enter the firefighting lobby, can

enter the firefighting stair enclosure in case of need

without having to traverse an area of risk within any

storey of the building Therefore it is necessary that

the firefighting lift, lobbies and stair are within a

protected enclosure and that the firefighting stair is

as close as possible to the firefighting lift so as to

provide a means of escape for fire service personnel.

Fire protection for the firefighting stair and lift relies

on each being within a protected enclosure.

NOTE 1 The firefighting lift landing doors are fire doors.

Access to the accommodation needs to be through a lobby as a single fire door cannot provide adequate protection to the firefighting stair and lift from a fire

in the accommodation The lobby also serves as a bridgehead from which firefighting operations can

be mounted.

NOTE 1a The only exception is in the case of residential accommodation, where due to the high level of compartmentation between the residential units, the common ventilated access corridor can act as a lobby.

Although in some countries it is required that a firefighting lift be in a separate well, it has been thought unreasonable to follow this course provided that any additional risks can be minimized

Accordingly, this code recommends that, like the firefighting lift, other lifts within the same well should not introduce significant additional fire risks into the firefighting shaft Entry from within the building to any other lift in the same well has to be through the same protected lobby from which the firefighting lift is entered [see Figure 3 (a)].

Figure 1a — Firefighting lift within escape stair [see 4.2.2 g)]

Figure 2 — Typical firefighting shaft layouts at fire service access level

Figure 3 — Banks of lifts that incorporate a firefighting lift

All access between the firefighting stair and

firefighting lift and the accommodation needs to be

solely via the firefighting lobby Where it is

impractical to locate all adjacent lifts within the

firefighting shaft a dual-entry firefighting lift may

be provided with a separate firefighting lobby

accessible through a second set of lift doors

[see Figure 3 (b)] However, because of the additional

risks that this arrangement places on the integrity of

the firefighting shaft, certain additional facilities

need to be provided by the lift control system, the

number of such lifts is limited, the fire-resistance of

the main lift lobby lift landing door needs to be

increased to 60 min [to meet 9.3.2 b)], and any storey

served by a single firefighting lift ought not be served

by a dual-entry firefighting lift.

NOTE 2 The operation of passenger lifts within firefighting

shafts is covered in clause 14.

Whenever possible a firefighting shaft ought not to be

exposed to the dangers of radiant heat from an

adjacent face of the building Where this is not

possible the construction of the firefighting shaft

needs to take into account the heat radiation it could

be exposed to during a fire.

4.4.2 Recommendations

The following recommendations are applicable

a) Access to the accommodation from the

firefighting lift or stair (by way of a firefighting

lobby) should be provided at all levels served by

the firefighting shaft

NOTE If the firefighting lift does not serve the topmost

storey of a building (see 4.2.2), the firefighting lobby on the

topmost storey serves the firefighting stair only If the

topmost storey consists only of the firefighting lift motor

room, no lobby is necessary.

b) Any storey served by a single firefighting lift

should not be served by a dual-entry firefighting

lift and not more than half the firefighting lifts

serving any storey may be dual-entry lifts

c) Goods lifts and service lifts should not be

located within firefighting shafts

d) Passenger lifts should not be located within a

firefighting shaft unless the lift cars are

constructed in accordance with 11.2 b), are

clearly and conspicuously marked “Do not use for

goods or refuse”, and have access only from a

firefighting lobby

e) Where a firefighting lift is dual-entry the lift landing doors to the main lift lobbies should be separated from the accommodation by an enclosure with a fire resistance of not less than 30 min [see Figure 3 (b)] The doors to this enclosure should be self-closing, but means of overriding the self-closing device may be provided

by a hold open system incorporating an automatic release mechanism complying with BS 5839-3 The automatic release mechanism should release the door to close automatically in the event of each or any of the following:

1) the detection of smoke by suitable automatic apparatus mounted at high level in the accommodation adjacent to a door to the main lift lobby enclosure;

2) failure of the power supply;

3) operation of the firefighting lift switch;4) operation of the fire alarm system;

5) a manual operation at a central control point;

6) actuation of any automatic fire extinguishing system (e.g a sprinkler system);7) the removal, for whatever reason, of a smoke detector in a fire detection zone protecting accommodation directly accessible from the firefighting shaft

Such doors should be suitably marked on both sides, at about eye level, with the appropriate sign complying with BS 5499-1

f) Where the firefighting shaft is sited against an exterior wall, if any glazed area [unless it

complies with 9.2 and 9.3.2 a) 1)] or opening in

the exterior wall of the firefighting shaft is less than 500 mm from the junction of the firefighting shaft with the exterior wall, then the fire

resistance of the external wall immediately adjacent to the glazed area or opening should be not less than 1 h from both sides for a horizontal distance of 500 mm [see Figure 4 (a)]

g) If one or more walls enclosing the firefighting shaft are exterior walls, then:

1) the side nearest the accommodation of any exterior wall facing or adjacent to the

firefighting shaft should have a fire resistance

of 2 h; or2) the side internal to the firefighting shaft of any exterior wall facing or adjacent to the accommodation should have a fire resistance

of 2 h;

unless the distance between the firefighting shaft and the accommodation is not less than 5 m [see Figure 4 (b), Figure 4 (c) and Figure 4 (d)]

h) If the firefighting shaft contains sanitary

accommodation, such accommodation:

1) should not be used as a cloakroom;

2) should not contain any portable heating

appliances;

3) should not contain any gas appliance other

than a water heater or incinerator

i) The firefighting shaft should not contain any

cupboards or provide access to service shafts

serving the remainder of the building

j) Only services associated with the firefighting

shaft should pass through or be contained within

the firefighting shaft

k) The doors between the firefighting stair and

firefighting lobby should be kept free from any

fastenings

5 Firefighting stairs

5.1 Commentary

Firefighting stairs need to be sufficiently wide to be

easily used by firefighting personnel carrying

firefighting equipment Firefighting stair enclosures

ought to be provided with means for smoke control to

ensure that they remain relatively smoke-free; they

also need to be subdivided at ground level to prevent

smoke from basement storeys from penetrating the

stair enclosure above ground level.

5.2 Recommendations

The following recommendations are applicable

a) Firefighting stairs should be designed in

accordance with the recommendations of

BS 5395-1, with a minimum width between the

walls or balustrades of 1.1 m

This width should be maintained clear for a

vertical distance of 2.0 m, measured from the

pitch line or landing floor level, with the

b) Firefighting stair enclosures should be

provided with facilities for smoke control

(see clause 8).

c) Firefighting stairs serving floors both above

and below ground level should be separated at

ground level by a fire door [see Figure 2 (b) (1)]

d) Lighting in firefighting stair enclosures should

comply with clause 16.

6 Firefighting lobbies6.1 Commentary

Lobbies have to be of sufficient size to enable fire service personnel to lay out hose and connect it to a landing valve (if provided) without undue

congestion, but the lobby should not be so large as to encourage any form of storage or unauthorized use The layout of a firefighting lobby and the positions of all doors should reduce, as far as is practicable, risks arising from:

a) the creation of dead-ends (in which firefighters

may become cut off from access to the safety of the stair or become disorientated in poor visibility); and

b) the direct exposure of lift landing doors to the

effects of fire through the doorway leading into the accommodation.

Subject to certain restrictions, sanitary accommodation may be accessed by way of the firefighting lobbies.

In the case of residential buildings designed in accordance with BS 5588-1 it is accepted that the protected ventilated common corridors/lobbies will provide sufficient protection of the firefighting stair without the need to provide additional dedicated ventilated lobbies.

6.2 Recommendations

The following recommendations are applicable to all buildings except residential buildings designed in accordance with BS 5588-1

a) Firefighting lobbies should not form part of a general circulation route within any storey except for circulation between storeys and to sanitary accommodation If the wall between the firefighting lobby and the sanitary accommodation is not the wall enclosing the firefighting shaft [i.e does not comply

with 9.3.2 b)] then the wall between the

firefighting lobby and the sanitary

accommodation should comply with 9.3.2 c) and

the sanitary accommodation should not contain

any fire risks [see 4.4.2 h)].

b) Firefighting lobbies should have a clear floor area of not less than 5 m2 The clear floor area should not exceed 20 m2 for lobbies serving up to four lifts, or 5 m2 per lift for lobbies serving more than four lifts All principal dimensions should be not less than 1.5 m and should not exceed 8 m in lobbies serving up to four lifts, or 2 m per lift in lobbies serving more than four lifts

c) Firefighting lobbies should be provided with

facilities for smoke control (see clause 8).

NOTE However, in the case of residential buildings, there is

no need to increase the area of ventilation beyond that recommended in BS 5588-1.

d) Where the firefighting shaft contains a firefighting lift, the firefighting shaft should contain a fire main

e) Firefighting lobbies should be clearly and conspicuously marked with a notice complying with BS 5499-1, stating “Firefighting lobby: do not use for storage”

f) Lighting in firefighting lobbies should comply

with clause 16.

7 Fire mains and landing valves

NOTE Although this code does not include a recommendation

for the provision of fire mains in buildings provided with

firefighting stairs but not a firefighting lift, this should not

preclude the provision of fire mains in such buildings.

7.1 Commentary

Landing valves ought to be sited where personnel

can safely lay out and charge hose lines before

entering the fire compartment, and ease of access,

exposure to fire from the accommodation if a door is

open, obstruction of fire doors by the hose line and

the risk of unintentional discharge of water hitting

the lift doors or controls need to be considered when

siting landing valves.

7.2 Recommendations

The following recommendations are applicable

a) Wet and dry rising (and falling) fire mains should be installed in accordance with BS 5306-1 and a landing valve should be installed in each firefighting lobby and at fire service access level

b) Landing valves should be sited and their outlets directed:

1) so that access to them is unobstructed;

2) away from lift landing doors so there is minimal risk of any discharge of water from the outlet coming into contact with lift controls and communications equipment or of flowing

into the lift well (see clause 12);

3) so that hoses can be connected, charged and advanced into the accommodation without excessive kinking or obstruction to doors and exit routes

c) Where dry falling mains serve basements 10 m

or more below ground, either:

1) the falling main should serve only storeys below the charging point; or

2) a pressure limiting device should be fitted to prevent excessive pressure developing at landing valves below the charging point

8 Smoke control8.1 Commentary

Effective means are needed to minimize the possibility of serious contamination of the firefighting shaft by smoke, such as the provision of openings for natural ventilation, determined in certain circumstances by the configuration of the building, or by a pressurization system Because of the difficulty of ventilating smoke from basement levels, natural ventilation is acceptable only for basements of limited depth; firefighting shafts serving deeper basements need to be pressurized No provision need be made for smoke venting in the lift well over and above the permanent ventilation required by BS 5655-1 and BS 5655-2.

Whatever solution is proposed the effects of problems created by the prevailing wind direction and high winds need to be considered as they can markedly influence the effectiveness of both natural ventilation and pressurization systems The circumstances in which it may be necessary for the fire service to exercise control over the means of ventilation to meet operational needs at the time of a fire also need to be considered.

BS 5588-4 gives guidance on the use of pressurization for the purposes of smoke control in protected escape routes but, although the principles behind the recommendations of BS 5588-4 remain valid, some of its recommendations are not appropriate for the pressurization of firefighting shafts In particular, the design conditions reflect fire service operational practice, i.e connecting hose

to the fire main outlet on the storey adjacent to the fire storey and approaching the fire storey via the firefighting stair.

In order to keep the firefighting lobby relatively smoke-free before firefighting operations commence

it is necessary to hold back the hot smoke and gases produced by a fully developed fire, and hence the open door airflow needs to be higher than that necessary for means of escape Although the velocity

of hot smoke and gases could reach5 m·s–1, firefighting operations, such as the use of a jet, ought

to contribute significantly to the holding back of hot smoke and gases.

Designers of pressurization systems also need to take into account possible interference with, or from, pressurization systems for escape routes, the use of mechanical ventilation or air conditioning plant which is operating in an abnormal mode to clear the smoke from accommodation areas, leakage through the building fabric, the number of doors open or partly open, gaps around doors (including lift doors) and the effect of doors being opened and closed when the pressurization system is operating.

8.2 Recommendations

The (following recommendations are applicable

a) Firefighting shafts serving basements more

than 9 m below ground level should be provided

with a pressurization system

b) All other firefighting shafts should be provided

with either a pressurization system (see 8.3) or

natural ventilation (see 8.4);

8.3 Recommendations for the pressurization

of firefighting shafts

Pressure differential systems should be designed

and installed in accordance with BS 5588-4

8.4 Recommendations for the venting of

firefighting shafts by natural means

NOTE 1 Firefighting shafts serving basements with floor levels

more than 9 m below ground level should be pressurized

[see 8.2 a)].

The following recommendations are applicable

a) An openable vent with an area of not less

than 5 % of the horizontal cross-sectional area of

the firefighting stair enclosure should be

provided at the top of the stair enclosure, sited

where it will not be unduly affected by wind

pressures1) The vent should be provided with a

remote control mechanism located adjacent to the

fire service access doorway and clearly marked as

to its function and means of operation The

mechanism should be capable of opening and

closing the vent All connections between the

remote control and the opening mechanism

should be within the firefighting shaft Where

any part of the remote control mechanism is

powered by electricity, a secondary supply should

be provided (see also clause 16).

b) For firefighting stairs adjacent to external

walls, openable vents with an area of not less

than 15 % of the horizontal cross-sectional area of

the stair enclosure should be provided at each

storey level above ground level Any door opening

directly to open air should be considered to

contribute to the requirements for venting and

where possible such doors should not be kept

locked

c) Firefighting stairs that:

1) serve only basement levels less than 9 m

below ground level; and

2) lead directly to a final exit; need not be

provided with openable vents at any level

NOTE 2 The door to the final exit serves as a vent.

d) Lobbies above ground level should be provided with openable vents with a free area of not less than 25 % of the horizontal cross-sectional area of the firefighting lobby with the vent(s) sited as near to the ceiling as is practicable

e) Firefighting lobbies at each basement level in a particular firefighting shaft should each be provided with a vent at high level having a minimum cross-sectional free area of 1 m2 The vent should discharge direct to open air or into a smoke shaft, serving only that storey, with a cross-sectional area not less than that of the vent Smoke shafts serving basements should

discharge direct to open air at ground level where the exits from the building and fire brigade access would not be affected by the smoke discharge Any cover to a smoke shaft serving a basement should be either a metal grille designed to prevent blockage of the shaft by rubbish, or both breakable and easily accessible from the

appropriate fire service access level

f) Unless vented direct to open air, the firefighting stair should be vented into a separate smoke shaft, and not into the smoke shaft serving the firefighting lobbies Any smoke shaft serving

a firefighting stair or lobbies should be fully open

to the external air at top and bottom and the outlets should be sited where they will not be adversely affected by wind pressures 1).Openings into the smoke shaft should be guarded to a height of not less than 1.1 m.g) Smoke shafts serving storeys above ground level should have:

1) a minimum internal area of 25 % of the lobby floor area, or 3 m2, whichever is the greater, with a minimum internal dimension

of 1 m, where serving lobbies;

2) a minimum internal area of 15 % of the horizontal cross-sectional area of the stair enclosure or 1.5 m2, whichever is the greater, with a minimum internal dimension of 0.75 m, where serving a stair

h) All openable vents provided for smoke control (with the exception of vents sited above a stair [see item a)] should be outward opening, should not be top hung, should open a minimum of 30°, should be clearly identifiable and accessible and should be fitted with:

1) simple lever handles; or2) rotary drives to simple rack or gear operated devices; or

1) Further information is given in CP 3: Chapter V: Part 2 and in the Wind Loading Handbook, HMSO.