for example, the building being located in an environmentally sensitive site, or having protected underground water supplies – which will limit the amount of water that can be used. In turn, premises such as these are often located in remote areas, where the distance can impede response time.
Another consideration is the possibility that
a historical building could be occupied by groups of tourists of varying numbers. Planning their evacuation in the complex layout of older buildings, as well as the FRS’ navigation through them to deal with the fire, is paramount. Conversely, there may be periods throughout the year when the building is unoccupied, depending on business and season.
Supporting resources
The FPA has a library of documents that could help with such challenges in these environments. Fire Risk Management in Heritage Properties is an excellent guidance resource for such buildings, while the ‘Need to know’ resilience guide on heritage buildings (see pp 54-55) is another example. Fire risk management can be further improved by means of thorough third party accredited assessments, consultancy and training. Provided the fire can be extinguished prior to
extensive damage, it is possible to make repairs. For example, a Grade II listed thatched house in Devon caught fire from a lightning strike in early June 2019. Two appliances were called to the scene, and six fire crews used foam to combat
the fire that had spread through the rest of the dwelling, which was later repaired.
Material limitations
However, there are limitations on the remedial work that can be completed. The Building Regulations 2010 and Approved Document B of the Building Regulations place restrictions on the materials that can be used – stating that newer, more robust materials cannot replace the old. Listed buildings cannot have significant changes made, such as alterations to walls and wall fixtures; yet most of these types of buildings have little to no protection, and were not built with resilience in mind. These constraints also affect the measure of compliance a building can have with British Standards related to the fire detection, alarms, signage, emergency lighting and fire prevention that can be installed. Although the standards are guides and not legislation, they are of significance if any wrongdoing has been found, as a court would ask why the building was non compliant. Being compliant with the standards helps in insuring the property. It is important to be pragmatic and do the utmost to avoid substantial losses for the building’s owner, and also to protect its historical, cultural and societal significance
James Singleton is a research assistant for RISCAuthority. For more information, view page 5
www.frmjournal.com APRIL 2020 21
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