Two advisory groups have issued an urgent warning to government about fire safety in timber-framed buildings. The Practitioners’ Forum and the Business and Community Safety Forum have asked the Communities and Local Government department to urgently review building regulations and guidance to reduce the incidence of rapid fire spread in timber frame building construction sites.
A detailed report which the groups have jointly submitted says there have been several serious fires where the evidence suggests that the volume of timber in the construction contributed to the fire hazards and to the risks to construction workers and firefighters. Fires in these buildings have all seen very rapid fire spread and early structural collapse, it says, with the high levels of heat spreading fire to neighbouring buildings.
“We have seen a number of serious fires, including major incidents in London and Edinburgh, where the evidence suggests strongly that the volume of timber in the construction contributes to the fire hazards and the risks to constructions workers and firefighters alike. Fire development is extremely rapid and generates very large amounts of heat flux.”
Further danger
While the threat of severe fires on timber framed buildings under construction sites has been an issue for some time, the report goes further by warning that such buildings can represent an increased fire hazard even after completion. It says they are more vulnerable to poor workmanship in areas such as cavity barriers, fire stopping of quality of finishes, and also to longer term wear and tear and subsequent alterations.
The two groups concede that some work has been done in association with the UK Timber Frame Association on construction site guidelines, but they were concerned that it was not well publicised or integrated with other regulations and guidance. They call for the issue to be dealt with in building regulations and guidance, including procedures for early consultation when large timber framed projects are proposed.
The report calls for further research into whether automatic detection and warning systems should be a minimum standard on such building sites, and for consideration of guidance on means of escape being included. It also draws attention to the potential hazards of allowing partial occupation of a site still under construction, and calls for tighter guidance and risk assessments in each case.
Another increasing concern is that a significant proportion of new larger-scale timber frame developments are planned for social housing, and so buildings potentially most vulnerable to rapid fire spread may be occupied by some vulnerable members of society. “This problem has additional and very serious implications for anyone with mobility difficulties as the traditional ‘defend in place’ arrangements, whereby people can remain in a place of relative safety whilst awaiting rescue, will be redundant in the face of such rapid fire spread,” it says.
In considering timber frame buildings and more general innovative construction methods and product, the two groups also urge ministers to commission research to:
– identify and quantify common failures in construction and fire protection in completed buildings
– assess the effectiveness of current methods of fire stopping and products for preventing fire and smoke spread in cavities
– evaluate whether or not an apparent systemic failure of fire protection measures identified in recent incidents is associated with insufficient regulatory control or inspection regimes, materials employed or workmanship and – based on the outcomes of that work – to review guidance, control measures and sanctions available to prevent a reoccurrence
– investigate the feasibility of a marking scheme to alert firefighters to the use of innovative construction methods or timber framed buildings.
In a note accompanying the submission to fire minister Sadiq Khan, Charlie Hendry, chair of the Practitioners’ Forum, and Les Byrom, chair of the Business and Community Safety Forum, say:
“Where we can take action to raise awareness and advise on sensible operational precautions and practices, we have done so, but the issue extends well beyond our remit into areas relating to building control and planning guidance. We therefore urge you to consider this submission and would welcome the opportunity to discuss with you further at your convenience.”
