Fire Safety in Historic Buildings- Protecting People Without Losing the Character
Historic buildings present some of the most interesting challenges in fire safety.
They were built long before modern fire safety standards existed, often using construction methods and materials that are very different from those used today. Over the years, they may have been altered, extended and adapted several times, leaving a building that can be difficult to understand from drawings alone.
At the same time, many of the features that create fire safety challenges are also the features that give the building its character.
Original doors, staircases, timber panelling, decorative plasterwork and unusual layouts can all have historic significance. Replacing or altering them without careful consideration can cause permanent damage to the building.
The challenge is finding the right balance.
Understanding the building first
Before deciding what needs to change, it is important to understand how the building actually works.
Historic buildings can contain concealed voids, unusual wall and floor construction, interconnected roof spaces and alterations that are not immediately obvious. A wall that appears substantial may provide less fire resistance than expected, while an old solid timber door may perform very differently from a modern lightweight internal door.
The way the building is used is equally important.
A historic property used as offices presents a different risk from the same building being converted into sleeping accommodation, a hotel or residential apartments. Occupancy, escape arrangements, management and the ability of people to respond to a fire all influence the measures that may be appropriate.
A detailed inspection is therefore an important starting point. Decisions made from plans alone can miss some of the characteristics that matter most.
Does every old door need replacing?
Fire doors are a good example of where a proportionate approach is needed.
It is quite common to find substantial historic doors protecting corridors and stairways. They may not carry modern certification and they may have gaps, missing seals or unsuitable ironmongery, but that does not automatically mean every door needs to be removed and replaced.
Depending on the circumstances, it may be possible to retain and carefully upgrade existing doors. Works might include adjusting excessive gaps, installing suitable intumescent or smoke seals, improving frames and stops, fitting appropriate door closers or carrying out other sympathetic improvements.
Any decision needs to consider the door itself, the level of fire resistance required and the role it plays within the overall fire strategy.
This can preserve important historic fabric while still achieving an appropriate level of protection.
Looking at fire safety as a whole
The same principle applies throughout a historic building.
Fire detection can provide early warning. Effective compartmentation can restrict the spread of fire and smoke. Emergency lighting can support evacuation through complex escape routes. Good management arrangements can reduce the likelihood of a fire occurring in the first place.
In some buildings, carefully selected active fire protection systems can also form part of the solution.
There is rarely one measure that solves every problem. The aim is to develop a package of measures that works with the building and its intended use.
Proportionate does not mean lowering the standard
There can sometimes be a perception that preserving a historic building means accepting a lower standard of fire safety. That should not be the case.
A proportionate approach is about identifying the actual risks and finding suitable ways of controlling them while recognising the significance and limitations of the existing building.
This requires cooperation between the fire safety consultant, client, architect, conservation professionals and other specialists involved in the project.
At DMB Fire Safety, our work includes fire risk assessments, fire strategies and specialist fire safety consultancy for historic and listed buildings. These projects can require more investigation and discussion than a modern building, but they are also some of the most rewarding.
The objective is clear: protect the people who use the building, protect the building itself and, wherever reasonably possible, retain the character that made it worth preserving in the first place.
DMB Fire Safety
Fire Risk Assessments | Fire Strategy Reports | Fire Safety Consultancy | Fire Door & Compartmentation Surveys | DSEAR Risk Assessments
https:// dmbfiresafety. co. uk david @ dmbfiresafety. co. uk
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