Fire Safety Schedules and Audits

About this course.

A building's essential fire safety measures are the fire and life-safety systems and features that are installed to protect the people in it and to help control a fire — things such as fire detection and alarms, sprinklers, hydrants, hose reels, portable fire extinguishers, exit and emergency lighting, illuminated exit signs, fire and smoke doors, and clear, unobstructed paths of travel to exits. They must be kept working because they are only of any value in the moment a fire occurs, and a fire gives no warning; a measure that has quietly failed since it was installed offers no protection at all when it is finally needed.

The term captures a wide range of features, and it helps to group them by what they do. Some measures detect and warn: automatic smoke and heat detection, fire alarm systems, and occupant warning and communication systems that tell people to leave and how. Some suppress or fight fire: automatic sprinkler systems, fire hydrant systems that give firefighters a water supply, hose reels for first-response use, and portable extinguishers. Some protect the means of escape: fire-isolated stairways, fire and smoke doors that hold back fire and smoke, exit signs, and emergency lighting that stays on if the power fails so people can find their way out through smoke. Others manage smoke — mechanical smoke exhaust or pressurisation systems and fire and smoke dampers in ductwork — or protect the building's structure and compartments. The exact list for any given building depends on its size, height, use and design.