Fire Safety in Buildings
BS 9999:2008

Download the conference brochure

The design and management of fire safety is an essential element in averting disaster in the event of a fire. Although many buildings will never have a serious life-threatening fire, it is essential for fire safety procedures to be planned for every building.

The new British Standard BS 9999:2008 Code of practice for fire safety in the design, management and use of buildings gives recommendations and guidance on the design, management and use of buildings to achieve reasonable standards of fire safety for all people in and around buildings. This conference gives a comprehensive briefing on this standard and how it can be applied.

Benefits of attending:

• An introduction to the new standard and information on other existing guidance
• Updates on legislation and where BS 9999 fits
• Current issues in fire safety management
• Best practice advice from industry experts
• An opportunity to network with peers and share problems and solutions

Delegates were entitled to a 20% discount on the price ofThe Design, Installation, Commissioning and Maintenance of Fire Detection and Fire Alarm Systems: A Guide to BS 5839-1 (3rd edition).

What have the press been saying?

Congratulations to Bob Lilley to Sandberg LLP, winner of our free place draw.

SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS

Thursday 13 November

Chairman’s introduction

Background and history of BS 9999:2008

• Background and history of BS 9999:2008
• Content and structure

David Smith
Chairman, BSI Committee FSH/14

The new British Standard

BS 9999 – An introduction  

• Why use standards?
• Opportunities and benefits of BS 9999
• When and how should it be used?
• How BS 9999 relates to other standards

Mike Wood
Global Consultant, Fire Protection & Glass Design, Pilkington Group Limited

Risk assessment and risk profiling: Managing risk in design

• Risk assessment
• Risk profiling
• Occupancy characteristics
• Creating the risk profile
• Designing means of escape
• BDAG – Building Disaster Assessment Group

Dave Berry
Chairman, Fire and Risk Management Support Services Limited

Managing fire safety and managing occupied buildings

• Management levels
• The Fire Safety Manual
• Designing so that a building can be managed
• The fire safety management structure
• Fire prevention
• Planning and evacuation procedures

Martin Shipp
Technical Development Director, Fire Safety, BRE

Professor David Charters
Director of Fire Engineering, BRE

Fire resistance periods and ventilation conditions in relation to Table 26 of BS 9999

• Development of the analytical methods based upon current and fire safety engineering practice
• Application of Monte Carlo to evaluate many thousands of fire scenarios
• Development of a risk based approach to life safety based upon building type, height and occupancy profile
• Development of fire resistance periods and presented in a prescriptive manner
• Scope of application/limitations of the design method

Dr Brian Kirby
Director, Sirius Fire Safety Consultants

Reestablishing the link between building fire safety design and fire and rescue service response

• The use of research conducted into fire service response following the 11 September terrorist attacks
• Physiological demands on the fire and rescue service
• High rise firefighting

Simon Hunt
Deputy Director, Strategic Planning, Strathclyde Fire and Rescue

How BS 9999 can benefit those with a disability

• Disability Discrimination Act
• Common issues in relation to the safe evacuation of disabled people
• Why the standard needed updating
• How the new standard improve matters
• What needs to happen now?

Michelle Valentine
Director, Disability Forward Limited

Sector perspectives and current issues

Building control - current issues and how BS 9999 can help

• Role of building control in fire safety 
• Acceptance of designs under BS 9999 
• Issues arising from fire safety management 
• Value and flexibility offered by  BS 9999

Tim Spittle
Partnership Manager, Building Consultancy, Birmingham City Council

BS 9999 - Engineering or prescription

• Background to the development of BS 9999
• The value of the flexibility offered by the Standard
• An architectural perspective
• A transition to fire engineering

Mick Green
Director, Buro Happold
Study Group Leader, Fire Engineering Institution of Structural Engineers    

BS 9999 application of the code in the design of your building

• The risk profile
• Sprinkler in design
• Determining travel distances, exit, corridor and staircase widths
• The impact of AFD, ceiling height and sprinklers on design parameters
• The ventilation factor and fire resistance – making it work for your clients

David Ware
Business Development Director, Online Standards Ltd

Keynote

Regulation update

• The role of the enforcing authority (for fire safety) 
• The range of premises under enforcement 
• The risk based inspection programme 
• The role of technical guidance in the enforcement regime 
• “Where necessary”, “As far as is reasonable” and other slippery terms
• How the enforcing authorities will utilize BS 9999

Iain Cox
Chair, National Fire Safety Committee, Chief Fire Officers’ Association

Q&A and discussion sessions will take place throughout the day

Drinks Reception
12  November 2008

Delegates are cordially invited to a complimentary drinks reception
after the close of day one of the conference to celebrate the publication of BS 9999.

Anyone in the private or public sector responsible for the design, management and use of buildings, or for whom it impacts on their role, including:

• Architects
• Surveyors
• Facilities/building managers
• Fire and rescue service
• Building control officers
• Fire safety engineers
• Fire risk consultants.

Wednesday 12 November

A practical introduction to BS 9999

• History and development
• Relationship with other standards and guidance
• The three approaches to fire safety of buildings
• Principles of Risk Based Advanced Approach
• Time based analysis, time line analysis, Available safe Egress Time (ASET)
• Risk Profiling – occupancy characteristics and fire growth rates
• Minimum levels of fire protection
• Variation of Risk Profiles
• Additional measures – sprinklers, ceiling height, upgraded detection and alarm provisions
• Maximum variations
• Fire resistance
• Ventilation factors
• Software introduction
• Annexes

David Smith
Chairman, BSI Committee FSH/14