NEBOSH Certificate in Fire Safety Element 4: Fire protection of buildings Learning outcome • 4.1 - 4.6: The learner will be able to advise their employer on the requirements for the fire protection of premises and workers including the appropriate training obligations. 4.1 The means of fire protection and prevention Assessment criteria: 4.1-4.6: Outline the principles for fire protection, detection, and prevention. Requirements for fire resistance for structural elements of buildings Elements of structure is the term applied to the main structural load-bearing elements, such as structural frames, floors, and load-bearing walls. Several materials can be used in the construction of the building's structure and consist of stone, steel, concrete, cast iron, brick and timber. Stone : Is a good heat insulator but is inferior to brick when exposed to continuous heat, because it can spall or split. Steel: If steel is unprotected, then it can twist or buckle in the event of a fire, which will result in loss of strength. The protection of steel includes the provision of boards, casings, intumescent materials, and protective coatings. Concrete: Heats up very slowly and therefore it is a good fire resister. However, it can spall and lose compressive strength. Cast Iron: It is not combustible and presents no risk of fire spread from direct burning. It possesses little strength in tension but is capable of bearing a considerable load in compression. Timber: This is a combustible material, and it can be protected by fire-resistant cladding material. Heavy timber has good inherent fire resistance because a char layer is formed that retards the heat penetration. The fire performance of timber depends on the charring rate and the loss in strength and modulus of elasticity. Brick and Block : These are quite common in construction. Bricks have the ability to withstand exposure to fire conditions without suffering significant physical damage. Concrete blocks also provide good fire resistance in load- bearing and non-load-bearing systems. Problems may arise when other elements, such as beams and slabs expand in the event of a fire and high temperatures, which can affect the stability of the wall resulting in holes or collapse. In England, a ccording to the Approved Document B, 'Fire Resistance' can be described as 'the ability to resist the effects of fire'. It also refers to elements of structure which consist of: • Structural frame of a building or a beam or column • Load-bearing wall • A floor • A gallery • A compartment wall
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