Building standards - ministerial view: fire and rescue service access (ref. V2025/2)

Functional standard 2.12 - Fire and rescue service access

Every building must be accessible to fire and rescue service.

Clause 2.12.1 - Vehicle access provision

Access from a public road should be provided to assist fire and rescue personnel in their rescue and fire-fighting operations. Whilst the access will depend to some extent on the vehicles and equipment used, assistance may be provided from adjoining fire and rescue services when the need arises. For this reason, the more demanding guidance for high reach appliances may be recommended by the fire and rescue service. This may have a significant impact on planning and a feasibility study may be appropriate. Consultation with the fire and rescue service at the earliest opportunity is strongly recommended.

Vehicle access should be provided to at least one elevation of all buildings to assist in fire-fighting operations. The vehicle access route should be provided to the elevation or/and rescue elevations where the principal entrance, or entrances, are located.

Vehicle access is recommended to other elevations of a building where:

• the building is a hospital, or
• the area of any compartment in a non-domestic building is more than 900m2, or
• the building footprint has a perimeter more than 150m.

However vehicle access routes to more than one elevation may not always be possible due to the constraints of the site, and pedestrian access for fire and rescue service personnel, as described in clause 2.12.4, may be sufficient.

To assist fire and rescue service personnel to connect a short length of hose between the pumping appliance and dry/wet riser inlets (see guidance to Standard 2.14) quickly and efficiently, parking spaces should be provided at a distance not more than 18m from riser inlets.

Verifier

City of Edinburgh Council

Technical context

The building warrant application is for the erection of a new 8 storey residential student accommodation block. The building is split level, 81m of the perimeter being 10m in height and 96m of the perimeter being 22m in height.

The ground floor comprises a mix of studio apartments and ancillary accommodation to the building such as receptions/concierge area. First floor comprises predominantly of studio apartments with a gymnasium and dining room. Second through to seventh floor comprises solely of studio apartments. Ground to third floor are served by three escape stairs with the remainder of the upper levels served by two escape stairs.

The matter where there is doubt on compliance with the mandatory standard relates to Mandatory Standard 2.12, specifically to guidance clause 2.12.1 in respect of appropriate fire service vehicle access provision.

The local authority verifier has stated that:

The applicant has demonstrated via a power point presentation the extent of each façade that will be accessible from an aerial ladder of a high reach appliance from each point that the fire service can park an appliance.

This appears to provide access to 50% of the total perimeter of the building and 15.8% of the high section of the building. When you consider the extent of access that would be required for the same building in England, the extent of access appears substantial.

The perimeter of the building exceeds the 150m by 27m (15% approx.) which is a relatively small increase in size beyond that where access to a single elevation would have been acceptable.

Furthermore, we recognise the impact that the suppression system will play in controlling fire spread. The compartmentalisation of each individual studio with 90 min fire resistant construction and a medium duration fire door will further limit the extents of fire growth in the building.

Taking all the above into account, we would generally consider Standard 2.12 to have been met. However, as a statutory consultee and their expertise in firefighting and rescue operations we are mindful of the opinion of SFRS and have doubt as to whether the Standard has been met.

The applicant has stated that in their view the development achieves the recommended guidance by providing full access to the main entrance, as well as access to the rear elevation via two locations, as demonstrated in the accompanying documentation and commentary provided.  The Applicant, and the Project Fire Engineer consider that the development complies with the necessary mandatory standards for fire and rescue access.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service have been consulted as part of this process and have stated: “It is the opinion of The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service that neither of the alternative vehicle parking locations are suitable to locate high reach appliances in response to an incident within the development.”

The view of Scottish Ministers

On behalf of Scottish Ministers, Building Standards Division has considered all the information submitted in this case and their view is set out below.

• we have taken into consideration the differing views on the proposal as outlined by the applicant, local authority verifier and SFRS
• firefighting appliances have access to three points of the building with each location providing access to parts of all four elevations, however, it is acknowledged that the extent of access offered to the elevations is limited due to city centre site constraints
• vehicular access is provided to within 8m of the dry riser inlet
• the building has a footprint over 150m (177m) the TH guidance recommends access to more than one elevation of the building. The perimeter of the building exceeds 150m by 27m or approximately 15%. This is a small increase in size beyond that where access to a single elevation would be acceptable within the TH guidance
• no storey exceeds the maximum compartment size of 900 m2. The maximum compartment size is 735m2
• the applicant has indicated the extent to which each façade will be accessible from an aerial ladder of a high reach appliance from each point that they can park the appliance appears to provide access to 50% of the total perimeter of the building and 15.8% of the high section of the building
• the automatic fire suppression system will assist in the control of fire spread within the development
• provision of a category L1 fire detection and alarm system in accordance with BS 5839-1, will provide the earliest possible warning in the event of an outbreak of fire within the building
• the evacuation strategy within the building is simultaneous
• the compartmentation proposed within each individual studio with 90 min fire resistant construction and medium duration fire doors will further limit the extent of fire growth within the building
• in the event of an outbreak of fire within the building, or from an external source, the spread of fire on the external walls of the building will be inhibited by construction with products having a reaction to fire European classification A1 or A2

Having carefully considered all the information submitted in this case, it is the view of Scottish Ministers that the proposals do meet the requirements of Standard 2.12.