Every building we live and work in contains elements designed to protect us in the event of a fire. This sometimes invisible web of protection is known as the building fire safety strategy.

The National Construction Code (NCC) defines a fire safety system as one or any combination of the methods used in a building to:

1. Warn people of an emergency
2. Provide for safe evacuation
3. Restrict the spread of fire
4. Extinguish a fire

The fire safety strategy is a comprehensive plan designed to protect life, protect property, reduce financial impact, minimise environmental damage and prevent secondary hazards such as explosions.

Architects, engineers, certifiers and fire protection professionals must collaborate to design and install these systems. Once construction is complete, regular inspection and maintenance are critical to ensure ongoing performance.

Effective fire protection requires integrating both active and passive measures into the overall building design and construction. The safety and performance of systems, materials and building elements must meet or exceed the minimum level of safety set in the NCC.

The NCC mandates fire detection systems in many types of buildings, including commercial, industrial, educational and healthcare facilities, while state legislation requires smoke alarms in residential properties. A building’s size, use and location determines its NCC classification and Type of Construction.

There are also various Australian Standards (AS) that apply to fire safety. For example, AS 2118.1 specifies general requirements for the design, installation and commissioning of automatic fire sprinkler systems in buildings. AS 2444 specifies the criteria for the selection of portable fire extinguishers and the requirements for their application, location and distribution.

Developing an effective fire safety strategy requires a holistic approach and careful consideration of many factors to ensure it meets the requirements of that particular building or facility. It involves identifying the fire hazards within and around the building, evaluating the risk and potential impact, then putting measures in place to mitigate these risks.

These considerations include:

• The potential size and intensity of a fire.
• The function or use of the building – it’s classification.
• The fire hazards present and the degree of exposure arising from the start and spread of fire, and the smoke and gases that could be generated.
• The height of the building, because once a building gets above a certain height it becomes extremely difficult (and eventually impossible) for the fire brigade to undertake external rescue using ladders etc. The building height also affects evacuation time.
• The characteristics of the occupiers.

Occupier characteristics can greatly change the requirements of the fire safety strategy. If occupants are elderly and have mobility issues, considerations must be taken to ensure they can exit in time. If the occupants are patients in beds with medical equipment, staff are the most crucial people to ensure patients’ safety. If the building is a nightclub, occupants could be intoxicated. If it is a hotel, occupants could be asleep.

Aside from the active and passive fire protection installed in the building, training, maintenance, and emergency response protocols must be included in the fire safety strategy. This includes having emergency procedures, keeping maintenance records, displaying evacuation diagrams, conducting regular fire drills, providing training and advice for occupants.

Fire safety is a everybody’s responsibility. Occupants should keep evacuation routes clear, ensure fire doors remain closed, and report defective measures, such as broken exit signs, to the building manager or owner. Fire safety strategies should be treated as living documents, reviewed and updated whenever there are changes in building use, layout, hazards or occupancy.

Designing an effective fire safety strategy requires not only compliance with building codes, standards and legislation but also a holistic approach that integrates active and passive fire safety measures with building maintenance and emergency management. The focus is on protecting lives, minimising property damage, and maximising the building’s overall resilience to fire.