![]() Identify alternative arrangements to compensate for the remaining weaknesses as far as you can-, control of ignition sources, control of combustibles detection, suppression, staffing, briefing, planning etc. Analyse the gap from various aspects - life safety, heritage protection, property protection, business continuity. Charges should be primed with detonating cord or MDI to obtain simultaneous detonation blowing a hole large enough for a man to fit through. The gap will now be smaller, eg your doors will have a better fire performance than they had before. When using C4 to blow a mouse-hole in a lath and plaster wall, one block or a strip of blocks should be placed on the wall from neck-to-knee height. Go as far as you can within reason then evaluate again against the benchmark. You can make certain improvements as far as you can, rather as you describe, subject to the constraints of heritage, character, layout, size and cost. Evaluate your building against the guide and identify strengths and weaknesses of your building against the benchmark. First look at the benchmark standard- the sleeping guide. Theres also a research report on the English Heritage website somewhere in which they have submitted a number of different doors mimicing historic designs to fire tests - I have a hard copy of this somewhere. Theres also quite a lot of info on this and a book on the Historic scotland website. In the care home boom of the 1980s many old buildings were converted and it was commonplace to upgrade ceilings from above and a number of systems were produced- tilcon foamed perlite and chickenwire being one common method. What would the cost implications be for upgrading the ceiling and ensuring the doors to the rooms and corridors have sufficient fire resistance? In regards to life safety building has smoke detection in all areas, travel distances are comfortably within the guidelines (only 7 rooms on 1st floor of 2 storey building),strictly no smoking, robust PAT testing and new wiring in place, good fire management with training, fire drills etc. I am looking from more of a property safety aspect than life safety. Obviously this would not be a all singing and dancing fire door due to not being tested to BS476, but would increase the fire protection that is currently in place. Also with the owners still wanting to retain the original features and doors, would applying intumescent coating and ensuring doors have/can self close be sufficient. Where a period building has been converted to sleeping accommodation, would it not be responsible to upgrade the ceiling to 60 minutes fire resistance using intumescent systems so to protect fire reaching the big timber roof void and basically end of building and ensure containment if fire developed in sleeping room (sneaky fag by a drunken Union Rep). Is there any research material on fire test conditions and results? Lath and plaster in good condition can provide 20 minutes fire resistance?.
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