Title: High Intensity Residential Fires Amendments to the Alberta Safety Codes
1High Intensity Residential FiresAmendments to
the Alberta Safety Codes
- Presenter Building Safety Codes Officer
- Presented in Parternship with
2Background
- Numerous high-intensity residential fires across
province - Calgary Riverbend 1996
- Calgary Erlton 2002
- Fort McMurray 2007
- Edmonton MacEwan 2007
3Riverbend Fire
Photo courtesy City of Calgary
3
4Erlton Fire
Multi-family Building Under Construction
Photo courtesy The Calgary Herald
4
5Fort McMurray Fire
- Portions of the burning roof fall to the ground
and ignite various portions of the exterior wall
at the ground level
Photo courtesy City of Calgary
5
6MacEwan Fire
Multi-family Building Under Construction
Photo courtesy The Edmonton Sun
6
7Background
- Working group led by AEMA formed
- Research and recommend ways to reduce occurrence
and severity of HIRFs - Prepared High-Intensity Residential Fires
Working Group Final Report - Report contained 22 recommendations
- Amendments to ABC and AFC recommended
- Some based on NRC changes
- Some province-specific
8Definition - HIRF
- High-Intensity Residential Fires (HIRFs)
- Fires involving rapid heat release and fire
spread beyond the point of origin that usually
involve adjacent buildings. - These fires also typically include the early
exposure of large amounts of combustible
materials.
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9Definition - HIRF
- High-Intensity Residential Fires (HIRFs)
- Can occur in any of the following groupings
- Occupied residential buildings
- Unoccupied residential buildings that are under
construction - A mix of occupied and under-construction
residential buildings
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10Overview Building Code
- Clearer definition of 10 minute response time.
- Sizes of windows and unprotected openings.
- Construction requirements for projections and
soffits close to property lines. - Allowable siding materials and protection of
combustible siding. - Additional sprinklering requirements for
concealed spaces and balconies. - Protection of unsprinklered balconies.
- Protection and insulation of attached garages.
11Overview Fire Code
- Large number of editorial changes.
- Moving, renumbering and rewording.
- Protection of adjacent structures to construction
sites. - More emphasis placed on production of fire safety
plan. - Standpipe systems during construction.
- Site and equipment access requirements.
- Hot works scope expanded.
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12Fire Department Response
- 10 minutes response time from initiation of alarm
at the fire department - Not a new requirement in place since 1981
- Response time must be lt 10 min. in 90 of all
calls - Areas inside 10 min. established by local fire
department not a site-specific calculation - Outside 10 min. area ? assume LD half of actual
LD for determining construction
13Size of Windows non-houses
- 3.2.3.1.(5), (6) and (7)
- 9.10.14.4.(3), (4) and (5)
- Doesnt apply to sprinklered buildings
- LD lt 2 m ? area of individual unprotected
openings restricted according to table
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14Size of Windows houses
- 9.10.15.4.(3), (4) and (5)
- Doesnt apply to sprinklered buildings
- Max. size of glazed openings found fromTable
9.10.15.4. - LD lt 2 m ? area of individual glazed openings not
to exceed 50 of max. found from Table 9.10.15.4. - LD gt 2 m ? above restrictions on individual
glazed openings removed
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15Separation of Glazed Openings
- Individual UOs to be separated by 2 m
horizontally and vertically. - Relates to same fire compartment.
- Full-height wall extending 1.5 m into room will
be considered to create separate fire
compartments.
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16Separation of Glazed Openings
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17Separation of Glazed Openings
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18Soffit Construction
- 3.2.3.6.(3), (4) and (5)
- 9.10.14.5.(5), (6) and (7)
- 9.10.15.5.(8), (9) and (10)
- No soffits at LD 0.45m
- LD gt 0.45m, soffits allowed to project no closer
than 0.45m - Unvented and protected soffits between 0.45m and
1.2m to property line
Photo courtesy City of Calgary
19Soffit Construction
- Pictures show progression of fire up the side of
the wall and into the roof space via the soffits.
Photo courtesy City of Calgary
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20Soffit Construction
- Protected Soffits
- Minimum 0.38 mm thick sheet steel conforming to
CAN/CGSB-93.4 - Unvented aluminum conforming to CAN/CGSB-93.2-M
- Minimum 12.7 mm gypsum board
- Minimum 11 mm thick plywood
- Minimum 12.5 mm thick OSB
- Minimum 11 mm thick lumber
21Soffit Construction
22Combustible Projections
- 9.10.15.5.(7)
- Limitations on combustible projections within
1.2m - Applies to totally enclosed projections
- Face constructed as if LD lt 1.2m
- Sides constructed same as face, no openings
permitted in side - Bottom higher than 0.6m protected same as
protected soffits - Projections that include habitable space (e.g.
china cabinets, benches, bay windows, etc.) would
still be governed by 9.10.15.2.(4)
23Combustible Projections
24Combustible Projections
24
25Cladding non-houses
- 3.2.3.7.(3) and (4)
- 9.10.14.5.(2) and (3)
- Reorganised into Table format
- Added new line for 25-50 U.O.
- Exception to NC cladding for U.O. gt 10
- Test entire wall assembly to ULC S134
- Exception to NC cladding for U.O. gt 25 but lt 50
- LD gt 5m
- Sprinklered OR install cladding over
exterior-grade gypsum sheathing
26Cladding - houses
- 9.10.15.5.(2) and (3)
- At LD lt 0.6m, 45 min FRR plus
- Cladding must be noncombustible or vinyl siding
installed over exterior-grade gypsum sheathing or
masonry (wood not permitted) - OR
- Wall assembly must be tested to ULC S134
- At LD gt 0.6m and lt 1.2m, 45 min FRR plus
- Cladding can be noncombustible or combustible
installed over exterior-grade gypsum sheathing or
masonry (vinyl or other combustible cladding-wood
permitted) - OR
- Wall assembly must be tested to ULC S134
27Cladding
28Automatic Sprinkler Systems
- Fire spread through the roof space to involve the
whole of the building. Debris (wood siding and
railings) from roof and wall fell to ground to
ignite lower portions of the exterior walls
Lakeview CondominiumsCalgary, July 2007
Photo courtesy City of Calgary
29Automatic Sprinkler Systems
- 3.2.5.13. Automatic Sprinkler Systems
- NFPA 13R applies to residential, 4 stories or
less - Contains exceptions for sprinklering in certain
areas - New (10) removed exceptions to sprinkler
protection from NFPA 13R - Porches and balconies
- Public corridors
- Attics and floor/ceiling spaces
- Crawl spaces
- Storage rooms on exterior balconies
- Other concealed spaces
30Automatic Sprinkler Systems
- 3.2.5.13. Automatic Sprinkler Systems
- New (11) allowance to not sprinkler concealed
spaces defined in NFPA 13 - Dimensional lumber with floor and ceiling
directly applied - I-joists with floor and ceiling directly applied
and divided into compartments
31Unsprinklered Balconies
- 9.10.12.5. Protection of Balconies
- New (1) applies to multi-storey, multi-family,
un-sprinklered buildings with dwelling units
located whole or in part above another dwelling
unit - New (2) description of acceptable protection
methods (non combustible cladding or combustible
cladding over drywall/masonry) - New (3) protect walls for full width and depth
1.2m on either side - New (4) protect ceiling and roof assemblies
above balcony
32Unsprinklered Balconies
- Fire began on an upper balcony
Lakeview CondominiumsCalgary, July 2007
Photo courtesy City of Calgary
33Unsprinklered Balconies
34Unsprinklered Balconies
35Attached Garages
- 9.35.4.1. Interior Finish
- New (2) walls and ceilings of attached garage
needs interior finish - ½ taped and mudded drywall
- Lath and plaster
- Any other material that prevents passage of flame
for 15 min when tested to ULC S101 - 9.35.4.4. Thermal Insulation
- New (1) walls and ceilings of attached garage
need insulation and vapour barrier
36Protection of Adjacent Structures
- 5.6.1.1. Application expanded
- applies to buildings, parts of buildings,
facilities, adjacent buildings or facilities and
associated areas - 5.6.1.2. Protection of Adjacent Buildings
- Protection of exposed adjacent buildings or
facilities from any fire originating from
construction, alteration or demolition operations
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37Fire Safety Plans
- 5.6.1.3. Fire Safety Plan
- Plans to be prepared in cooperation with local
Fire Service. - Prior to starting work, fire safety plan shall be
prepared and shall include - Designation of site personnel for fire safety
duties. - Emergency procedures in the event of a fire.
- Measures for controlling fire hazards in and
around the building. - Maintenance procedures to ensure above measures
are adhered to.
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38Access for Firefighting
- 5.6.1.4. Access for Firefighting
- Unobstructed access to all fire protection
equipment - Means provided to enable firefighting on all
building levels - Use of building elevators, hoists, lifts to
assist in above - Maintaining access routes for F/D vehicles
- F/D access if site is fenced
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39Standpipe Systems
- 5.6.1.6. Standpipe Systems
- Installed progressively in areas permitted to be
occupied buildings - Not occupied
- Permanent or temporary standpipe system permitted
- Conspicuously marked and accessible F/D
connections - Appropriate pipe, valve size and water supply
- Standpipe and F/D hose valves in specific
locations - Useable until permanent system installed
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40Hot works
- 5.6.1.7.
- Bitumen kettles can not be placed on roofs
- Must be maintained free of excessive residue.
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41QUESTIONS?
- Presented By
- Presenter Building Safety Codes Officer