LESSON EIGHT: FIRE SAFETY

INTRODUCTION:
Q1:
A1:

What fire protection features are included in the UBC?

Q2:
A2:

What is the National Fire Code?

FIRE SAFTY PRIORITIESQ1:

What are three goals of fire protection codes?

Q2:
A2:

By what means is protection or escape form a building achieved?

Q3: What is the major goal of recent building codes?

Using the UBC, how does one determine the degree of fire resistance?

Q2:
A2:

What are the (7) occupancy classifications?

Q3:
A3:

How are building types classified and why?

CONSTRUCTION TYPE:
Q1:
A1:

How are fire resistance ratings assigned?

Q2:
A2:

What is the range for the five construction types?

Q3:
A3:

What other issues affect required fire resistance ratings?

Q4:
A4:

Why is fire resistance more important on the exterior walls of a building?

Q5:
A5:

What types of buildings are allowed greater square footages? Why?

Q6:

What other element can be added to a build type to allow more square footage?
Page 1 of 7

A6:
Q7:
A7:

What elements are limited depending on the installation of a sprinkler system?

Q8:
A8:

How is the number of occupants determined?

Q9:
A9:

What does the UBC dictate?

COMPARTMENTATION:
Q1:
A1:

What does the code require in buildings with mixed occupancy?

Q2:
A2:

What is compartmentation?

Q3:
A3:

What must be done to all wall openings to make compartmentation effective?

Q4:
A4:

What does UL stand for? How are the test done?

Q5:
A5:

What may be done to test a doors fire rating?

Q6:
A6:

What is affected when assemblies are fire rated?

Q7:
A7:

What kind of hardware must be present on a fire rated door?

Q8:
A8:

How do self closing assemblies function under high temperatures?

EXITS:
Q1:
A1:

What is a major requirement of all exit doors?

Q2:
A2:

What is the reasoning behind providing two legal exits?

Q3:
A3:

How often are stairways required in a building?

Q4:
A4:

How is the minimum exit width determined? What is the minimum exit width?

Page 2 of 7

Q5:
A5:

Which way must a door swing on an exit door and what type of hardware must be on it?

Q6:
A6:

What is the reasoning behind panic hardware?

Q7:
A7:

Why should elevators be avoided during a fire?

Q8:
A8:

What are the requirements of a stairway in a building over five stories?

Q9:
A9:

What type of stairway is required in a building over 75 feet in height?

Q10: What is a smoke proof tower?

What should be done as a means of life safety on large floors in a building?

CLASSES OF FIRESQ1:
A1:

What are the four classes of fires and what are their characteristics?

Q2:
A2:

How can each class of fire be extinguished?

Q3:
A3:

Why can sodium firs not be put out with water?

SPECIAL EXTINGUISHING MEDIA:

What is Halon?

Q2:
A2:

Why is carbon dioxide used in fire extinguishing?

Q3:
A3:

When and why are Halon and CO2 used to extinguish fires?

Q4:
A4:

What should be done if these methods are used to extinguish a fire?

FIRE DETECTION- What are the three forms of fire detection based on?
A:
ION DETECTORS:
Page 3 of 7

Q1:
A1:

What does an ionization detector respond to?

Q2:
A2:

What is a disadvantage of their use?

PHOTOELECTRIC SENSORS:
Q1:
A1:

What is a photoelectric sensor? What is the disadvantage of its use?

Q2:
A2:

Why should fire detection systems be used?

Q3:
A3:

What is flashover?

Q4:
A4:

Where should fore detectors be placed?

HEAT ACTAUTED SENSORS:

What is a heat actuated sensor?

Q2:
A2:

What are some of the benefits and drawbacks to a heat actuated system?

Q3:
A3:

What functions may be set in motion by a fire alarm?

Q4:
A4:

What are fire fighting stations?

STANDPIPES-Why are standpipes used within buildings?

What are dry standpipes?

Q2:
A2:

What are dry standpipes used for?

Q3:
A3:

What is a siamese fitting?

Q4:
A4:

Where and how large should dry standpipe outlet connects be located?

Page 4 of 7

Q5:
A5:

How is a dry standpipe used in a building?

Q6:
A6:

What is one benefit of a dry standpipe?

Q7:
A7:

What is a ball drip?

WET STANDPIPES:
Q1:
A1:

Where are wet standpipes required?

Q2:
A2:

Who are wet standpipes provided for?

Q3:
A3:

Where and how must wet standpipes be located?

Q4:
A4:

Where are the hoses for wet standpipes located and how long are they?

Q5:
A5:

What are the design requirements for a wet standpipe system?

Q6:
A6:

What are the requirements of the water supply system?

Q7:
A7:

Where are combination standpipe systems required?

Q8:
A8:

What makes up a combination standpipe system?

SPRINKLER SYSTEMS:
Q1:
A1:

What are the advantages of an automatic sprinkler system?

Q2:
A2:

What is the disadvantage of a sprinkler system?

Q3:
A3:

What is the flow rate of a sprinkler system and what can it be compared to?

Q4:
A4:

Where are sprinkler systems usually required?

Q5:
A5:

What effect does including sprinkler systems have on the design of a building?
Page 5 of 7

WET AND DRY SYSTEMS:

What are the characteristics of a sprinkler system?

Q2:
A2:

What are the advantages and disadvantages of a wet pipe sprinkler system?

Q3:
A3:

Why was the dry pipe sprinkler system developed?

Q4:
A4:

What are the characteristics of the dry pipe sprinkler system?

Q5:
A5:

What is the disadvantage of the dry pipe system?

PREACTION SYSTEM:
Q1:
A1:

What is a preaction system? Why was it created?

Q2:
A2:

What is the disadvantage of the preaction system?

DELUGE SYSTEM:
Q1:
A1:

What is the deluge system based on? Where are deluge systems generally used?

Q2:
A2:

What does the deluge system do?

Q3:
A3:

Why must the deluge system have a siamese connection outside the building?

HAZARD LEVELS:
Q1:
A1:

Where were hazard levels established?

Q2:
A2:

What are light hazard areas and what types of construction fall in the category?

Q3:
A3:

What are ordinary hazard areas and how are they subdivided?

Q4:
A4:

What are extra hazard areas?

Q5:
A5:

Why should sprinkler heads never be re-painted?

INSURANCE COMPANY REQUIREMENTS:

Why must the insurance company be notified if there are any changes to the sprinkler system?

Q2:

What happens if the insurance company if not notified about proposed or actual changes to the
system?

A2:
SUMMARY:
Q1:
A1:

What are the different strategies and the groups they fall into when it comes to fire safety?

Q2:
A2:

What does fire resistive construction deal with?

Q3:
A3:

What does pre-placed fire fighting equipment include?

REVIEW:
SKETCHES- Compartmentation (8-5), Smokeproof Enclosure (8-8), Dry Standpipe (8-10), Wet
Standpipe (8-11), Wet Pipe & Dry Pipe Sprinkler (8-13), Preaction Sprinkler System (8-13),
Deluge Sprinkler System (8-14)
TABLE 8.1- Ocupancy
UNIFORM BUILDING CODE:

Table 5-A (Occupancy)

Page 7 of 7