wet/Dry riser Systems
High Rise Fire Safety
In the past, high rise buildings the risk from fire went unnoticed. The limitations of the Fire Safety Order had not been fully thought out by Fire services. Problems started to arise, typically from individual flats and buildings of multiple occupancy.
A large issue is the specific consequences for people escaping from a fire in a block of flats.
Occupants on the same or other floors or even neighbouring buildings remain at risk in the event of a fire. The effect of fire safety systems in high rise buildings can be used to protect with the use of wet or dry riser systems.
"Staying put" in the event of a fire
The reality of modern high rise fire safety is: the higher the building, the higher the cost of maintaining the appropriate fire protection systems. The cost of maintaining fire protection systems such as wet and dry risers exponentially increases as the required fire rating increases with height. Buildings taller than the 18m threshold will require a dry riser installation while buildings over 60m will require the installation and maintenance of a wet riser system. Also, properties of multiple occupancy over 30m are now required to be sprinklered.
Over time, fire safety standards must evolve to match the risks caused by interference and misuse. Older wet and dry risers and other fire safety systems become outdated and potentially do not meet the fire safety standards.
For buildings over 30 years old, it's likely that it will have been designed to old standards and need replacing. Previous fire protection systems may have also fallen into disrepair. The responsible person could either repair the system to its original standard or upgrade to a newer system, ensuring the new standards are being met. While upgrading the entire system is the more expensive option, it could save more money in the long-term. It is also important to it is important to protect people from fire, as stated in part B of the Fire Safety Order and Building Regulations. It might also be of interest to the responsible person and other occupants to install at least a minimal level of fire protection to prevent the building from being irreparably damaged in the event of a fire.
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