Revised British Standard for fire safety engineering published

28 March 2019

The original British Standard for fire safety engineering, BS 7974, was published in 2001. It has been supplemented by a series of later guidance documents:  PD 7974-1 to 8*, covering each subsystem of application in greater detail.

There have been major changes since 2001 within the fire and construction industry sector, working practices and the regulatory framework, as well as new research, all of which prompted an update to the existing guidance framework.

As a result, BSI, the business improvement company, has significantly revised the 2001 edition of BS 7974 and has published a new version entitled BS 7974:2019 - Application of fire safety engineering principles to the design of buildings. 

The principal changes include:

  • the incorporation of recommendations previously contained in PD 7974-0:2002 and PD 7974-8:2012
  • a greater emphasis on the competence of the fire safety engineer
  • additional recommendations for the quality assurance and verification of fire safety engineering reports
  • the terminology has been simplified and consolidated. The underlying process of fire safety engineering based on the qualitative design review has not changed, but every effort has been made to ensure that the terms used to describe that process are consistent throughout the standard.

The standard sets out a reporting methodology which allows for a design to be readily assessed by approval bodies. It is intended to facilitate the practice of fire safety engineering and in particular to:

  • provide the designer with a disciplined approach to fire safety design
  • allow the safety levels for alternative designs to be compared
  • provide a basis for selection of appropriate fire protection systems
  • provide opportunities for innovative design
  • provide information and assessment methods to support the design, construction, management and operation of buildings.

Ant Burd, Head of Built Environment at BSI, said: “As the demand for better and more innovative building design grows, the safety and protection of people, along with the asset itself, from fire remains of paramount importance. Based upon scientific and engineering insight this framework allows for a range of alternative and complementary fire protection strategies that enable all of the design objectives to still be fulfilled safely.”

BS 7974:2019 Application of fire safety engineering principles to the design of buildings, is a significant revision of the existing British standard BS 7974 published in 2001. More information on the revised standard can be found here.

 

                                                         - ENDS -

 

Notes to Editor:

*BS 7974 is the main standard in the series and provides an overview of all the general applications (public documents, PDs).

The associated PDs, numbering 1-8, cover each subsection in greater detail. Upon publication the series will consist of the following documents PDs 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7:

  • PD 7974-1, Application of fire safety engineering principles to the design of buildings. Initiation and development of fire within the enclosure of origin (Sub-system 1)
  • PD 7974-2, Application of fire safety engineering principles to the design of buildings. Spread of smoke and toxic gases within and beyond the enclosure of origin (Sub-system 2)
  • PD 7974-3, Application of fire safety engineering principles to the design of buildings. Structural response and fire spread beyond the enclosure of origin (Sub-system 3)
  • PD 7974-5, Application of fire safety engineering principles to the design of buildings. Fire service intervention. (Sub-system 5)
  • PD 7974-6, The application of fire safety engineering principles to fire safety design of buildings. Human factors. Life safety strategies. Occupant evacuation, behaviour and condition (Sub-system 6)
  • PD 7974-7, Application of fire safety engineering principles to the design of buildings. Part 7: Probabilistic risk assessment

In the new framework, the PDs numbering 0,8 & 4 have been incorporated into the BS as it was felt they were unnecessary duplication. They will now be withdrawn:

  • PD 7974-0, Application of fire safety engineering principles to the design of buildings. Guide to design framework and fire safety engineering procedures
  • PD 7974-8, Application of fire safety engineering principles to the design of buildings. Property protection, business and mission continuity, and resilience
  • PD 7974-4, is proposed for withdrawal following the revision of BS 7974 and other PDs as the document is no longer relevant in its entirety