BSI revise fire safety standard for commercial buildings

The British Standards Institution has revised the standard for fire safety in the design, management and use of buildings, BS 9999. 

The revised standard provides good practice to safeguard building occupants and fire-fighters from danger, by offering recommendations and guidance on the provision of measures to control or mitigate the effects of fire. 

BS9999:2017 has been amended to align with current good practice, new technology and consistency with recently revised fire safety standards, BS 9990 and BS 9991. The revised standard is applicable to the design of all new commercial buildings, in addition to material alterations, extensions and material change of use of an existing building. 

BSI has outlined the changes to BS9999:

• An inclusion of a flowchart showing the sequential steps in the design process, to assist users in the application of the standard
• Revised clause on fire safety management with references to PAS 7
• Inclusion of watermist fire suppression systems
• Expansion of the guidance on voice alarms
• Expansion of fire growth rates table to provide more information
• Updated recommendations for smoke and heat control; fire curtain barrier assemblies; mechanical ventilation and air-conditioning systems; shopping complexes; and ducting.

The standard is likely to be of use to to architects; building managers; fire safety engineers; fire risk assessors; building control personnel; fire and rescue personnel; installers of fire and smoke alarms, sprinklers and smoke and heat control systems; and inspectorate for certification and installation schemes.