1. Part of the BRE Trust Fire investigation by BRE Fire & Explosives Investigation – Challenges and Opportunities Workshop The Knowledge Transfer Network 13 th January 2015 Martin Shipp Technical Development Director, Fire Safety BRE Global

2. BRE Fire and Security –Was the Fire Research Station, part of the Building Research Establishment, at Garston, Watford, UK. –BRE privatised (became independent) in 1997 –BRE is the largest fire laboratory in the UK –Now includes LPCB –Carries out fire investigations for Government and other agencies to learn lessons to improve regulations –Provides independent specialist help to other investigators and private concerns

3. Facilities 1994 built burn hall Largest of its type in Europe Used for fire testing Measures heat release rate Used to establish design fires

4. BRE Fire and Security –Consultancy advice on all aspects of fire science that calls upon the expertise and experience of our scientific staff, and specialised research and testing facilities. –DoE, then DETR, then DTLR, then ODPM, now the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), has funded investigations into major incidents and routine investigation of real fires by BRE since early 1970s.

5. Fire investigation work at BRE –Learning lessons from fires –performance of the building –performance of fire safety systems –behaviour of occupants –improved regulations or guidance (AD B or FSO) –improved (or new) knowledge, information or data for fire safety engineering –improved (or new) knowledge for Fire and Rescue Service operations

6. Fire Investigation work at BRE –Early warning system of topics to be addressed during updating of documentation; –factory fires - large single-storey buildings, sandwich panels, cladding - changes in 2000 edition of AD B –truss-rafter roofs - ODPM research programme –But large amount of information from real fires being lost!

7. –Investigation into a specific incident –Explain the incident –Forensic –Inquiry –Learn lessons for the future –Stop it happening again –Stop it happening in the first place (i.e. near-miss incident) –Education –Exemplars –Case studies –Reinforcement –Research –Learn lessons for the future –New knowledge, understanding; expand the knowledge base –Improve Codes, Standards and Guides Why investigate fires?

8. The Virtuous Cycle of Fire Investigation What we know What we do Accident/fire An investigation Report of findings Research Recommendations Proposed revisions to guidance Consultation e.g. BSI committee CFRA Changes to Guidance - What we know now What we do now How good are we at this?

9. Major fire investigations supported by BRE –Woolworths, Manchester, May 1979 –Stardust Disco, Dublin, February 1981 –King's Cross, London, November 1987 –Piper Alpha, July 1988 –Windsor Castle, November 1992 –The Channel Tunnel, November 1996 –Ladbroke Grove Rail Crash, October 1999 –Yarl’s Wood Detention Centre, Bedfordshire, February 2002 –Rosepark Care Home, Scotland, January 2004 –Bethnal Green, London, July 2004 –Harrow Court, Stevenage, February 2005 –Colindale, London, July 2006 –Monica Wills House, Bristol, December 2006 –Cutty Sark, June 2007 –Penhallow Hotel, Newquay, August 2007 –Atherstone on Stour, Warwickshire, November 2007 –Royal Marsden Hospital, London, January 2008 –Lakanal House, London, July 2009 –Peckham & Camberwell Timber Frames, London, November 2009 & January 2010 –Shirley Towers, Southampton, April 2010 –Freckleton House Fire, January 2012

10. Yarl’s Wood 2002

11. Rosepark 2004 Photo by D Smit, (FRS)

12. Harrow Court, 2005

13. Penhallow Hotel fire – 18 August 2007

14. BS 9999:2008 –BS999 gives recommendations and guidance on the design, management and use of buildings to achieve reasonable standards of fire safety for all people in and around buildings. –Is applicable to the design of new buildings (not single dwellings), and to alterations, extensions and changes of use of an existing building. –Provides guidance on the ongoing management of fire safety in a building throughout the entire life cycle of the building. –Provides guidance for designers to ensure that the overall design of a building assists and enhances the management of fire safety.

15. BS 9999:2008 –Several amendments made in the 2008 version from the previous 2005 version –Relocation of Protected Shafts and Protected Stairways to Section 7 - 32.5 Construction of compartment walls and compartment floors –Main change was introduction of: –32.5.6.2.2 Fully enclosed or partially enclosed courtyard spaces –Essentially fully enclosed or partially enclosed vertical courtyards can form part of vertical or horizontal compartment boundaries –Provides guidance on how these should be incorporated into buildings

16. Atherstone-on-Stour –4 Operational Bulletins issued following experimental work: 1.Limitations and effectiveness of gas cooling 2.Insulating properties of non- combustible sandwich panels 3.Sudden and rapid fire development 4.Hanging cable hazards from surface mounted conduit and trunking

17. Cables supports and fixings –Several incidents where falling cables contributed to the death of fire-fighters –Harrow Court –Shirley Towers –Atherstone-on-stour –Coroners issued Rule 43 letters regarding these issues –Amendment to BS 7671 Wiring Regulations to address this issue in means of escape

18. Who needs to know? – Stakeholders Clients – Design Architects, Fire Safety Engineers, Specifiers, Insurers Construction Prime contractor, Service engineers, Supervisors, Construction, Manufacturers, Demolition Users: owners The Responsible Person, Fire safety managers, Fire risk assessors Occupiers, Occupants, Facility managers, Safety officers, Security staff Maintenance Engineers Regulators, Approvers and Enforcers: Govt., BCOs, AIs, FSOs, HSE, EHOs Incident/ post-incident: Fire-fighters, FRS investigators, Police, Forensic providers, Insurance investigators, Lawyers

19. How do we tell them? – Fire Investigation Membership Bodies –UK Association of Fire Investigators (UK- AFI) International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) –CFOA FI Strategic Steering Group –Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) FI Special Interest Group –Arson Prevention Forum (APF) –Fire Sector Federation (FSF) FI Workstream

20. How do we tell them? – Other bodies –European Network of Forensic Science Institutes (ENFSI) Fire Investigation and Explosions Working Group –European Network of Fire Investigators and Prevention (ENFIP) –Skills for Justice – National Occupational Standards –Forensic Science Regulator –NFPA –Academic Institutions

21. How do we tell them? So how are the lessons that are from, or derive from, fire investigations disseminated? –Stakeholder organisations –Journal articles and e-newsletters –Word of mouth –Research reports –Inquiry reports, Coroner’s reports –Conferences, seminars (like this) and CPD events –Standards and guidance –Web-based knowledge exchanges

22. Emerging issues –Highly-insulated buildings –Accommodation in sheds and garages –Hoarding –Mobility scooters –PVs and other renewable energy tech –CE Marking –Recycling depots –Lithium-ion batteries

23. Conclusion –Fire investigation is a very valuable intelligence tool –There are lessons to be learned from all fires – what went wrong: what went right! –But does it come too late? Does it take too long? –What more can we do to inform relevant persons of fire safety issues?

24. Thank you Martin Shipp Technical Development Director, Fire Safety BRE Global T: +44 (0) 1923 664960 E: shippm@bre.co.ukshippm@bre.co.uk F: +44 (0) 1923 664910 W: www.bre.co.uk/firewww.bre.co.uk/fire BRE, Garston, Watford WD25 9XX, UK