FireNet Community
FIRE SERVICE AND GENERAL FIRE SAFETY TOPICS => Fire Safety => Topic started by: kurnal on February 26, 2008, 03:23:23 PM
-
I have been approached by a friend who is seeking to research the history of the tests for the surface spread of flame as part of a University project.
The current tests and pass / fail criteria are easy but is anyone please able to help with the background to the tests, why and how the tests were first initiated and how the test criteria and methodology may have evolved over the years? Was there any specific incident that started the ball rolling in the normal stable door fashion?
Any ideas would be greatfully received. I have already pointed him towards the excellent resources available through the UMIST website but there is little on this topic.
-
Try "Aspects of Fire Precautions in Building" by R E H Read and W A Morris, published around 1988 by BRE (ISBN 0 85125 361, BRE ref BR137). It's possible there's a later edition, although Richard Read has retired from BRE and Tony Morris died a couple of years ago, I believe.
This has quite a bit about the various tests and how they were developed from examination of actual fires. Although of course it only goes up to 1988!
PM me if any difficulties finding a copy. Or try BRE Certification/LPCB - they are very active still in the testing world.
-
Theres some useful stuff in Bill Malhotra's "fire safety in buildings". Its a BRE report published in 1986
BR 987 ISBN 0 85125 235 4