Fire fighting lifts at basement levels

[Rocha]

I have been to a building which has a fire fighting shaft serving upper floors due to being in excess of 18m above ground floor level, which is provided with a fire fighting lift.  This shaft terminates at ground floor (fire service access floor) level, however the fire fighting lift installed to this shaft provides access to three basement floors, although not part of the same shaft.

The lowest basement level is 8.8m deep and does therefore not require a fire fighting shaft and lift etc.  The firefighting lift at basement levels is still enclosed in 120 monites FR construction.

My question is - does the fact that the fire fighting lift serves the basement levels during normal opertions comply with ADB/BS??  or must it stop at ground level as per the fire fighting shaft it serves??

Any advice hugely welcome..  Rocha

[kurnal]

Hi Rocha
I am not quite sure I understand the scenario you describe- I assume there is a single firefighting shaft and a single lift shaft that extends from the lowest basement to the top floor of the building? Or are there two seperate lift shafts, one serving the upper floors and another serving the  basement only?

In any case, a firefighting lift that serves upper floors need not serve a basement that is not large or deep enough to require, in its own right, a fire fighting lift. This is due to the compartmentation inherent in such a building.

However a firefighting lift should serve all intermediate floors between the fire service access level and the lowest / highest floors it is required to serve.  So it sounds to me that your building is compliant- the firefighting lift is not required to serve the basements as the basements are of limited depth.

[Rocha]

Thanks Kurnal,

This is what I thought it just seemed strange to see one lift shaft running the whole height of the building (including basement levels) although not required due to their depth and I just wondered if this was allowed as I cant say I have seen this before.

I presume that although it serves the basement floors, as it is within a protected shaft it will not inhibit fire fighting operations.

[Fishy]

Mmmm - difficult to say without seeing it, but this doesn't sound right?  I can't imagine why you would do this, unless it's to use it as a goods lift (which is not in accordance with the BS).  I've seen shafts with a lift & stairs serving the floors above access level but stairs only serving the basement, but not vice versa.

I take it that there are no fire-fighting stairs serving the basement - just the lift? Could fire-fighters then reasonably expect to use the F/F lift to reach a fire in the basement and use their normal tactics of going to the floor below and using the stairs to get to the fire floor, but find themselves unable to due to the lack of F/F staircase?

Are the basement levels separated from the accommodation to the same standard as for a fire-fighting shaft?  If not, the shaft could be compromised.

If it's a new(ish) building it might be worth looking in the Health & Safety File to see if there are any clues (but don't hold your breath)!

[Rocha]

The ff lift shaft has been continued down to serve the basement levels for normal everday use for persons parking in the basement then catching the lift up to the upper floors.  I dont think the ff lift was continued down for ff reasons/purposes just for everyday passenger use.

There is only one stair serving the basement levels (not required to be a ff stair) and this is remote from the ff lift shaft, supporting my view that it is not for ff opertions.  The standard of fire seperation for the ff lift shaft at basement levels is the same of that on the upper floors where it serves the fire fighting shaft, so the shaft should not be compromised.

Just looked a bit strange to me.... although I suppose that if the shaft is adeqautely protected at upper and basement levels (to the same standard) is should not really matter that it continues to the basement levels.