occupancy courses

[alfi]

Following on from my thread about occupancy levels in Churches does anyone one know of any short courses that cover calculations and working out occupancy levels?

[Midland Retty]

Hi Tony

Many course providers cover this subject area as part of their fire risk assessment or fire safety management training packages.

Its doubtful that anyone will run a course purely dealing with occupancy factors because you need to know and understand how those factors effect or fit into the larger fire safety scheme.

 

[alfi]

thanks for that, yes i see your point but its often only covered lightly and not in any real detail involving calculations, most fire related subjects are covered in Technical workshops or by workshops run by the IFE, I would like to spend a bit more time indepth on the subject, as its far from easy to digest using BS and tables!, better you have an experienced person who explains it and then you work on examples, I find theis the best way to learn.

[CivvyFSO]

Reading the CLG guidance documents or ADB might be your best bet.

http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/fire/firesafetyrisk7 <-CLG Guidance
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/BR_PDF_ADB2_2006.pdf <- ADB Vol 2, check section 3
Or for a history lesson, Post War Building Studies no 29, Fire Grading of Buildings.


I have to agree with Retty (Not that I don't like agreeing with Retty of course) and lean towards it not being much of a useful skill on its own. It is just part of the bigger picture. The calculations are not difficult enough to warrant any sort of course, as IMO a reasonable tutor should be able to explain it within an hour including worked examples.

Dumbing it down a bit:
[Expected maximum occupancy] = [floorspace of room] divided by [the area people usually take up in that sort of occupancy (floorspace factor from ADB)]
[Necessary exit width in mm] = [Expected maximum occupancy] multiplied by [5]

With this exit width in mind, then you need to think about losing exits to fire, inward/outward opening doors, fastenings on doors etc

With existing buildings you work backwards, you already know the exit width available, so you take off the worst case exit(s) lost to fire, then find out how many can escape through the remaining doors using values from ADB or CLG guidance. (i.e. a 1050mm door allows 220 people through according to ADB) This gives the number of persons that the room can safely accommodate.

[kurnal]

Hi Tonyfog
Just out of interest where abouts are you?

Depending on the geography we could meet for a chat over a beer or two and probably put things into perspective or confuse you further depending on whose round it is..

[Midland Retty]

Tonyfog

Kurnal has offered to give you tuition over a beer or two.... not only is that the offer of the century (getting a man from his part of the world to buy a round is rare) you'll also be in a licensed premises - a perfect setting to talk about occupancy factors and indeed look at floor space and exit widths.

Great way to impress the chicks too they do like a man who knows his occupancy factors and available exit widths!

[alfi]

I have PM the Kurnal 

[kurnal]

Great way to impress the chicks too they do like a man who knows his occupancy factors and available exit widths!

Dont know about chicks, my only experience is with broilers and they often arent too impressed when I start romanticising about the finer points of the fire safety installations. (Then they have the cheek to storm out without paying their half of the bill.)

Maybe  I am going wrong somewhere.

[Hightower]

I often read on this site the frustration of qualified and experienced FRA's at the lack of regulation of their work.
Likewise, as a student of the topic, I am finding it frustrating to be able to put some meaningful practice with the theory. 
Is there anyone out there willing to mentor such up and coming (not necessarily young - not in my case anyway), conscientious and interested persons trying to develop skills in this area.

 

[colin todd]

Telephone mentoring available at commercial rates in or out of normal office hours. Price on application.

[Mr. P]

Ah hmn! Mids, my man. I think The K was meaning the beers to be bought for HIM!

[Davo]

Retty old chap

How very dare you slag the Prof off!!!!

I'll have you know he is very generous in the pub when my boss is paying his expenses


dave