Definitions 5.0.4 The following definitions apply specifically to B5. Other terms applicable more widely throughout this Document are given in Appendix D. Firefighting lift: a lift designed to have additional protection, with controls that enable it to be used under the direct control of the fire brigade in fighting a fire. Firefighting lobby: a protected lobby for providing access from a firefighting stairway to the accommodation area and to any associated firefighting lift. Firefighting shaft: a protected shaft containing a firefighting stairway, firefighting lobbies and, if provided, a firefighting lift. Firefighting stairway: a protected stairway communicating with the accommodation area only through a firefighting lobby. Fire mains: pipes installed in and around buildings and equipped so that the fire service may connect hoses to receive a supply of water for fire fighting. Hydrant: an assembly comprising a valve and outlet connection from an external fire mains, provided to deliver a supply of water for fire-fighting. Perimeter (of buildings): The maximum aggregate plan perimeter, formed by vertical projection onto a horizontal plane but excluding any parts which are connected to adjoining buildings (see Diagram 31).

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C1 Some form of measurement is an integral part of many of the provisions in this Document. Diagrams 34 to 38 show how the various forms of measurement should be made, based on definitions in Appendix D. Note: See Section B1, par. 1.0.10 for methods of measurement specific to means of escape in case of fire.

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Definitions Access room – See B1 (1.0.9) Access level – See B1 (1.0.9) Accommodation stairway – See B1 (1.0.9) Alternative escape routes – See B1(1.0.9) Appliance ventilation duct – See B3 (3.0.5) Atrium (plural atria) – See B1 (1.0.9) Basement storey – means a storey which is below the ground storey or, where there is no ground storey, means a storey the top surface of the floor of which is situated at such a level or levels that some point on its perimeter is more than 1.2 m below the level of the finished surface of the ground adjoining the building in the vicinity of that point (however, see Appendix A, Table A2, for concessions where the storey is considered to be a basement only because of a sloping site) Bedroom – See B1 (1.0.9) Boundary – See B4 (4.0.2) Cavity – See B2 (2.0.7) Cavity Barrier – See B3 (3.0.5) Ceiling – See B2 (2.0.7) Circulation space – See B2 (2.0.7) Class O – See Appendix A, paragraph A11 Compartment (fire compartment) – A building or part of a building, comprising one or more rooms, spaces or storeys, constructed to prevent the spread of fire to or from another part of the same building, or an adjoining building (a roof space above the top storey of a compartment is included in that compartment) (see also ‘Separated Part’) Compartment wall/floor – A fire-resisting wall/floor used in the separation of one fire compartment from another (constructional requirements are given in 3.2 of Section B3) Concealed space (cavity) – See B3 (3.0.5) Conservatory – See B4 (4.0.2) Dead-end – See B1 (1.0.9) Direct distance – See B1 (1.0.9) Dwelling – A single-family dwelling house, a flat or maisonette Electro-magnetic, or electro-mechanical device susceptible to smoke – A device which will allow a door held open by it to close automatically in the event of each or any one of the following: (a) detection of smoke by automatic apparatus suitable in nature, quality and location, and (b) operation of a manually operated switch fitted in a suitable position, and (c) failure of the electricity supply to the device, apparatus or switch, and (d) operation of the fire alarm system, if any. Element of structure – (a) a member forming part of the structural frame of a building or any other beam or column, and (b) a loadbearing wall or loadbearing part of a wall, and (c) a floor, and (d) a gallery, and (e) an external wall, and (f) a compartment wall (including a separating wall). However, see B3, par. 3.1.4, for exclusions from the provisions for elements of structure Emergency lighting – See B1 (1.0.9) Escape lighting – See B1 (1.0.9) Escape route – See B1 (1.0.9) Evacuation lift – See B1 (1.0.9) External wall – See B4 (4.0.2) Final exit – See B1 (1.0.9) Fire door – A door or shutter, provided for the passage of persons, air or objects, which together with its frame and furniture as installed in a building is intended when closed to resist the passage of fire and/or gaseous products of combustion, and is capable of meeting specified performance criteria to those ends (it may have one or more leaves and includes a cover or other form of protection to an opening in a fire-resisting wall or floor, or in a structure surrounding a protected shaft) Firefighting lift – See B5 (5.0.4) Firefighting lobby – See B5 (5.0.4) Firefighting shaft – See B5 (5.0.4) Firefighting stairway – See B5 (5.0.4) Fire mains – See B5 (5.0.5) Fire stop – See B3 (3.0.5) Flat – Separate and self-contained premises constructed or adopted for residential use and forming part of a building from some other part of which it is divided horizontally. Floor area – In relation to a building means the area bounded by the inner finished surfaces of the enclosing walls, or, on any side where there is no enclosing wall, by the outermost edge of the floor on that side and in calculating the area of a building or part of a building there shall be included in such area the space

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Definitions Access room – See B1 (1.0.9) Access level – See B1 (1.0.9) Accommodation stairway – See B1 (1.0.9) Alternative escape routes – See B1(1.0.9) Appliance ventilation duct – See B3 (3.0.5) Atrium (plural atria) – See B1 (1.0.9) Basement storey – means a storey which is below the ground storey or, where there is no ground storey, means a storey the top surface of the floor of which is situated at such a level or levels that some point on its perimeter is more than 1.2 m below the level of the finished surface of the ground adjoining the building in the vicinity of that point (however, see Appendix A, Table A2, for concessions where the storey is considered to be a basement only because of a sloping site) Bedroom – See B1 (1.0.9) Boundary – See B4 (4.0.2) Cavity – See B2 (2.0.7) Cavity Barrier – See B3 (3.0.5) Ceiling – See B2 (2.0.7) Circulation space – See B2 (2.0.7) Class O – See Appendix A, paragraph A11 Compartment (fire compartment) – A building or part of a building, comprising one or more rooms, spaces or storeys, constructed to prevent the spread of fire to or from another part of the same building, or an adjoining building (a roof space above the top storey of a compartment is included in that compartment) (see also ‘Separated Part’) Compartment wall/floor – A fire-resisting wall/floor used in the separation of one fire compartment from another (constructional requirements are given in 3.2 of Section B3) Concealed space (cavity) – See B3 (3.0.5) Conservatory – See B4 (4.0.2) Dead-end – See B1 (1.0.9) Direct distance – See B1 (1.0.9) Dwelling – A single-family dwelling house, a flat or maisonette Electro-magnetic, or electro-mechanical device susceptible to smoke – A device which will allow a door held open by it to close automatically in the event of each or any one of the following: (a) detection of smoke by automatic apparatus suitable in nature, quality and location, and (b) operation of a manually operated switch fitted in a suitable position, and (c) failure of the electricity supply to the device, apparatus or switch, and (d) operation of the fire alarm system, if any. Element of structure – (a) a member forming part of the structural frame of a building or any other beam or column, and (b) a loadbearing wall or loadbearing part of a wall, and (c) a floor, and (d) a gallery, and (e) an external wall, and (f) a compartment wall (including a separating wall). However, see B3, par. 3.1.4, for exclusions from the provisions for elements of structure Emergency lighting – See B1 (1.0.9) Escape lighting – See B1 (1.0.9) Escape route – See B1 (1.0.9) Evacuation lift – See B1 (1.0.9) External wall – See B4 (4.0.2) Final exit – See B1 (1.0.9) Fire door – A door or shutter, provided for the passage of persons, air or objects, which together with its frame and furniture as installed in a building is intended when closed to resist the passage of fire and/or gaseous products of combustion, and is capable of meeting specified performance criteria to those ends (it may have one or more leaves and includes a cover or other form of protection to an opening in a fire-resisting wall or floor, or in a structure surrounding a protected shaft) Firefighting lift – See B5 (5.0.4) Firefighting lobby – See B5 (5.0.4) Firefighting shaft – See B5 (5.0.4) Firefighting stairway – See B5 (5.0.4) Fire mains – See B5 (5.0.5) Fire stop – See B3 (3.0.5) Flat – Separate and self-contained premises constructed or adopted for residential use and forming part of a building from some other part of which it is divided horizontally. Floor area – In relation to a building means the area bounded by the inner finished surfaces of the enclosing walls, or, on any side where there is no enclosing wall, by the outermost edge of the floor on that side and in calculating the area of a building or part of a building there shall be included in such area the space

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Introduction This document has been published by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, under Article 7 of the Building Regulations, 1997. It provides guidance in relation to Part B of the Second Schedule to the Regulations, as amended. The revisions to the 1997 edition of Technical Guidance Document B primarily relate to the implementation of new fire performance standards under the EU Construction Products Directive – CPD (89/106/EEC); and to consequential amendments of Part B (Fire Safety) of the Second Schedule to the Regulations, as inserted by the Building Regulations (Amendment) Regulations, 2006. In general, Building Regulations apply to the construction of new buildings and to extensions and material alterations to buildings. In addition, certain parts of the Regulations apply to existing buildings where a material change of use takes place. Otherwise, Building Regulations do not apply to buildings constructed prior to 1 June 1992.

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E1 As premises covered by this Document can vary greatly in size and layout, the risk of fire can also vary considerably from one situation to another, particularly in industrial and storage buildings where widely differing processes may be carried out and hazardous substances are stored or used. It is essential, therefore, that the fire precautions to be provided should be determined having regard to all relevant circumstances. For the purpose of the guidance in this Document, two categories of risk are used for industrial and storage buildings. These are described as: Industrial (Purpose Group 6) (a) normal risk, and (b) high risk. Storage (Purpose Group 7(a)) (a) normal risk, and (b) high risk Industrial and storage buildings for the purpose of the relevant guidance should be treated as “normal risk” unless identified, by reasons of the criteria outlined in this Appendix, as being “high risk”. It should be noted that it is not possible to set out precise rules or other criteria that will be adequate to clearly establish the risk category in all cases. It is possible, however, to describe in broad terms the kind of factors which will need to be considered to determine if a building can be described as “high risk”. The details contained in the following paragraphs should be treated as broad indicators. It does not necessarily follow that the presence (or indeed the absence) of one of the factors mentioned in the description of the “high risk” category inevitably means that the premises or part of the premises have to be placed in that category. It is likely that in many industrial and storage buildings there will be a mixture of risks. It is emphasised that all factors should be considered. At the building design stage, it may be difficult to determine the exact nature of the processes or storage involved. However, the basis for the assessment should always be established in order to provide for adequate fire safety measures. Attention is drawn to obligations under the Fire Services Acts, 1981 and 2003 and the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005. The measures to be provided under the Building Regulations are intended to cater for fire safety in buildings generally and may not be adequate for the range of process and industrial hazards that could arise when the building is in use. The measures provided may therefore need to be supplemented accordingly.

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Transitional Arrangements This document applies to the design of works, or buildings in which a material change of use takes place, where the works or the change of use commence or takes place, as the case may be on or after 1 June 2006 except where- (1) a planning application is made on or before 31 May 2006 for planning permission or approval pursuant to the Planning and Development Act 2000 (No. 30 of 2000), or (2) a notice pursuant to the provisions of Part 8 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (No. 600 of 2001) is published on or before 31 May 2006, or (3) a Fire Safety Certificate under the Building Control Regulations, 1997 has been granted on or before 31 May 2006 provided substantial work has been completed on or before 31 May 2009. A specific construction product complying with the CPD must be accepted from the date of availability of such product. The 1997 edition of Technical Guidance Document B – Fire Safety, ceases to have effect from I June 2006, except in the case of projects benefiting from the foregoing transitional arrangements.

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E2 Factors which lead to the assessment of premises or parts of the premises as being of high risk include the following:- (a) the presence of materials likely, when ignited, to cause the rapid spread of fire, smoke or fumes. The materials may be solid, liquid, or gaseous and as well as the normal forms may be present as dust, spray, mist or vapour; (b) the presence of highly flammable or explosive materials (other than in small quantities); (c) certain areas which, due to their function, may present a greater risk of fire occurring and developing than elsewhere such as manufacturing processes handling highly flammable liquids; (d) the storage of hazardous goods or materials and the storage of vehicles containing hazardous goods or materials; (e) manufacturing, processing, repairing, cleaning, washing, breaking up or otherwise treating any hazardous substance.

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The Guidance The materials, methods of construction, standards and other specifications (including technical specifications) which are referred to in this document are those which are likely to be suitable for the purposes of the Regulations. Where works are carried out in accordance with the guidance in this document, this will, prima facie, indicate compliance with Part B of the Second Schedule of the Building Regulations. However, the adoption of an approach other than that outlined in the guidance is not precluded provided that the relevant requirements of the Regulations are complied with. Those involved in the design and construction of a building may be required by the relevant building control authority to provide such evidence as is necessary to establish that the requirements of the Building Regulations have been complied with. In the case of an application for a fire safety certificate under the Building Control Regulations, it is necessary to demonstrate compliance with Part B of the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations.

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E3 Materials falling within the following general descriptions should be considered as hazardous materials: (i) Explosives; (ii) Compressed or liquified gases; (iii) Flammable liquids with a flash point below 65°C including whisky or other spirituous liquor; (iv) Substances which becomes dangerous by interaction with either water or air; (v) Corrosive substances; (vi) Oxidising agents; (vii) Substances liable to spontaneous combustion; (viii) Substance that changes or decomposes readily giving out heat when doing so; (ix) Combustible solid substance with a flash point less than 120°C; (x) Any substance likely to spread fire by flowing from one part of a building to another. The above list is not necessarily exhaustive. There are a number of classification systems for hazardous materials such as the U.S Department of Transport (DOT) or that produced by the United Nations Committee of Experts for the Transport of Dangerous Goods which may also be used for this purpose.

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