WHAT IS FIRE ENGINEERING?
It is not an easy task to define fire engineering as can
be seen from the explanatory material below. It could be argued that any
person involved in the fire protection industry could call themselves
fire engineers and because they do not belong to a professional association
does not negate this. However there appears to be two groups one with
university qualifications and the other with a range of qualifications
from other sources, e.g.HNC, Fire Service College. Those with degrees
tend to provide solutions to fire safety problems with theoretical solutions
[computer models] or are involved in design the other tends to provide
practical solutions. However similar to other professions there is an
overlap depending on the fire safety field the engineer is involved with.
FIRE ENGINEERING
Fire engineering is the application of scientific and engineering principles,
codes, and expert judgment, based on an understanding of the phenomena
and effects of fire, the reaction and behaviour of people to fire. Which
attempts to protect people, property and the environment from the destructive
effects of fire.
These objectives will be achieved by a variety of means including such
activities as :
- the assessment of the hazards and risks of fire and its effects;
- the mitigation of potential fire damage by proper design, construction,
arrangement, and use of buildings, materials, structures, industrial
processes, transportation systems and similar;
- the appropriate level of evaluation for the optimum preventive and
protective measures necessary to limit the consequences of fire;
- the design, installation, maintenance and/or development of fire
detection, fire suppression, fire control and fire related communication
systems and equipment;
- the direction and control of appropriate equipment and manpower in
the strategy and function of firefighting and rescue operations;
- post-fire investigation and analysis, evaluation and feedback.
A FIRE ENGINEER
A fire engineer, by education, training and experience:
- understands the nature and characteristics of fire and the mechanisms
of fire spread and the control of fire and the associated products of
combustion;
- understands how fires originate, spread within and outside buildings/structures,
and can be detected, controlled, and/or extinguished;
- is able to anticipate the behaviour of materials, structures, machines,
apparatus, and processes as related to the protection of life, property
and the environment from fire;
- has an understanding of the interactions and integration of fire
safety systems and all other systems in buildings, industrial structures
and similar facilities
- is able to make use of all of the above and any other required knowledge
to undertake the practice of fire engineering.
SUPPORTING COMMENTARY
Research started in early 1998 and over a period of time elicited definitions
of Fire Engineering by CEN, by ISO and by the Society
of Fire Protection Engineers [SFPE]. The SFPE also have a
definition of a Fire Engineer. Other relative information was sought and
this included certain sections of the Guide to Membership of the Engineering
Council of the UK, Engineering Council Division [ECD] which
refer to the Training required of persons seeking to be Fire Engineers.
The Institute
of Fire Engineers [IFE] have a definition which has been
extensively used to produce this page. Other potential definitions being
worked on by those responsible for the development of certain National
and International Codes were promised but have not so far been provided.
The major problem was to produce definitions which are concise and yet
cover the subject matter thoroughly and inclusively. It was considered
essential to define Fire Engineering prior to defining a Fire Engineer
and it is also important to note that different terminology is used by
different people and in different parts of the world and the terms ‘Fire
Engineer(ing)’, ‘Fire Safety Engineer(ing)’ and ‘Fire
Protection Engineer(ing)’ are synonymous.
The problem is that Fire Engineering can mean many things to many people
and covers a wide range of levels of knowledge and competence. The range
of this diversity is clearly shown by the following examples -
Fire Engineering can mean -
- the calculation of pipe sizing for automatic fire sprinkler systems
- the calculation of the response to fire of a structural building
element such as a beam or column
- evaluating the life safety consequences of a specified fire - involving
defining the context, defining the scenario and calculating the hazard
- developing a package of measures which has the objective of reducing
the potential for injury, death, property and pecuniary loss to an acceptable
level
- use and application of appropriate knowledge, training and experience
to undertake manual firefighting and/or rescue operations
- In a paper by Dr. D W Wooley given at Fire 93 in Glasgow he proposed
that Fire Engineering could be considered under a number of headings
and this concept has been incorporated in ISO/PDTR 13387-1. The 'headings'
suggested are:
The PROCESS is about measurements and relationships,
backed by scientific study, for engineering application to the required
problems, but where experience and judgment can contribute, as in other
engineering disciplines.
The CONTEXT is the need to evaluate the fire
hazard and risk, and to offer fire safety strategies and designs based
on performance and not prescription
The TOOLS are the calculation methods or models
which describe the measurements, relationships and interactions
The INPUTS are the physical data for the calculation
methods derived from the measurement methods (tests etc.)
The FRAMEWORK basically comprises the essential
core, and transfer, of knowledge, which permits an engineering approach,
the education and training of users, and the professional recognition
of the discipline.
In addition to all of the above, the ‘Training’ section of
the Guide to Membership of the ECD provides a list of 14 subject areas
within Fire Engineering and there is an expectation that applicants for
the Division will have a knowledge of at least some of these, at an appropriate
level, to that for which they are seeking registration as an Engineer.
These 14 subjects are -
- Fire Science (Fire Chemistry)
- Fire Science (Fire Dynamics)
- Fire Protection Engineering (Active)
- Fire Protection Engineering (Passive)
- Smoke Control
- Interaction between Fire and People (inc Means of Escape)
- Fireground Operations
- Fire Investigation
- Fire Risk Assessment and Measurement (including Fire Insurance)
- Fire Safety of Consumer Items and Energy Sources
- Fire Safety Design and Management of Buildings
- Fire Safety Design and Management of Industrial Processes
- Fire Safety Design and Management of Transport Activities
- Fire Safety Design and Management of Cities and Communities
The Training references also state that whilst it is not reasonable to
expect applicants to have a thorough knowledge of all 14 subject areas,
they are expected to possess a working knowledge on Fire Safety of Consumer
Items and Energy Sources (10) and to show a wider knowledge within the
branch of the subject in which they specialise, e.g.
- Fire Science (1, 2, 8),
- Fire Protection Engineering (3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
- Fire Risk Assessment & Fire Safety Design and Management (9,
11, 12, 13, 14).
Furthermore, applicants to the Division also need to show that they have
:-
- Acquired a basic understanding of how to deal with a fire emergency
- Acquired the ability to identify and quantify fire hazard scenarios
in fire risk situations
- An appreciation of the relevant regulations and legislation affecting
their areas of specialisation, as well as a working knowledge of codes
and standards and the state of the art in their field of operation.
These will need to include requirements for installation, maintenance
and reliability of appropriate fire protection systems and structures.
- Where computer programmes are used by the candidate, or on his behalf,
a critical understanding of the assumptions and limitations of computer
programmes, in so far as they affect fire safety.
Fire Engineering also has many benefits to the community at large and
particularly to the construction industry and those concerned with the
mitigation of the effects of fire on people, property and the environment.
Among its many benefits, it can :
- form the basis of design, especially of major projects such as airport
terminals, stadiums and large atrium buildings which are of such magnitude
that they cannot be designed using present technical guidance overcome
the restraints of design imposed by prescriptive regulations/codes
- determine how safe buildings are by enabling a comparison of safety
levels for alternative designs
- identify topics for fire research and assist in the development of
fire tests facilitate more cost effective design whilst maintaining
safety levels
- enable specialists to acquire and maintain leading edge expertise
in fire safe design assist the management of fire safety for a building
during its whole life cycle
- identify fire protection measures which have the greatest impact
on fire life safety and fire loss reduction, preferably without extra
cost.
All of the above has been taken into consideration in the production
of the definitions detailed. These Definitions should be kept under constant
review and modified as necessary in the light of experience and/or developments
in the field.
Today the profession of Fire Engineering encompasses topics such as :
- Science :- Mechanics of ignition of fuel/air mixtures, chemistry of
reactions within a flame, inhibition of combustion and toxicity etc.
- Technology :- Use of electricity in flammable atmospheres, structural
fire protection of buildings, design of fire detection and alarm systems,
fire appliances, sprinklers and other automatic fire fighting systems,
professional fire fighting, operational command in the fire service,
hazard assessment of industrial plant and chemicals, arson investigation
and fire insurance. etc.
- Psychology & Physiology :- Behaviour pattern of persons faced
with emergencies e.g. their reaction to alarms, design of escape routes,
reaction to stress and its mitigation.
- Management :- In the public or industrial fire brigades - command,
leadership, emergency planning, cost/benefit analysis and management,
in commercial fire engineering management, financial control, motivation
of staff, etc
- Law :- Drafting, implementation and enforcement of fire safety legislation,
litigation arising from fires, e.g. acting as an expert witness in both
civil and criminal cases, etc.
This handout provides a general overview
and basic information on this topic. It may not apply to everyone, consequently
to find out if this guide applies to you and to get more information
on this subject, study all the relevant legislation, guides and British/European
Standards. Also you should seek advice from an expert on the subject
or your local Fire Safety Officer or Fire Safety Professional.

Merseyside Fire Liaison Panel. Permission is granted to print and photocopy
this material for nonprofit educational uses.
[Index]
[Advice Centre]
This page was last checked and
modified on
Friday, 28 March, 2008 16:14
|