Fire protection is a combination of constructive measures and space planning aimed at preventing the effects of fire hazards on people and reducing material damage caused by fire. We can separate active protection - related to human action and passive protection - all fire protection measures used in factories, plants and facilities.
Regulations
Fire regulations (fire safety) is a set of formal and statutory regulations requiring compliance with fire safety rules in the workplace. Business owners must comply with the Fire Protection Act of 24 August 1991 when setting their own rules. In accordance with art.4 Act of 24 August 1991. On fire protection, the person who owns a building, a structure or a building and who provides fire protection should: supply the building, structure or land with a fire extinguisher and compulsory fire protection equipment; guarantee the maintenance and repair of the fire extinguisher and fire protection equipment in such a way that they function efficiently and are reliable; know and apply the technological, installation and technical and construction fire protection requirements; ensure the safety of the building's occupants and allow for a smooth evacuation; train their employees in the applicable fire safety regulations; prepare the building, building or site in such a way that it is possible to carry out a rescue operation; discuss and determine the options to be followed in the event of a fire, natural disaster or other type of emergency.
Anyone who uses a building, facility or land is obliged to protect it from the risk of fire, regardless of whether it is an individual, legal entity, organisation or institution. This involves complying with fire safety technical, construction, technological and installation requirements, providing an escape route, adapting the building to the possibility of carrying out an emergency operation and providing appropriate fire-fighting equipment. Safety in a building is extremely important as we spend most of our time in it. It is therefore a priority that they are built to the best standards and have the best fire protection. A building's fire protection system is a combination of organisational measures as well as technical measures aimed at preventing human exposure and limiting material damage caused by fire. These include structural and spatial solutions that prevent the spread of fire throughout the building, between rooms and floors. The fire resistance of building components and thermal insulation also play a major role. For fire safety, it is important to insulate the building with non-combustible material. The main cause of a significant proportion of fires is the mishandling of open fires, improper operation of equipment and electrical installations, as well as faulty installations. It is therefore extremely important that building materials are fire-resistant. According to the Building Act (Act of 7 July 1994 - Building Law, Journal of Laws 1994 No. 89), the design process of a building as well as the equipment associated with that building should be carried out in such a way that it reduces the likelihood of a fire occurring, and should if it does occur:
- Ensure the load-bearing capacity of the structure for a certain period of time;
- Restrict the spread of fire and smoke within the building and to neighbouring structures and buildings as well as neighbouring and adjacent areas;
- Ensuring the safety of rescue teams;
- Enable people to be evacuated or have their lives saved by other means.
An important document in the field of fire safety is the Ordinance on Technical Conditions. This is the implementing act for the Act relating to buildings. An entire chapter VI is dedicated to the safety and fire protection of a building. It talks about the requirements that must be met when constructing a building, such as: escape routes and their length, fire resistance classes of building elements, division into fire zones and their classification according to fire resistance. These requirements are already checked during the acceptance of the building by the relevant services.
The Fire Protection Act (Official Gazette 2020, item 961) is another act regulating fire safety regulations. According to it, fire protection are activities that aim to protect health, life, property or the environment against the occurrence of fire, natural disaster or other hazard occurring in a given place by:
- Preventing the occurrence and spread of a fire, natural disaster or other hazard;
- Guaranteeing resources and forces to counter a fire, natural disaster or other emergency and in terms of civil protection;
- Conduct of rescue operations by fire protection units.
There are two executive acts attached to the Fire Protection Act, such as the Ordinance on Fire Water Supply and Fire Roads and the Ordinance on Fire Protection of Buildings, Other Structures and Areas.
The Fire Water Supply and Fire Roads Ordinance requires the provision of an external water supply for fire fighting and the provision of fire roads.
The Ordinance on the fire protection of buildings, other structures and areas defines which materials and work are dangerous in terms of fire. It defines which buildings must be equipped with fire-fighting installations, fire-fighting equipment and fire extinguishers.
Training
As a first obligation, the employer must provide fire safety training. By law, the company must familiarise its employees with fire regulations and fire safety instructions. We can distinguish between several types of training:
- Initial - these are training courses designed for newly recruited employees and are designed to familiarise them with fire safety rules;
- Basic - these are more in-depth training courses that cover topics such as how to use a fire extinguisher, evacuation rules, fire hazards, dealing with fire;
- Specialised - these are for employees who use hazardous, flammable materials on their job and those working in laboratories.
Fire training must be provided by instructors, with appropriate qualifications and experience, fire protection specialists and fire technicians or engineers.
