Issued under the authority of the Home Office (Fire Department) Manual of Firemanship A survey of the science of fire-fighting Book 9 Fire protection of buildings London HMSOPreface The protection of buildings against fire is a constantly developing science. The design of new buildings, their contents and the materials used present ever-changing problems to the designers and manufacturers of automatic fire detection equipment and fixed extinguishing installations, not to mention fire prevention officers. High-bay warehouses, shopping precincts, atria, computer suites etc. all require very different approaches and solutions. This Book explains the main principles governing installations and illustrates them by examples. Students, however, should constantly update their knowledge by reading appropriate publica- tions and, where possible, inspecting actual installations. References in this Book to the male person should be construed as applying, where appropriate, to the female person also. The qualifications of appointment to and promotion within the Fire Service (Appointments and Promotion) Regulations 1965 applied only to men. By virtue of the Fire Service (Appointments and Promotion) (Amendment) Regulations 1976 they now apply equally to women. Reference to firemen and other male holders of Fire Service rank should therefore be interpreted as references to firewomen and female holders of such rank also. The Home Office is indebted to all who have helped in the preparation of this work. Home Office 1990Metrication List of SI units for use in the Fire Service ‘Quantity and basic or Approved unit of derived SI unit and measurement symbol metre (m) kilometer (km) metre (m) millimetre (mm) Conversion factor 1 km = 0.621 mile 1 m = 1.093 yards .279 feet 1 mm = 0.039 inch Area square metre (m?) square kilometre (km?) 1 km? = 0.386 mile? square metre (m?) 1 m? = 1.196 yards? square millimetre (mm?) 10.764 feet? 0.002 inch? Volume cubic metre (m*) cubic metre (m?) 1m? = 35.7 feet? litre (1) (=10-3m?) 1 litre = 0.22 gallon Volume, flow cubic metre per second cubic metre per second 1 m/s = 35.7 feet"/s (mis) (mis) 1Vmin = 0.22 gal/min litres per minute (min) Mass kilogram (kg) kilogram (kg) 1 kg = 2.205 Ibs tonne (t) 1 t = 0.984 ton Velocity metre per second (m/s) _ metre per second (m/s) international knot (kn) 1.852kmV/h) kilometre per hour (kev/h) Acceleration metre per second? (m/s) metre/second? (m/s?) 1 m/s = 3.281 feet/ 1 m/s? .281 feet/ second? = 0.102 'g° Force newton (N) kilonewton (kN) newton (n) 1KN = 0.1 ton force 1 N = 0.225 Ib force